Electromagnetic induction is probably one of the most challenging subjects for students in the introductory physics sequence, especially in algebra-based courses. Yet it is at the heart of many of the devices we rely on today. To help students grasp and retain the concept, we have put together a simple and dramatic classroom demonstration that…

How do students with visual impairments measure liquids? Can a student with cerebral palsy participate in hands-on science activities? What challenges might a hearing-impaired student have in my science class? These are just some of the important questions increasingly being asked by science teachers, thanks in part to the Individuals with…

It seems each new school year brings its own opportunities to grow as an educator. As teachers in a STEM focused school that serves primarily at-risk students, the authors face a new challenge in rethinking their instruction to align with the "Next Generation Science Standards". This involves changing the focus of units previously taught…

This study was aimed to determine pre-service teachers' views about science centers and museums, as out-of-the-school learning environments, through case study. For that purpose, the pre-service teachers were provided to participate in out-of-the-school learning environments which were designed in a structured way, and their attitudes and views…

A kindergarten class learns about inventions, inventors, and how to be an inventor. Engaging students in learning about pencil sharpeners led to researching and developing a lesson plan designed so students could learn how inventions are solutions to problems. Through identifying, researching, and brainstorming new inventions, the students…

Plastics are more prevalent in our society than ever before, yet the general public has a limited understanding of why plastics have properties that are vastly different from other common materials such as glass and ceramics. This lab is designed to introduce students to several introductory principles of polymer science and their relation to the…

Curricula integration presents possibilities for broadening and deepening students' learning, yet more models are required for teachers to engage effectively in curricula integration. Utilising other subject areas to enhance science learning can extend the science curriculum, particularly in primary schools. Linking standards from subject areas…

Since 1968, biologists have known that termites line up and follow some ballpoint ink lines but not others. Suggestions for class lessons based on this observation have become widespread. However, many of these are incomplete, superficial, conflicting, and/or occasionally inaccurate, and most provide only simple demonstrations or cookbook-style…

Biodiesel has gained attention in recent years as a renewable fuel source due to its reduced greenhouse gas and particulate emissions, and it can be produced within the United States. A laboratory experiment designed for students in an upper-division undergraduate laboratory is described to study biodiesel production and biodiesel mixing with…

Students in the undergraduate organic laboratory synthesize tetrahydro-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenyl-2"H"-pyran via the Montmorillonite K10 clay-catalyzed reaction of p-nitrobenzaldehye with methanol, 3-buten-1-ol, and benzene. The synthesis comprises an environmentally friendly tandem Prins-Friedel-Crafts-type multicomponent reaction (MCR) and sets…

Student interest in artificial sweeteners can enhance the biochemistry classroom learning experience. This in class, guided-inquiry activity focuses on sucralose and fits into a 50-min biochemistry class for undergraduate science majors. Background knowledge of carbohydrate structure, function, and metabolism as well as familiarity with…

Place-based education is a form of teaching and learning that allows the teacher to understand the cultural norms of the learners and ensure that cultural norms and local content are reproduced within the classroom so that learning is meaningful, student-centered, and applicable. The traditional definition of place-based education focused on…

In this article, the authors report on the Top Marks project and some of the successful activities that made assessment "real." The aim of Top Marks project was to "invigorate the assessment of science with fun, relevance, real-life and engagement". The project involved collaboration between schools and primary science consultants from the Centre…

Gravel is a component of parking lots, highway shoulders, garden pathways, and filtration systems. Few people bother to scientifically examine gravel and determine its origin, but gravel can be an effective, inexpensive, and abundant resource for science classrooms. It can serve as a portal for several interdisciplinary science activities and…

Amateur astronomers play a critical role engaging the general public in astronomy. The role of individual and club-related factors is explored using data from two surveys (Survey 1 N = 1142; Survey 2 N = 1242) of amateur astronomers. Analysis suggests that formal or informal training in astronomy, age, club membership, length of club membership,…