Animal and plant species identification is often emphasized as a basic prerequisite for an understanding of ecology and training identification skills seems a worthwhile task in biology education. Such identification tasks could be embedded into hands-on, group-based and self-determined learning: a) Teaching and learning should make use of a small…

In conjunction with the August 8, 2007 launch of STS-118, the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed and recently debuted curricular units for Grades K-12 on Space Exploration, known as STS-118 Design Challenges. The units focus on aspects of the themes that NASA…

Reviewed are some of the techniques being used in plant biotechnology laboratories. Described are tissue culture and genetic manipulation. Advantages and disadvantages of this approach and ethics and public concern issues are discussed. (CW)

Writing can be a powerful tool for learning biology. Writing assignments in biology could help students personalize and understand the biology knowledge they are studying. In this article, the authors present the "Botanical Sense of Place" (BSP), a convenient and easy-to-use writing template that they developed to elicit and probe students' prior…

The problem of environmental pollution has assumed an unprecedented proportion in many parts of the world especially in Nigeria and its Niger-Delta region in particular. This region is bedeviled with this problem perhaps owing to interplay of demographic and socio-economic forces coupled with the various activities that revolve round the…

The case presented in this article is an exploration of the process of natural selection using white clover ("Trifolium repens") as an example. In general, two forms of white clover can be found around the world in various habitats. One type has plain green leaves and the other type produces cyanide as a defense against herbivores and…

Cyclic voltammetry experiments on [60]fullerene, (C[subscript 60]), and (dihapto-[60]fullerene) pentacarbonyl tungsten(0), ([eta][superscript 2]-C[subscript 60])W(CO)[subscript 5], constitute an educational experiment for the inorganic chemistry laboratory with a primary objective to teach the chemical interpretation of a voltammogram, in…

An HPLC undergraduate experiment on the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been developed. Two commonly used herbs ("glycyrrhizae radix" and "cinnamomi ramulus") are studied. Glycyrrhizin, cinnamic acid, and cinnamaldehyde are chosen as markers for the herbs. The dried herbs in their natural state and a TCM…

Discusses some of the remarkable capabilities and fascinating behavior of plants. Describes several simple experiments that young scientists can accomplish with plants to demonstrate their ability to sense, react, and adapt to their environment. (JJK)

This booklet, one of six in the Living Things Science series, presents activities about ecosystems which address basic "Benchmarks" suggested by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for the Living Environment for grades 3-5. Contents include background information, vocabulary (in English and Spanish), materials,…

Describes activities that can be done to study insect ecology by use of the galls of goldenrod plants. (RH)

This textbook presents basic science to children during two or three consecutive years with an increasing number of facts and a progressive elevation of ideas. Special knowledge of things and the general development of the mind are attained by this method of repetition, but avoids monotony. The author has tried to keep clear of this danger by…

Sumac can be used in every season to represent such concepts as species variation, the food web, and natural foods and dyes. This article briefly discusses the sumac family, the relationship of the carpenter bee (Ceratina dupla) and the staghorn sumac, and the uses of the sumac in the kitchen and the craftsman. (NQ)

This hands-on science unit includes a beginners' and an advanced activity involving tree sap, as well as a brief description of a maple sap harvest. (CB)