Composting is a way of using organic wastes from yards and kitchens to help plants grow. This book discusses how composting happens in nature, the classification of composting methods, and their characteristics. Examples of containers for aerobic/anaerobic decomposition are introduced along with sample activities. The process of aerobic/anaerobic…

Living by Chemistry (LBC) is a high school curriculum project that proposes framing the big ideas of chemistry to provide developmental cohesion across the curriculum and promote conceptual understanding. The proposed framework, called perspectives of Chemists," is intended to allow measurement of individual conceptual change in chemistry…

Teacher Web sites offer a means of establishing better communication between parent and teacher. We describe an example of a strategy we have found to be successful for a high school chemistry teacher. The Web site was available to parents and students using a dynamic database and provided a day-by-day lesson schedule, homework assignments, due…

This handbook was prepared to help science teachers, administrators, and other school staff members understand and avoid situations in which accidents might occur in the science laboratory, on field trips, or during outdoor education experiences. Suggestions contained in this publication are generally agreed upon and recommended for consideration…

This case study of learning explores the relationship between a chemistry teacher's instrumentalist perspective on the nature of science, the classroom culture that flourished through curriculum enactment during the course of a school year, and development of perspectives on science by his students. An ethnographic methodology was employed, with…

Reform in science and technology education started in Israel in 1992 with the release of the "Tomorrow '98 Report." The report featured 43 recommendations for new programs, special projects, changes, and improvements that are both educational and structural in the areas of curriculum development and implementation, pedagogy of science,…

This study used a computerized simulation and problem-solving tool along with artificial neural networks (ANN) as pattern recognizers to identify the common types of strategies high school and college undergraduate chemistry students would use to solve qualitative chemistry problems. Participants were 134 high school chemistry students who used…

This paper is concerned with the role of spreadsheets as a tool for the development of mathematical models in science, one aspect of a collaborative project which worked with two groups of pre-university students from Mexico and the United Kingdom. The purpose of the modeling activities designed was to engage students in creating an…

Studied the effectiveness of using small individual molecular model kits to enhance achievement by university freshmen in a chemistry course. Concluded that students with experience of visualizing chemical concepts shifted their methods of learning from mere rote recall to critical reasoning. (CC)

Discusses the background work of European university candidates; chemistry teaching for less-able pupils; developments of a school information center; pollution monitor activities; and three conference reports concerning social aspects of science and mathematics education, integrated science programs, and feasibilities of an international…

Presents five reasons for the use of a student opinion poll in science courses. Included are quantitative analyses of survey results obtained from science and nonscience majors and an example of the 1971-72 questionnaire. (CC)

Defines learning and memory and presents experimental evidence that indicates that learning and memory are chemical in nature. (JR)

Discusses the implementation of student projects at the university of York, including evaluation techniques and economic and technological aspects covered in project work. Indicates the presence of two types of research activities: the project related to staff members' work and that not related to work generally undertaken in the department. (CC)