Discusses ways to use overhead projectors for astronomy demonstrations and activities. Topics include phases of the moon, star maps, light, and the sun. (SK)

Activities are suggested for helping students understand the nature of contours (lines of constant geographic elevation), including instructions for preparing a contour map with an apparatus constructed with a sharpened stake and perpendicular crossbar, plumb line (washer tied to string), and a soda straw. (SK)

Reviews a program designed to increase participation in scientific careers by physically handicapped individuals who have interest in and aptitude for science. This program is the first effort of its kind to direct special attention toward increasing participation of physically handicapped students in the sciences through federally funded…

Describes an apparatus for plotting electric fields using burglar alarm window tape for electrodes and carbonized electronic stencil paper as sheet resistance. Also describes a simple pentode modulator circuit which will modulate a typical helium-neon gas laser, providing an audio channel for demonstration purposes. (SK)

Provides tabular data and discusses the evaluations from parents and faculty of a year-long course in sex education at George Mason High School in Falls Church, Virginia. (CS)

Describes an experiment using chromatographic techniques on aging leaves which gives high school biology students the opportunity to observe, question, and formulate hypotheses. (CS)

Discusses: (1) how mole concept is defined/used in textbooks; (2) development and administration of a multiple-choice test to secondary school pupils (N=783) in Bologna and the surrounding district; and (3) results of the diagnostic examination, focusing on student mistakes and misconceptions. (Author/JN)

Encouraging scientific thinking through open-ended experiments, allowing students access to common chemical instrumentation, and introduction to laboratory techniques are goals of a high school science laboratory program. Course content (general, inorganic, and organic chemistry), limitations, and course evaluation are discussed. (Author/JN)

As the crusade to outlaw the teaching of evolution changed to a battle for equal time for creationism, the ideological defenses of that doctrine also shifted, from biblical to scientific grounds. The development of "scientific creationism" is described, focusing on the intellectual leaders of creationism, particularly those claiming scientific…

Describes the first course of a new physics curriculum developed at the Karlsruke Institute for the Didactics of Physics. The basic idea, energy flow, is introduced at the beginning of the course and illustrated by examples from everyday life. Highlights selected topics which introduce concepts unique to the approach. (Author/JN)

Presents a frame syllabus for biology teaching at the primary and secondary school levels, covering the age range 6 to 18 years. The topics listed, with resulting implications for school life and society, can be used to prepare state-level biology syllabi and for curriculum reform. (Author/SK)

Three groups of junior high school students were exposed to different teaching methods (lecture, lecture-laboratory, and field trip) and were tested on both concrete and abstract information to see whether there was a significant difference in the amount of learning among teaching methods. (JT)

Identifies factors which affect students' attitudes toward the use of animals in research and in learning biology. Responses of students (N=577) in grades 5, 7, 9, and 11 to questionnaires were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance by grade level and sex. Results and implications are discussed. (CS)

Tests the applicability of Ausubel's theory to the meaningful learning of intellectual skills. Results of three studies of high school students indicate that advance organizers enhance learning of skills related to solubility product problems. This effect was removed if prior teaching in relevant background knowledge was included. (Author/WB)

The recent White House reviews of science and engineering education suggest that sagging science and mathematics standards in American classrooms are a liability to industrial performance and international performance. (MP)