Describes a laboratory exercise that takes advantage of the abundant number of species of goldenrod galls that exist in the environment to explore a question concerning the behavior of the female gall-forming insects as they lay eggs on the goldenrod plant. (ZWH)

Reports a survey of practicing biology teachers in the State of Maine and their use of conservation magazines, in particular, "Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine," in their classrooms. Results indicate that 30% of the responding teachers use conservation magazines. Common uses include reporting research, discussing ethical issues, and…

Explains how watching video clips of Richard Feynman helped students change their ideas regarding science, scientists, and society. (PR)

Presents information and data on an experiment designed to test whether different atmosphere compositions are affected by light and temperature during both cooling and heating. Although flawed, the experiment should help students appreciate the difficulties that researchers face when trying to find evidence of global warming. (PR)

Reviews the historical, social, and political context of women's experiences in science and math, challenging stereotypes that girls historically have had difficulties and suggesting that treating such difficulties as historical and personal in the absence of careful analyses of the social and political dimensions of women's experiences only…

Examined the comparative efficiency of inquiry-group instruction and traditional teaching methods on Taiwanese junior high school students' achievement and attitudes toward earth science. Surveys of students in both groups indicated that students in the inquiry group had significantly higher achievement scores and significantly more favorable…

Describes an assessment of science student teachers' knowledge of biological concepts performed before and after their one-year Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course. Finds little improvement in subject knowledge following training or in subsequent teaching of the concepts during the PGCE year. Suggests ways to improve science…

Investigated access to didactic and constructivist instruction in U.S. high school science classrooms. Data from a national sample of 3,660 students and their science teachers (from the National Educational Longitudinal Study) indicated that access to the two types of instruction varied by gender, socioeconomic status, academic ability, and course…

The reform documents of the 1990s stressed that science is not practiced by a rigid scientific method, but science texts continue to describe the process as if it were rigid and linear. The purpose of this investigation was twofold: (a) to explore middle school in-service teachers' perceptions of scientific methodology and (b) to explore ways in…

Reform efforts emphasize teaching science to promote contemporary views of the nature of science (NOS) and scientific inquiry. Within the framework of situated cognition, the assertion is that engagement in inquiry activities similar to those of scientists provides a learning context conducive to developing knowledge about the methods and…

Students are concerned about what happens to the animals in the aftermath of natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunami. They have remarkable compassion for animals. Students want to know if dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles survive. Furthermore, they want to know what they can do to help. Hence, a variety of teachable…

Air pollution is no longer just a local issue; it is a global problem. The atmosphere is a very dynamic system. Pollution not only changes in chemical composition after it is emitted, but also is transported on local and global air systems hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Some of the pollutants that are major health concerns are not even…

The inquiry science process provides a perfect opportunity for students to practice relational meaning in language. As students design their experiments, negotiate their ideas with peers, and share their data and conclusions, they sharpen both their reading and written communication skills. This process needs to be mediated by having the teacher…

Writing is an integral part of science. The growth of scientific knowledge depends on scientists' ability to record their thoughts and discoveries for future scientists to build on. Everyday literacy is the basis of scientific literacy. In addition, writing about science helps students learn science. In order to transfer science concepts from what…

Poster presentations are one way scientists present their latest research findings at professional meetings. This format also works well in the classroom and gives students the opportunity to communicate the results of their experiments (perhaps the most critical portion of their studies). In a performance-based task such as a poster session,…