Presents a British biology course for the O-level which aims to promote the understanding of broad biological principles through an environmental approach. Results of proper assessment and overall examination performance are also revealed. (HM)

Describes a teacher education project designed to prepare student teachers for mixed ability teaching. The procedures of developing the materials and training methods for this project based at the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester, The United Kingdom are also presented. (HM)

Reviews the Outdoor Biology Instructional Strategies (OBIS) Food Chain Game. (SL)

Selection and care of octupuses as aquaria pets are discussed. Photographs of several species are included. (CP)

Traces the development of a marine education summer workshop for pre-college teachers. (CP)

The author recommends that social studies curricula include study of American maritime heritage. He describes aspects of the heritage, such as commercial trade and water sports; suggests topics for mini-units, such as marine careers; and presents an annotated bibliography of 56 resources for teaching about maritime activities. (AV)

Describes a study that was designed to apply the learning hierarchy paradigm in an instructional unit in high school biology. Findings indicated that regardless of the pupils' sex or the type of school, students taught the hierarchically organized learning task achieved significantly higher than students whose learning task was not hierarchically…

Describes some of the contributions made by the field of paleontology to theories in geology and biology. Suggests that the two best examples of modern evolutionary paleontology relate to the theory of punctuated equilibria, and the possibility that mass extinctions may be cyclic. (TW)

Explores the reactions of third-year pupils to their science lessons. Discusses the extent to which these boys' and girls' reactions can be used to predict enrollment in the different branches of science in their fourth year. Describes ways to encourage students to continue in science. (CW)

Describes an extended summer field trip through nine states and Canada on geology, biology, and ecology. Discusses how this trip helps students learn about the world they live in by first-hand experience and by learning to take responsibility for their own education. Highlights the history, organization, and value of this trip. (CW)

Discusses the advantages of Xenopus laevis as an experimental animal in the study of embryogenesis in vertebrates. Summarizes the contributions of this system to the analysis of ribosomal and 5S RNA genes, and the diverse and highly productive applications of the oocyte injection technology. (RT)

Discusses advantages of nematode use for studying patterns of cell division, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Describes nematode development. Cites experimental approaches available for genetic studies. Reviews the topics of control of cell division and differentiation, the nervous system, and muscle assembly and function of the organism. (RT)

Reports on a process which allows active study of mutating the characteristics of a population of organisms. States that the program, written in C, should run on a MS/DOS system with 640K; CGA is required for graphics output. Describes implementation procedures and two examples using the program. (RT)

Deals with a fungus that plays an important role in the forests of Asia as a decomposer of recently dead trees and in agriculture as an important edible mushroom. Describes how to culture these mushrooms including materials, conditions, and troubleshooting. Gives ideas for classroom activities. (CW)

Describes the Oxford Certificate of Educational Achievement (OCEA) and the principles on which it is based. Discusses ways in which biology teachers can develop their confidence and proficiency in making assessments of process-based work. Stresses the advantages that a scheme such as OCEA can bring to a biology department. (Author/CW)