Describes a systematic, disciplinary approach to setting preservation priorities at Cornell University's (New York) Mann Library. Topics covered include guiding principles; development of a national preservation plan for agricultural literature; selecting for preservation in agriculture and biology; and digital technology and preservation. A…

Ways in which students are allowed to choose, based on their curiosity at the moment, which way they will move through a lesson are described. Available software for interactive biology programs and available authoring software for developing interactive programs by teachers and students are listed. (KR)

Described is an assignment in which students read and write reviews of four journal articles chosen from preselected biology topics. Suggestions to help achieve maximal effectiveness are included. Directions for grading the review articles are provided. Discussed is how this assignment can help students develop more sophisticated writing skills.…

A national survey of 211 liberal arts college faculty in biology, economics, English, and political science investigated the ways in which faculty use the popular media, including newspapers and magazines, television, and radio. Faculty characteristics, motivation, and opinions of campus public relations offices were also examined. (MSE)

Teaching strategies associated with a conceptual change model of science teaching were examined in a study of seventh-grade life science teachers (n=13). Greater use of conceptual change teaching strategies was associated with use of the special instructional materials, not with the training. Students in classes where teachers were provided with…

Describes an activity where students generate a plan and test their ideas on trying to cope with a small oil spill. (PR)

Explains how literature constructs can support science curriculum in an integrated unit model. Literature is integrated to complement science, but the literature activities are feasible in their own right. The result is an organized and purposeful exploration of concepts from two points of view that may be used as separate lessons or incorporated…

Data from 95 educationally disadvantaged Hong Kong students placed in mastery-learning classes were compared with 64 control students in expository-learning classes. Results indicate that under mastery learning, deep- and surface-biased learners increasingly diverge in performance and attitude, with surface learners doing better unit to unit, and…

Describes a sequence of activities in which students set up a classroom aquarium to learn about aquaculture. Discusses the aquarium system, filtration and maintenance, adding organisms to the system, technological considerations, aquaculture economics, and political and social aspects of aquaculture. (MDH)

Describes a simulation exercise developed for an introductory biology course for nonmajors. The simulation focuses on the control of western spruce budworms in forests of the western United States. A nonlinear, multivariate simulation model is used. (PR)

A university-based researcher and a grade seven teacher collaborated to plan a science curriculum that would help elementary school students discover the world of salmon and understand its life cycle. Describes key components of the salmon-enhancement program and river-health project. A student's record of hatching chum fry in the classroom is…

Presents two recent cases that can be used in the classroom to illustrate the application of scientific methods in biological research: (1) the use of a complementary RNA or DNA molecule to block the production or translation of an mRNA molecule; and (2) the development of HIV trial vaccines. Contains 20 references. (WRM)

Describes an investigation into the accuracy of high school science students' confidence in their answers on classroom tests, how that accuracy varied between different types of questions, and whether having to judge their confidence in test items resulted in an improvement in accuracy over the school year. Contains 33 references. (Author/WRM)

Describes a role-playing exercise designed to allow students to make decisions on land use activities while requiring them to address a range of ecological and environmental issues. The activity uses data and information from soil survey manuals in conjunction with a student-created physical topographical model. (WRM)

Biologists at Center for Biological Research found ways to improve their scientific writing without benefit of an English-language program. By tapping Internet biology forums for comprehensible input, and using computer-assisted retention strategy to profit from error correction, writing improved. Scientific dialog on Internet has helped group…