Because the National Science Education Standards (1996) outline specific things K-8 students should know about plants, and previous data indicated that elementary students had difficulty understanding some major ideas about plants and plant growth, the authors of this article thought it appropriate to initiate an investigation to determine the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe selected instructional strategies (traditional and constructivist) and grouping practices (homogeneous and heterogeneous) on conceptual understanding and critical thinking skills in biology classrooms in three high schools. The context of the study was the teaching and learning of plant…

This curriculum was written for youth organizations and secondary students in the County of Sacramento, California to develop their ability to: (1) recognize and evaluate how decisions are made about land use; (2) understand the roles of elected officials, property owners, citizens, and local governmental departments and agencies; (3) understand…

This is the fourth book in a sequence of four volumes written and designed for parents of students of science, particularly for those at the lower and upper elementary and junior high or intermediate level, senior high students, college students preparing to teach science, and all those individuals who are interested in science and the application…

This volume of 16 chapters by 15 contributing authors was conceived as a means of drawing together a body of basic information about the Great Lakes that is up to date, based on sound research, and interpreted by experts in the scientific, historical, environmental and political value of the Great Lakes to North America and the world. Chapters…

The booklet, intended to acquaint students or visitors with the herb garden at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center (Rockville, Maryland), describes 25 herbs and suggests ways to extend learning further by providing historic background and other information about the herbs. Each herb is described on a separate page, with each…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and environmental laboratories. This ZIM-SCI study guide consists of…

This slide script, part of a series of slide scripts designed for use in vocational agriculture classes, deals with commercially important woody ornamental landscape plants. Included in the script are narrations for use with a total of 253 slides illustrating 92 different plants. Several slides are used to illustrate each plant: besides a view of…

In this study, the attitudes of Israeli children aged 6 to 15 years were surveyed regarding their conceptions of plants as living things. It was desired to find out whether children consider plants to be alive, the knowledge differences between the different age groups in the study, how children classify plants according to biological criteria and…

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is a high climbing, exceedingly vigorous vine with twining stems (no tendrils or aerial holdfasts). The plant, introduced from the Orient and currently found in southeastern United States, has been known to choke valuable strands of trees, short electrical wires, and even creep up the sides of high rise buildings. Although…

Background information, lists of materials needed, and procedures are provided for 12 experiments which focus on various aspects of pollution and the environment. Topics considered in the investigations are: (1) solids in the air; (2) effect of air pollution on nylon; (3) measuring lung capacity; (4) an electrical smoke trap; (5) photosynthesis;…

Provides information on state trees for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Includes for each state: (1) year in which state tree was chosen; (2) common and scientific names of the tree; (3) arbor day observance; (4) address of state forester; and (5) drawings of the tree, leaf, and fruit or cone. (JN)

A 2-year project at the University of Aberdeen focused on the production of learning materials and the planning of audiovisual based instruction. Background information on the project examines its origins, the nature of course teams, and the evaluation of the five text-tape programs produced. The report specifies three project aims: (1) to produce…

This handbook describes the various components of the ecology of the Everglades National Park. Numerous maps, charts, and drawings supplement the text. Topics discussed include the topography of the Everglades, plant and animal communities, specific species living in the Everglades, and the Indians that have hunted and lived in the Everglades. An…

This collection of study units focuses on the study of the ecology of land habitats. Considered are such topics as map reading, field techniques, forest ecosystem, birds, insects, small mammals, soils, plant ecology, preparation of terrariums, air pollution, photography, and essentials of an environmental studies program. Each unit contains…