Describes a method of bottle cutting. The bottle is filled half full of motor oil and a heated iron rod is inserted into the oil. (SL)

Presents the first of a four part series of interviews of physics teachers who have won the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Innovative Teaching Award. This first review emphasizes the type of course taught and the teacher's role. (SL)

Described is a classroom activity for analyzing an inherited human trait, the ability to tast phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Formulas for analyzing gene frequency are given for classroom and neighborhood samples. Additional tables include statistics on the ability to taste PTC and other easily sampled human traits. (MA)

In this exercise, students examine Aristotle's weight hypothesis by testing variously shaped marble chips. These chips are weighed and dropped down a water tube. Average fall times and weights are recorded and graphed. Students are asked to apply this information to rock and soil deposition by streams. (MA)

Describes a laboratory activity on plate tectonics which focuses on the connection between plate tectonics and the different types of volcanoes. Provides questions for discussion and includes suggestions for extending the activity. (ML)

Compares the A-level (advanced) science grades of pupils who took Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) examination at O-level (ordinary level) with pupils who took three separate science courses at O-level. Concludes that only in A-level chemistry is there any significant differences with the non-SCISP pupils doing slightly better.…

Reports on an analysis of secondary school physics teaching with respect to three aspects of curriculum. Indicates that limited but significant relationships exist among intentions, translations, and achievement in the teaching of physics in Canadian secondary schools. (TW)

Described is a science program being developed at a high school in Great Britain to cater to the particular needs of females. Curriculum was modified in third, fourth, and fifth examination years to emphasize social nature of science and relevance of science to pupils' lives. Some of the problems encountered with program and selected parts of…

Provided is a review of a chemical software package. The package makes possible an instructional technique that is not effective by any other means, namely the ability to view molecular shapes in three dimensions. The program can be used with either IBM or Apple hardware. (RH)

Discusses: structure of the enzyme molecule; active site; reaction mechanism; transition state; factors affecting enzyme reaction rates, concentration of enzyme; concentration of substrate; product concentration; temperature effects and pH effects; factors causing a lowering of activation energy; proximity and orientation effects; substrate strain…

Offers suggestions and outlines ten easy steps for assuring a safer science classroom environment. Includes such recommendations as: scheduling a safety inspection; displaying safety posters; enforcing a laboratory dress code; establishing a safety reference library; and updating safety report forms and procedures. (ML)

Illustrates the differences between explanations of projectile motion by a physics teacher and a baseball player. Equations are discussed and results are shown graphically. (DH)

Determined the influence of selected instructional, student, and home variables on 11th grade Jordanian students' (N=313) attitudes toward science. Attitudes were measured with an instrument constructed by the author utilizing the Thurstone-Chave Technique. Student's perception of science ability was found to be the only variable affecting…

Discusses the need to include studies of reliability and maintainability during the design of any system. Topic areas addressed include availability calculations, complex systems and standby redundancy, availability and malfunction levels, design techniques, fault trees, functional maintenance, and others. (DH)

Reports on techniques used by creationists to argue against evolution. They include intensifying or downplaying messages, omitting information, associating creationists beliefs with other beliefs, quoting out of context, and others. Also suggests that learning to read critically will help students evaluate creationists' rhetoric. (DH)