This book is designed to involve families working together on several different hands-on activities during evening meetings at school. The basis for these activities is the in-school study of related science and mathematical concepts and topics by the students in each family. The program provides an opportunity for families to work together in an…

The New Opportunities in Animal Health Sciences (NOAHS) Center at the National Zoological Park in Washington, DC. is dedicated to expanding understanding of the biological factors, including the critical role of biodiversity, that influence animal survival. This set of activities includes a description of NOAHS and the NOAHS mission, and letters…

One of our most valuable and often overlooked resources is water. We can survive for a couple of weeks without food but only a few days without water. Having clean water to drink is a luxury. The water that comes out of our faucets does not always start off safe to drink. Most often it has visited a treatment plant prior to reaching our glasses.…

When asked to list some strong materials, people think of steel, concrete, and wood. In this activity, students learn about the force of compression and how it acts on structural components through a hands-on group problem. Using everyday products such as paper, toothpicks, and tape, students construct a structure that will support the weight of a…

This book presents classroom activities and reading materials. The activities use a hands-on approach and address the standards. Each features both a student section and a teacher guide. Eleven activities include: (1) "It's Only a Paper Moon"; (2) "Time Traveler"; (3) "Solar System Scale"; (4) "Hello Out…

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood…

All matter possesses certain properties--mass, weight, volume and density. But what happens to these properties when the matter changes form? How does wood become ash when it burns? And how does ice cream change when it melts? Students will learn the difference between chemical and physical changes in this excellent introduction to the changes of…

This booklet argues against the use of school bird-hatching projects, citing a variety of environmental and ethical concerns about such projects. Alternative resources and suggestions for alternative activities are presented. (WRM)

Mastering science involves not only developing the skills of doing science, but also developing the skill of taking science. This paper describes how a teacher tried to help her students develop appropriate scientific ways of presenting explanations. The teacher employed a number of strategies as she and her students jointly constructed…

This paper describes efforts to introduce teachers to three aspects of problem-based learning: (1) learning cases; (2) student-centered learning; and (3) small group cooperative learning. Problem-based learning was woven into the design of professional development institutes because of the organizers' idea that as teachers grow professionally in a…

This activity guide, developed to provide hands-on environmental education activities geared to New River State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 7 and 8 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of activities are included: pre-visit,…

This resource book presents 37 behavioral experiments that can be performed with commonly-found classroom animals including hamsters, gerbils, mice, goldfish, guppies, anolis lizards, kittens, and puppies. Each experiment explores the five steps of the scientific method: (1) Question; (2) Hypothesis; (3) Methods; (4) Result; and (5) Conclusion.…

This collection of science activities is designed to supplement traditional science education by encompassing an issues-based approach to helping students develop scientific and technological literacy. Each unit can be used within an existing teaching sequence and includes an introduction specifying scientific issues and educational objectives, a…

This guide was designed by the Marine Activities, Resources & Education (MARE) Program through the Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) ongoing curriculum development program for middle school students. This GEMS guide addresses the concepts of the interconnectedness of the ocean basins, respect for organisms, oceanography, physical…

This CD-ROM is the second in a series of CDs allowing students to explore the trees and animals of the northern boreal forest. Using QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR), the Central Hardwood Virtual Forest is designed so that students are able to see views from inside the central hardwood forest and look up or down or spin around 360 degrees. The…