Presents a case in which a congressional staffer must weigh a number of competing needs, including the popular reaction to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the need to eliminate vitamin A deficiency, in deciding how to present information to her boss, an influential congressman drafting legislation to support agricultural research.…

Explores various theories for the extinction of the great Ice Age mammals and Homo neanderthalensis. Presents an activity in which students research evidence for and against the various hypotheses, then meet in class to discuss the merits of each. (Author/ASK)

Introduces the Clean Air game which teaches about air quality and its vital importance for life. Introduces students to air pollutants, health of people and environment, and possible actions individuals can take to prevent air pollution. Includes directions for the game. (YDS)

The current time "measuring system" has taken on a life of its own, bearing only an approximate resemblance to the natural occurrences it set out to measure. The "analemma equation of time" was created to precisely set our clocks by converting irregular sun time to the even, regular tempo of mean time. In this article, the equation is described in…

Models are crucial to science teaching and learning, yet they can create unforeseen and overlooked challenges for students and teachers. For example, consider the time-tested clay volcano that relies on a vinegar and-baking-soda mixture for its "eruption." Based on a classroom demonstration of that geologic model, elementary students may interpret…

Amber is the fossilized resin of now-extinct trees, primarily ancient conifers but also some flowering tropical trees. An aromatic, soft, sticky substance, resin in extinct trees probably served the same purposes as resin in modern trees: to protect the plant by sealing cuts and by excluding bacteria, fungi, and insects.

The phrase "nature of science" refers to the characteristics of scientific knowledge that necessarily result from the scientific investigations that scientists conduct to develop knowledge. Yet, these characteristics are assumed by many to be "difficult" to teach. Not so. Many important aspects of nature of science can be directly linked to…

Gases present something of a paradox for the casual observer--they are everywhere and yet, it remains difficult to see them anywhere. The instructional sequence described in this article is an approach that the authors use with middle school students to help enhance their conceptual understanding of gases. Research has shown that these ideas can…

Teaching plant growth to seventh-grade life science students has been interesting for the author because she grew up in a rural area and always had to help in the garden. She made many assumptions about what her rural and suburban students knew. One year she decided to have them grow plants to observe the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit…

The feeding of Diarmis proboscis is an exciting outdoor laboratory activity that demonstrates a single concept of adaptations--cryptic colorations. The students are "transformed" into D. proboscis (no Harry Potter magic needed) in order to learn how adaptations work in the natural world. Prior to beginning this activity, students should have a…

A qualitative description of the color-change problem, which will assist in rationalizing the change in color of marbles after grinding them using a simple physical picture and the qualitative dependence of diffuse reflectance on particle size is presented. Different approaches are discussed but it is seen that the interpretation of nanoparticles…

A student procedure focusing on multistep sunscreen synthesis and spectroscopic analysis is reported. A two-step synthetic pathway towards sunscreens, an analog of a commercially available UV light blocker is designed, given the current high profile nature of skin cancer and media attention towards sunscreens.

''The Chemistry Kitchen'', a unit composed of five activities with kitchen elements for elementary students ages 9-11, introduces the children to the skills and chemical working ideas to be used later as anchors for chemical concepts. These activities include kitchen elements, determining the relative mass and so on.

Field trips provide students with a unique opportunity to experience science in an informal and natural setting. While being exposed to engaging learning environments, students can use their prior knowledge and experience. At the same time, they are applying newly acquired skills and knowledge. In this article, the authors outline field trip…

An experiment is demonstrated to determine the percentage of oxygen in air using a pretreated piece of steel wool, which is an alternative to spectroscopic kinetic analysis. Students are able to determine the order of reaction for oxygen in its reaction with the iron in steel wool, and are able to use the existing technology to collect and analyze…