Using microbiology activities in the classroom is an effective way for teachers to address National Standards in the life sciences. However, common microbiology activities that involve swabbing doorknobs and hands are too risky due to the likelihood of culturing human pathogens. In addition, making sterile media and maintaining sterile conditions…

The present research describes an efficient procedure to obtain high levels of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen by using a simple, rapid, and easily reproducible method. The extraction process and the time-course of activation of zymogens can be carried out in a single laboratory period, without sophisticated equipment. The main objective was to…

Using "Science News" as a teaching tool promotes writing about science, talking about science, and broadening students' views about what science is. This article describes an ongoing assignment in which students choose one article from "Science News" each week and write a brief summary and explanation of why they picked that article. (Contains 1…

In this investigation, pairs of upper elementary students test germination percentage using seeds of Indian corn ("Zea mays"), scarlet runner beans ("Phaseolus coccineus"), and the prairie cup-plant ("Silphium perfoliatum") grown on rolled, damp paper towels. The pairs compare seeds that have been stratified, a simulation of overwintering and…

To immerse high school students in inquiry, as advocated by the National Science Education Standards (1996), and to take advantage of the Internet's power, students are engaged in a computer data-mining exercise to solve real science problems. After formulating their research question, students scour the Internet to locate raw data they can…

In contemporary science education, the trend is to engage students in hands-on activities in which they must manipulate equipment and gather data in an effort to answer questions. Hands-on experiences may turn out to be meaningless unless the experiences are well designed, planned, and focused so that students are guided to construct accurate…

Mage is a graphics program developed for visualization of three-dimensional structures of proteins and other macromolecules. An application of the Mage program is reported here for developing interactive instructional graphics files (kinemages) of much smaller scale. Examples are given illustrating features of VSEPR models, permanent dipoles,…

Presents a laboratory experiment that examines the aggressive behavior of male paradise fish. Students design the experiment, collect data, and analyze and interpret the results. This activity is appropriate for biology, ecology, and animal behavior classes and allows students to be involved in the entire scientific process. (Author/NB)

Start at the end; that's the way to improve children's plans for investigations. Strange as it may seem, there are times when beginning at the beginning of an investigation is not the best way to start things off. To give children the opportunity to ask questions and plan what to do, sometimes it is best to get them first to consider others' data…

This article presents an interview with Sharon Macnab and Jillian Boag of Glasgow Science Centre, who discuss the work of their centre and the Scottish Science Centres network. The Scottish Science Centre is a network of four science centres across Scotland: (1) Glasgow Science Centre in Edinburgh; (2) Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh; (3) Sensation…

This paper explores the different types and characteristics of preschool children's explanations of plant growth and rain formation. The children's explanations were categorized as naturalistic, non-naturalistic, or synthetic, i.e., explanations containing both naturalistic and non-naturalistic parts. In regards to plant growth the children…

Background: Traditional studies of children's mastery of conservation of volume in liquids and solids have reported that conservation of volume in liquids is an easier concept to master than its solid counterpart. However, the two concepts have been assessed in different ways, with the assessment tool for solids employing a more complex process.…

This research introduces a new naive physics belief, the Galileo bias, whereby people ignore air resistance and falsely believe that all objects fall at the same rate. Survey results revealed that this bias is held by many and is surprisingly strongest for those with formal physics instruction. In 2 experiments, 98 participants dropped ball pairs…

Nanotechnology deals with machines, materials, and structures and their behaviors at the scale of atoms and molecules, or the nanoscale. By working on this scale, scientists are able to create enhanced materials with desirable properties, such as stain-resistance. The authors developed the activity described in this article to introduce middle…

Over the course of history, scientists have constructed models and equations that provide insight into the motions of the heavens. However, research indicates many people hold alternative conceptions that, to them, explain the same observable phenomenon. Science educators have found that students learning about lunar phases may hold misconceptions…