Presents a trade book that can be used in teaching the life cycle of butterflies. Includes sample activities and Internet resources. (KHR)

Describes a project in which students, teachers, and the community work to reclaim neglected wetlands and forested areas for use as an environmental study site for interdisciplinary learning. (Author/MM)

Presents activities to motivate students to appreciate sound in which different aspects of sound are introduced and different components of sound are discussed. Includes Internet resources. (KHR)

Features a checklist of structural questions for writing a laboratory report discussion. Presents a rationale for this method of helping students organize their thoughts. (DDR)

Describes a module that combines a traditional hex nut activity with a sugar cookie activity to provide students with an in-depth understanding of balancing chemical equations. (DDR)

Presents an account of one teacher's path to realizing the depth of intuitive beliefs about science. Organizes chemistry misconceptions into eight patterns of reasoning that include thinking rules and alternative conceptions. (DDR)

Presents an activity to create a garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Students increase their environmental awareness and discover the rewards of community service. (NB)

Presents a hands-on activity that uses a skeleton to study anatomy and physiology concepts and explore the relationship between form and function in nature. (NB)

Describes an activity that promotes analytical thinking and problem solving. Gives students experience with important scientific processes that can be generalized to other new laboratory experiences. Provides students with the opportunity to hypothesize answers, control variables by designing an experiment, and make logical deductions based on…

Presents an activity involving the observation of moon phases that can provide a one-on-one learning experience and stimulate interaction between a child and an adult family member. This activity can also be initiated by teachers and outcomes can be integrated into the classroom science curriculum. (JRH)

Outlines a safer alternative to the traditional physics demonstration known as the "kicking wire" experiment. The new method eliminates the use of an open dish of mercury but is less dramatic in the visible effects it produces. (DDR)

Argues that science teaching should place more emphasis on linguistic explorations which provide an opportunity for students to develop proto-concepts that enable the development of scientific thinking. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

Presents three designs for unusual boats that can be powered by flame, water, or sand. Suggests questions about extensions of these designs that could be useful for further exploration of the topic. (DDR)

Describes activities which utilize plastic drink bottles and are designed to foster the development of a wide range of biological and ecological concepts. Includes instructions for making a model compost column and presents a model that illustrates open versus closed ecosystems. (DDR)

Uses crepe paper for the introduction of spectrophotometric concepts. Dyes used in the manufacturing of the crepe paper dissolve rapidly in water to produce solutions of colors. The variety of colors provides spectra in the visible spectrum that allow students to grasp concepts of absorption and transmission. (AIM)