Describes the Sonoran Desert, the hottest desert in North America. Discusses management challenges, recreation, exotic plants, threatened and endangered species, American Indian traditional cultural places, and riparian areas. Presents classroom activities aimed at educating youth about the area's many distinctive features and the importance of…

Presents an activity designed to make the study of DNA and the process of protein synthesis "user-friendly" in a student-centered and integrated manner for all introductory biology classes. Allows students to experience molecular processes through concrete kinesthetic activities. (JRH)

Presents ideas for spring flower displays. Has students constructing their own interactive flower displays as extra-credit assignments to reinforce vocabulary and scientific concepts, and modeling flowers with household items. (JRH)

Describes the Engineering Link Project for Year 11 students that might have an interest in engineering. It is a three-day course organized by teachers and conducted by engineers to give students the opportunity to test materials, design, construct, and try their own solutions to an engineering problem. (AIM)

Describes equipment presented at the International Low-Cost Instrumentation Conference. Discusses the case for hands-on experience, international perspectives on hands-on science, the pivotal role of teachers, cost-effective laboratory practices, and empowerment of the teacher. (JRH)

Discusses a number of important laboratory-related terms worthy of consideration and suggests a classification scheme that may be used to rate individual activities while implying a direction to enhance such exercises. Highlights implications of classifying laboratory activities and clarifying laboratory vocabulary. Contains 11 references. (JRH)

Describes a yearlong school-based project involving the Maui Public Health Department to define mosquito behavior and distribution. (KHR)

Presents an astronomy project in which a group of educators and astronomers train high school students to teach astronomy to elementary students and their families. (KHR)

Describes how to perform the Meselson-Stahl experiment using Lego building blocks. Demonstrates how the products of DNA replication pass on to new generations of cells. (YDS)

Describes four math labs used by the author to introduce math concepts to high school students conducting science experiments. Offers details that demonstrate how students move through the scientific method as they perform the math labs, how they analyze data, and how they evaluate their completed labs. (Contains nine figures.) (AUTH/NB)

Describes a physiology laboratory designed to localize digestive enzymes within the digestive tract of cockroaches and develop a general conclusion about the similarities to mammalian digestion. This approach not only demonstrates the practicality of lecture material, but also provides a springboard for independent research opportunities.…

Integrates guided reading into the science curriculum to promote inquiry-based, hands-on learning. Describes the components and instructional strategies for a guided-reading lesson model and presents example activities. (YDS)

Presents science activities demonstrating the science process skills of observing, inferring, and predicting. (YDS)

Investigates 20 elementary school teachers' perceptions of what the term "activities that work" means. Suggests that hands-on science activities are interesting and motivating for children, have a clear outcome or result, are manageable in the classroom, and preferably used in a context in which science is integrated into themes.…

Explores role playing as a unique and amusing way of instruction. Describes how to use this method to teach about cells and atoms. (YDS)