The notion of plant-blindness, the inability of humans to notice plants in their environment, has been much examined. Similarly, plant scientists have criticised the seemingly zoocentric focus of a biological education, which appears to neglect plants. Furthermore, there are stark contrasts between the active plant behaviours evidenced in current…

The narrowed curriculum continues to be challenging for science education as teachers strive to impart content that is on the high-stakes assessments. This Qualitative multiple-case study investigated four experienced, elementary classroom teachers' use of writing in science. It was designed to provide insight into teaching beliefs and practices…

The author's first reaction to learning that the new science standards adopted in Minnesota included engineering was fear and apprehension. She couldn't picture what an engineering project would look like at the elementary level. As a K-5 elementary science specialist, it was now her job to figure out how to incorporate engineering in their…

As Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education continues to become more visible in elementary school curricula, the need for activities that address STEM content is growing. Build-A-Buoy is one such activity. This activity was developed by Doug Levin in 2008 when he was an education coordinator for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay…

To date, the fastest Olympic sprinter is Usain Bolt, who ran 200 m in 19.19 seconds. Would any other animal species on the planet have a chance of beating this man in a race? Children find this kind of question intriguing, and introducing a topic like this is a great way to make biology and mathematics fun. It provides a more practical application…

Watching films is a common activity for children outside of school, and incorporating popular films that contain scientific references has the potential to spark interest in the classroom. Clips rather than entire films can be used, as the children will maintain focus on the lesson objectives while being excited by the appeal of the film. The use…

"Why is it so difficult to pick holly without getting pricked?" This was the investigation carried out by a group of pupils under the guidance of their teacher, Lesley Hunter, at Creavery Primary School in Northern Ireland. After considering the question, pupils thought that the leaf would have anything between four and nine prickles.…

This activity is designed to teach prekindergarten to second grade students about the concept of sink or float through an inquiry activity. Students will use familiar objects to predict and test the properties of sink and float. Background information is offered to teachers to assist them with this activity. This lesson begins with an engaging…

Summer brings to mind the joys of vacation and spending time outdoors. The author looks forward to the summer months, particularly June--that's when they hold Junior Naturalist Camp at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida. While she enjoys each day of camp, one in particular really brings out her inner student--Solar…

The familiar adage "seeing is believing" implies that children will recall a particular phenomenon if they had the experience of seeing it with their own eyes. If this were true, then most children would believe that one could see the Moon in both daytime and at night. However, when children are asked, "Can you see the Moon in the daytime?" many…

In this study, the value types of 6, 7 and 8 class text books which take place in the primary education science and technology education program, have been targeted for investigation for the present rate of these values in different textbooks, and, whether they changed in accordance with class variables (class, subject content, and divisions of…

This article describes a hands-on science curriculum used to teach kindergarten students about decomposition at the Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, New York. The goal was to get students to spend more time in the natural world and to have the opportunity to literally "get their hands dirty." This was premised on the idea that the…

Kindergarten students have an amazing capacity for wonder and inquisitiveness--two important characteristics for future scientists. Much of what young students "know" about the natural world stems from their daily interactions with peers, adults, the outdoors, and the media. What can be especially challenging to uncover and redirect are…

This article describes the driving question board (DQB), a visual organizer that supports inquiry-based instruction through the use of guiding questions. The DQB is a teaching aid designed to increase student engagement alongside science kits. Information is provided on its application to a lesson on buoyancy, highlighting how it improved…

The "Next Generation Science Standards" provide opportunities for students to experience the link between science and engineering. In the December 2011 issue of "Science and Children," Rodger Bybee explains: "The relationship between science and engineering practices is one of complementarity. Given the inclusion of…