Describes the construction and use of simple optical aids that allow the amateur scientist to safely observe sunspots and solar eclipses and also to measure the sun's rotation. (five references) (JJK)

Provides six fully developed library media activities designed to be used in connection with specific curriculum units in mathematics, social studies, reading/language arts, and science. Library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, resources, instructional roles, activities and procedures for completion, evaluation, and followup are…

Fourteen examples are given of teacher-created day-long celebrations which are designed to sharpen students' thinking skills and incorporate math, science, reading, and language arts. The special days include Janus Day, Twins Day, Friendship Day, Interactive Reading Fair, Sixties Day, Clash Day, Generation Day, and Back-to-the-Future Day. (IAH)

Presented is an in-class earth science activity on the weathering of rocks. The materials, procedures, and results of this activity are discussed. (CW)

Ideas and scientific definitions as reported by 9-12 year olds collected from class discussions, essays, or examination papers over the course of 32 years are presented. Topics include the living body, tracts, metabolism, the senses, the skeleton, the heart, respiratory ailments, genetics, microbiology, and modern medicine. (KR)

A hands-on science project on watersheds helps elementary students understand the water cycle. The unit, which focuses on the fact that all living things need water and that watersheds are sources of water for rivers and streams, teaches students to observe, make inferences, predict, and draw conclusions. (SM)

Presents hands-on spring science activities to help elementary students think and act like scientists. Students use the scientific process to make connections between life, physical, and earth science. Activities look at insects, flowers, trees, the sun, and the earth's rotation around the sun. (SM)

The article explains how students keep work portfolios and exhibit portfolios to organize their written work and showcase their accomplishments in science; it also explains how students learn about scientific concepts through hands-on research and how portfolios are integral to the program. Teacher tips are included. (SM)

Books that appear in this annotated bibliography were selected as outstanding children's science trade books published in 1992. They are intended for prekindergarten to eighth grade and were evaluated by educators and librarians. Selection is based on three criteria: the book is accurate and readable; and its text, format, and illustrations are…

Explains how archaeologists who found the "Mesa Site" in Northern Alaska used evidence to make interpretations about America's earliest settlers. Includes related science activities and a color poster. (PR)

Presents a qualitative study of the ways in which technology is characterized by educators in a Canadian school district preparing to implement technological problem solving within the framework of a mandatory elementary science program. Highlights include an epistemological basis for technology education, and curriculum development and…

Presents three activities to teach elementary students about why magnets stick to some things but not others. The activities have students discover what makes materials magnetic, what the lines of force are in a magnetic field, and how magnetic forces penetrate materials such as paper and cardboard. (SM)

Considers the importance of teaching kindergarten students to read, write, and function mathematically so they could engage in scientific inquiries in a meaningful way. Describes the author's efforts to concentrate energy on learning to read, write, function mathematically, and focus on scientific study. Notes that the first focused study of the…

Notes that inquiry allows the author's students to learn on their own every day; it gives them the opportunity to investigate, explore, and discover the world around them by developing and using their own questions, thoughts, and interests. Concludes that her intention is to promote her students' feelings of self-esteem, success, self-worth, and…

Describes the conversion of a school courtyard to a working outdoor classroom and its use in teaching students about different subjects, including agriculture, barnyard animals, ecology, biology, horticulture, archaeology, and astronomy. (JRH)