Cognitive and affective outcomes of a class visit to a participatory science museum were examined by comparing responses of 416 fifth and sixth graders randomly assigned to four conditions (control, exhibit, lesson, exhibit followed by lesson) and two tests (verbal and visual). Results and implications for science education are presented.…

Discusses the value of preserving wonder and curiosity as part of a child's intellectual growth and experience in elementary school science. Practical steps for handling students' wonder questions are identified, including children's knowledge, speculation and hypothesis, identification of possible inquiry methods, research, and sharing new…

For the sake of grade school entrants in particular, nonexperimental science fair projects should be encouraged and accepted for science fairs. Support for this approach is given along with several suggestions for projects. Guidelines for judging nonexperimental projects are also included. (DH)

Describes a 3-day program sponsored by the Orange County Marine Institute that provides biological, cultural, and historical learning experiences. Discusses the setting and activities of the five ecosystems explored by the students. The Chaparral to Ocean Science Camp includes chaparral, riparian, woodland, intertidal, and pelagic environments.…

Offers a series of hands-on activities for introducing students to concepts of energy transfer and conversion. Describes how simple devices as marbles, ramps, and sliders can be used to gauge the transfer of energy and assist in the development of investigative skills. (ML)

Shows how flexible electric boards can be made from manila folders, strips of foil, and a battery. These boards are lightweight, and the electrical pattern can easily be changed. (JN)

Breaks nutrition education into four steps: learning fundamental concepts; applying newly acquired knowledge; evaluating the learning experiences as well as the applications; and reinforcing positive habits. Provides several suggestions for activities in these areas. (JM)

Suggesting using the cockroach as a free resource to teach students lessons on population dynamics and habitat management that apply to all wildlife. Presents suggestions on how and where to locate and trap cockroaches. Emphasizes the importance of controlling their population without using dangerous pesticides. (BC)

Suggests making insect models to learn more about the world of insects. List of materials needed and recommended procedures are provided. Also suggests other interdisciplinary activities for investigating insects in the classroom, including the preparation of an insect zoo using the student-constructed models. (BC)

Investigated level of concept attainment of selected energy concepts for possible inclusion in the Nigerian Primary Science Project. Subjects (N=450) were taught energy concepts at descriptive, comparative, and quantitative levels. Suggests the need to describe these levels for particular grades and match curriculum with students' thinking…

Discusses the use of literature webs in teaching marine concepts. Includes examples and strategies based on "Thy Friend, Obadiah," a picture storybook for children up to grade four. Examples relate to literacy awareness, art awareness, drama, personal response, writing, social studies, and science. Also includes a list of related…

Procedures for demonstrating rainbows in the classroom are provided. Materials required include a clear plastic box (the size of a shoebox), water, and an overhead projector. Also tells how to make a rainbow on the chalkboard using colored chalk. (JN)

Presents ideas for teaching ecology in the winter. Suggested topic areas or units include snow insulation and density, snowflakes and snow crystals, goldenrod galls, bird behavior, survival techniques, bacteriology and decomposition, trees and keying, biomass and productivity, pollution, and soil organisms. A sample student activity sheet is…

Objectives, materials needed, procedures, discussion questions, and follow-up activities are provided for five experiments. They include (1) testing for sugars; (2) comparing sugar to artificial sweeteners; (3) chewing gum scientifically; (4) soap making; and (5) making toothpaste. (JN)

Nevada elementary school teachers were surveyed to determine obstacles to science teaching. Results obtained from 292 questionnaires revealed a fairly uniform perception of obstacles (such as lack of teaching time, equipment, supplies) across categories of grade, sex, and age. Results agree with those obtained in several national surveys. (JN)