Used a three-phase constructivist teaching sequence in a graduate-level elementary science methods course to improve preservice teachers' knowledge of density and to provide a model for approaching the teaching of science. Reports that the preservice teachers (n=23) showed gains in content knowledge and self-reported confidence levels. (Author/JRH)

Discusses simple activities with familiar materials to help children feel at home with chemistry and what the term "chemical" means. (PR)

Hands-on experience lets students explore, discover, and think their way through science. The article explains why hands-on science works, presenting tools for getting started with few resources. Activities have students work with the environment in their backyards and the schoolyard. Resources for hands-on science are presented. (SM)

Presents ExploraVision as an opportunity for elementary teachers to work with their students while they are still quizzical and curious. Participating student teams choose an existing technology and envision how it might be used in 20 years, presenting their idea in a 10-frame story. Describes preparation of a student team to enter the contest.…

Elementary teachers can use graphing to introduce students to one another. An eye color graphing activity helps students learn more about each other while experimenting with different ways of organizing and displaying information. For follow up, students can apply their graphing knowledge by collecting and displaying data from their families. (SM)

Presents a collection of inexpensive autumn science activities for elementary students. A full moon activity encourages observational and critical thinking skills. A pumpkin activity teaches physics. A spider activity teaches biology and alleviates unnecessary fears. A student page has children create a bookmark that shows faces in the full moon.…

Presented are the results of a survey of elementary school principals designed to determine whether problem solving and critical thinking skills are an integral part of the science curriculum in elementary schools. Curriculum orientation, amount of problem solving, and problem-solving/higher-order thinking priorities are discussed. (CW)

A program that allows teachers to see what is going on in the world beyond the classroom is described. During the program, teachers will be able to use lab equipment, witness experiments, and hear about state-of-the-art science from working scientists and mathematicians. (KR)

The differences between males and females in grades 2 and 5 were investigated to see whether gender differences observed in middle and high school may apply to elementary students. No significant gender differences in achievement or attitudes were found. (CW)

Four elementary teachers present earth-friendly ideas to help students explore nature: creating suncatchers out of pressable outdoor items; making and filling nature explorer kits; producing ecology booklets with covers; filling shoeboxes with natural materials to make rhythm instruments; and making crayon rubbings of outdoor items. (SM)

Reports the results of a project designed to make hands-on science the predominant mode of instruction in the elementary schools of a metropolitan district. A pretest/posttest questionnaire was administered to participants in an inservice workshop conducted by colleagues. Results indicated significant changes in teachers' beliefs about teaching…

Reports on how literature books can be used to create authentic contexts for teaching science at the second-grade level. Presents a unit on weather. (ZWH)

Describes how teachers can help primary students study nature and explore the outdoors. The article explains how teachers should give nature studies priority, gather students' ideas on the subjects, assemble an exploration toolbox, measure off spots to study, dig in, return to the classroom, and create cross-curricular activities. (SM)

Presented is a cooperative learning activity in which students assume different roles in an effort to produce a relief map of the ocean floor. Materials, procedures, definitions, student roles, and questions are discussed. A reproducible map for the activity is provided. (CW)

Discussed is the construction of a simple apparatus, the sky window, which can be used to investigate astronomy concepts. Activities using the sky window are suggested. (CW)