Reports results of a project focusing on the development of inquiry skills as a goal of science education. Specifies the "desired status" for effective inquiry learning; determines the "actual status" by analyzing four recently completed status studies; and compares desired and actual status to identify needs and recommend actions. (CS)

Describes five environmental awareness activities which can be integrated into any elementary school classroom situation. Activity oriented experiences are described utilizing field experiences, group work, language experience, role playing and the inquiry method. Activity topics include the meaning of environment, introduction to natural and…

Investigates the effects of teaching 120 first grade children specific strategies for nonvisual seriation on their performance on post-tests and retention tests. Results show that simple seriation can be learned and retained. (HM)

Explores the idea that retention of particular concepts must occur before a student can transfer his learning to new situations. Investigates retention and transfer of fifth and sixth graders, in which achievement level was assessed on some advanced concepts as a function of performance on related basic concepts. (CS)

Compares responses of preservice and current elementary teachers in Indiana on the Ecological Attitudes and Knowledge Test. Results indicate that preservice teachers possess more positive attitudes and higher knowledge scores than current elementary teachers. Confirms geographical nonspecificity of the test by comparing results with an earlier,…

Emphasizes how to choose visuals that will best illustrate ideas or relationships in teaching science, when to present real objects, and how to use pictures in assessing children's comprehension. A review of literature related to this topic is included. (SA)

Plans and activities are suggested for teaching elementary children about solar energy. Directions are included for constructing a flat plate collector and a solar oven. Activities for a solar field day are given. (SA)

Five components are presented that should be included in developing elementary science inquiry centers. Classroom management and initiating the centers are also discussed. (SA)

Presented in this article is a set of guidelines to follow in the selection of a science textbook. Instructions on how to examine textbooks are given. Topics considered are types of experiments, appropriateness of content, definition of concepts, meaningful activities, sequence, reading level, eye appeal, and safety. (SA)

A puppet show depicting a gathering of the planets in the earth's solar system is described. Dialogue as well as a description of the method of constructing the planet puppets is included. (SA)

Dispels several myths about handicapped students and their participation in science learning laboratories. (SA)

Investigates the effects upon concept acquisition of giving second-grade children the verbal labels of science concepts with which they have had concrete experience in a classroom setting using the interaction and evidence of interaction concepts from the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS). (HM)

Presents a summary of the findings of three national studies sponsored by the National Science Foundation in 1978 on the status of science, mathematics, and social science education in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. This report deals only with science education. (HM)

Investigates the influence of treatment and the interactions between treatments and selected pupil characteristic variables, with respect to pupil achievement and preference for treatment, and examines treatment-teacher interactions. Among the findings, this study suggests that students prefer to operate in less structured modes for the medium or…

Revises Taba's model in developing a short course, "Winter Environment," in environmental education for use in elementary schools. Lists five course objectives and describes evaluation instruments to test the success of each objective. Suggests a model for curriculum evaluation. (CS)