Study analyzed the use of K-6 science materials called "Learning about Thinking & Thinking about Learning" in an inservice teacher education program for 18 teachers. From interviews, participants indicated that they gained useful information from the program. The evaluative measures utilized suggest that the inservice had a positive…

Presents an overview of research on analogies in education conducted over the last 15 years. It includes metaphors in an analysis of the educational power of analogies. The role of analogies is analyzed from a constructivist position. (PR)

Describes how students can make and use Hooey Machines to learn how mechanical energy can be transferred from one object to another within a system. The Hooey Machine is made using a pencil, eight thumbtacks, one pushpin, tape, scissors, graph paper, and a plastic lid. (PR)

Describes an activity for studying weeds in grades four through nine. "Wanted" posters are prepared with the scientific name of a common weed and a few identifying features. Students find the plant, give it an "alias" or common name, and then draw the "wanted" picture. Presents six wanted posters and describes expansion lessons and follow-up…

Science exhibitions presented by college students at local elementary schools foster goodwill in the community; give college students an opportunity to share their science as role models; provide elementary school children with a positive, enjoyable approach to science; and can be organized rather easily following guidelines that outline…

Discussed is the elementary science teacher curriculum and its role in students' interest in science. Qualifications, teacher attitudes about science, college preparation, hands-on experience, science instruction, science method instruction, and the role of the administrator are described in terms of effective elementary science programs. (KR)

Illustrated are five classroom projects about the relationship between weight and size in animals. Background information and procedures are provided. Ten extension activities are suggested. (CW)

Reviewed are six computer software packages including "Invisible Bugs,""Chaos Plus...,""The Botanist's Apprentice,""A Baby is Born," Storyboard Plus-Version 2.0," and "Weather." Hardware requirements, functions, performance, and use in the classroom are discussed. (CW)

The outcomes of two studies reported here indicate that the teacher inservice workshops, combined with activity-based science lessons, affected students' attitudes and perceptions about electricity. Australian and U.S. studies produced different patterns and are explored and explained in the paper. (Contains 24 references.) (Author/PR)

Describes how a small group of elementary school teachers and a principal used collaboration, inservice workshops, shared leadership and planning, peer coaching, and the informal sharing of ideas and materials to establish an effective hands-on science program. (PR)

Describes a project to reform science education in which a community college collaborated with business and community partners to provide a summer institute for pre-K-12 teachers. Discusses the underlying assumptions and project design. Notes that teachers became excited about science curriculum, more comfortable teaching science, and more aware…

Provides four fully developed library media activities that are designed for use with specific curriculum units in science and social studies. Library media skills, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, procedures, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

Results using 165 students show a greater difference on the Test of Integrated Process Skills occurred in the setting where cooperative learning and microcomputer-based laboratories were used. (PR)

A study examined the value of teaching inquiry science in elementary classrooms where students' home language was Spanish. Bilingual interns taught children in 62 El Paso (Texas) classrooms, half in Spanish and half in English. Findings indicate that language skills in both languages increased, new science concepts were understood, and there was…

Final year preservice teachers' perceptions of their mentoring in primary science teaching were gathered through surveys from three separate studies. The three studies (n = 59, n = 331, n = 60) provided an indication of the degree of mentoring preservice teachers perceived they received with mentoring practices linked to "Pedagogical Knowledge."…