CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION ARE REVIEWED IN THIS YEARBOOK OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EDUCATION. THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN OUR CULTURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE HUMANITIES AND TO SOCIETY ARE DISCUSSED. THE OBJECTIVES OF SCIENCE TEACHING ARE CONSIDERED FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF THE RESEARCH SCIENTISTS, THE SCHOOL…

The Design Lab Manual provides a detailed description of various types of Design Labs used in the USMES program. Chapters cover the USMES Design Lab concept; tone of Design Lab activities; in-class Design Lab; portable Design Lab; the Design Lab room; cost/scrounging; staffing and scheduling a Design Lab; Design Lab training for teachers; Design…

This publication, developed by the Oregon Department of Education, presents a framework for science programs designed to help teachers organize their science curriculum to be consistent with Oregon's goal-based planning for K-12 instruction. It consists of six major sections. Section one presents the framework for Oregon's goal-based science…

This report presents the results of a year-long pre- and postinstitute evaluation of the 6-week summer workshop for 221 primary grade teachers of disadvantaged children from 41 different New York City schools. The report is organized around the findings obtained from each of nine evaluation instruments and checklists used to measure (1) changes in…

This is the fifth in the second series of general bibliographies developed to disseminate information on documents analyzed at the ERIC Information Analysis Center for Science Education. Reported are some 76 citations of selected documents related to student achievement in science. The documents included represent research reports, research…

This volume is the eleventh in a series of 29 coordinated MINNEMAST units in mathematics and science for kindergarten and the primary grades. Intended for use by first-grade teachers, this unit guide provides a summary and overview of the unit, a list of materials needed, and descriptions of five groups of lessons. The purposes and procedures for…

This volume is the seventeenth in a series of 29 coordinated MINNEMAST units in mathematics and science for kindergarten and the primary grades. Intended for use by second-grade teachers, this unit guide provides a summary and overview of the unit, a list of materials needed, and descriptions of five groups of activities. The purposes and…

A study was made of the book selection procedures and collections in the area of fourth grade science (astronomy and earth science) in 12 elementary schools in two Southwestern school districts. The six schools in District 2 utilized a local buying list in their acquisitions, those in District 1 did not. The hypothesis to be tested was that as…

This is the fifth in the third series of general bibliographies developed to disseminate information on documents analyzed at the ERIC Information Analysis Center for Science Education. Reported are some 64 citations of documents related to student achievement in science and mathematics education. The documents included represent research reports,…

A 3-year study based on Piagetian theory considered this question: Do children who receive systematic instruction in the basic concepts of mathematics and science when they are in kindergarten think more logically when they reach second grade than do children who did not have such early instruction? The groups having prescribed lessons in…

Describes a summer institute for elementary secondary science teachers held at the University of California, Irvine, which is designed to update and refine the scientific knowledge of the teachers and to build a scientific foundation for crossover teachers who are teaching without an adequate science background. (TW)

Reports on a study of possible differences in interaction patterns between a sixth-grade teacher and different groups of students. Results showed consistency in the interactions studied, but important differences occurred in the quality and quantity with students perceived as "best" and "weakest" and boys and girls in…

Describes the changes and trends in elementary school science in Great Britain. Discusses the justification for the development of programs at the elementary school level and some of the essentials of good practice. Indicates some of the myths about elementary science and provides guidelines for progressing from elementary to secondary science.…

Consists of activities which address the causes of habitat destruction and the effects of habitat loss on animals and plants. Identifies habitat loss as the major reason for the endangerment and extinction of plant and animal species. (ML)

Addresses concerns related to how educational software can be designed to accommodate a constructivist approach to learning. Describes features of software which are consistent with a constructivist view and cites examples of physics materials which are appropriate. (ML)