Presents a series of exercises to help students understand the importance of the limits of taxonomic keys and to identify the appropriate levels. Introductory activities include having students classify screws, "gummy bears," and beans. (PR)

Considers topics about cell function often misunderstood, misrepresented, or omitted from biology textbooks: enzyme catalyzed reactions; RNA as a catalyst; protein levels in cells; amino acids; organic acids; glucose and fructose; gluconeogenesis; fatty acids and ketone bodies; diffusion; and transport across membranes. (Contains 25 references.)…

Outlines 11 rules of critical thinking and offers suggestions of teaching them in biology and environmental science classrooms. (MDH)

Describes an approach to teaching the scientific method where an outbreak of cholera within the school is simulated. Students act like epidemiologists in an attempt to track down the source of the contamination. (PR)

Science-prone students are both academically gifted and display a driving interest in science. Describes the origins and evolution of the Science Talent Search Program, a program designed to identify science-prone high school students. Discusses variations of four exemplars of the program. (Contains 46 references.) (MDH)

Survey results contrast teachers' (n=159) knowledge and understanding with the understanding levels expected by England's science National Curriculum. Teacher's understanding with respect to the concepts of force, energy, and changes in materials are discussed. (Contains 29 references.) (MDH)

Children in grade one (n=8) and grade five (n=9) were interviewed to determine the influence of contexts of meaning on their knowledge of earthworms. Four components of contexts of meaning were identified and discussed: episodic knowledge, metaphors, interpretive frameworks, and emotions-values-aesthetics. (Contains 20 references.) (MDH)

Discusses (1) the need for teachers to understand student conceptions; (2) alternative conceptions that students formulate; (3) changing conceptions; (4) representing conceptual knowledge for studying conceptual change; (5) strategies for inducing change; and (6) a taxonomy of conceptual change. (Contains 61 references.) (MDH)

Describes a unit of hands-on activities on the corrosion of iron and steel. The unit uses the learning cycle and the science/technology/society approach. Three activities are presented. (PR)

Describes the "Physics by Inquiry" course that is designed to address student misconceptions. Explains how the course was taught at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for teachers and how it was taught at Ohio State University for elementary-education majors. Concludes the course is exportable to many different environments…

Discusses the current and future roles of two-year colleges in science, mathematics, and engineering education. (PR)

Compared the effects of participation in six extra credit activities for teaching the concept of matter on female preservice elementary school teachers (n=9) to a control group (n=8). Pre- and posttests to assess changes in the students' understanding of phenomena associated with matter indicated significant changes in experimental students'…

Students discover science resources in their neighborhood that help them see the relevance and long-term applications of concepts learned in the classroom. Students explore people, objects, and geographic resources beginning in the school and extending out into the community. (MDH)

Describes bioluminescence and the chemistry of how it occurs. Presents information for conducting the following classroom activities: (1) firefly mimic; (2) modeling deep-sea fish; (3) sea fireflies; and (4) the chemistry of light. (PR)

Describes inexpensive and safe activities centered around the chemistry of effervescent products such as Alka-Seltzer. Activities demonstrate the following: water-induced reactions, the influence of humidity, temperature and rate of reaction, particle size and rate of reaction, concentration and rate of reaction, the neutralizing power of…