Presents a procedure for creating a colored superabsorbant polymer gel. Pieces of the gel can be used to demonstrate convection currents in heating water. (WRM)

Describes the Environmental Buddies program designed to pair fourth-grade (mentors) and kindergarten (proteges) children to work on science investigations centered around ecological themes. Details program components, including the following: investigations that interest and challenge both ages, careful student pairing, emphasis on mutual benefits…

Describes the use of two tiny light bulbs and a cloth grating to construct a semiquantitative experiment for determining the wavelength of light from an interference pattern. (WRM)

Describes an Introduction to Chemical Engineering course with particular reference to the development, use, and evaluation of four simple experiments centered around the fundamental principles of heat transfer, mass transfer, reaction kinetics, and momentum transfer. (WRM)

Describes an investigation in which radioactive by-products of radon decay are collected and measured from a charged balloon. (WRM)

Describes a virtual experiment designed to introduce students to the theory and application of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the mean electrical axis (MEA). Students are asked to reduce and analyze data, calculate and plot the MEA, and answer questions in the inquiry-based, experimental activity. (Author/WRM)

Describes a laboratory experience for upper-level science students that provides a hands-on approach to understanding the basics of experimental physiology. Students design an experiment to determine the relative importance of dilution of plasma proteins in the overall renal excretory response following volume expansion with intravenous saline.…

Describes the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) and explains the reasons for a curriculum change. Introduces CAPT-style labs which require students to identify a problem, ask questions, develop a hypothesis, design and conduct an experiment, analyze data, and draw conclusions. (YDS)

Presents a set of hands-on, outdoor science experiments designed to teach elementary school students about animal adaptation. The experiments focus on: how color camouflage affects an insect population; how spiderlings find a home; and how chameleons camouflage themselves by changing color. (SM)

Presents a laboratory exercise on the capabilities of plants to ward off the insects that want to eat them. (ASK)

Explores the use of quantitative EEG in the detection of lies employing a special electrode cap and specialized video recording and audio equipment. The method offers the ability to decide when it can predict accurately and when it can predict with 100% accuracy. (JPS)

Discusses the advantages of an extended school year and block scheduling for science learning. (DDR)

Describes an early childhood educator's approach to teaching children about rain, rainbows, clouds, precipitation, the sun, air, and wind. Recommends ways to organize study topics and describes experiments that can help children better understand the different elements of weather. (MOK)

Presents a science experiment in which students test the buffering capacity of household products such as shampoo, hand lotion, fizzies candy, and cola. Lists the standards addressed in this experiment and gives an example of a student lab write-up. (YDS)

Outlines how a course in robotics can be taught at the undergraduate level with specific experiments that can be used for incremental learning in programming a mobile robot or by simulating the actions of a robot. Contains 14 references. (Author/ASK)