In response to criticism aimed at the quality and effectiveness of American schools, especially in the areas of mathematics and science where American students were found to take considerably fewer courses than their foreign counterparts, most states raised course work requirements for high school graduation. To examine the effects of the state…

This report outlines the range of existing problems in science education and proposes that a modular based physical science curriculum would contribute to solving some of the identified problems and produce numerous advantages. The physical science curriculum will be divided into a "core" of fundamental modules (the absolute minimum…

During the last 10 years, cognitive science researchers have produced research findings that have great potential for increasing students' understanding of science. However, commercial publishers continue to produce textbooks and teacher's guides in traditional ways. This project developed a prototype unit which used an alternative approach to…

This book is an outlined for the short study (1- to 2-weeks) of chronobiology, a field of science that explores the relationships between time and biological functions. It develops step-by-step the reasoning that leads to the current scientific understanding of biological rhythms. The unit can be inserted into a standard middle or high school…

Some understanding of biology is needed for the success of individuals in modern societies. This monograph is a report of an assessment of educational achievement by a sample of secondary school biology students in the United States within the context of current knowledge of teaching and learning strategies, the role of biological literacy in…

The Standards of Learning Program for Virginia Public Schools is designed to identify what students are expected to accomplish, to provide a method for determining what has been learned, and to encourage teachers to give additional instruction when needed. This document provides a broad framework for science programs and specifically identifies…

Designed to help educators address science-related social issues, this publication considers: (1) major challenges associated with science-related social issues; (2) the extent to which these challenges are being met; (3) ways in which educators can improve the education of citizens in science, technology, and social issues; and (4) promising…

A number of recent policies have tried to improve science learning by increasing the number of science courses required for high school graduation or admission to higher education institutions. But it is highly unlikely that these mandates alone will materially affect the amount and quality of science education for students. Any effort to improve…

This guide focuses on the content and methodological approaches useful in teaching basic and applied science courses from a feminist perspective. Course content and pedagogical methods for including the feminist perspective are discussed for different curricula, including biology, women's studies, and health. A discussion of approaches for…

This guide, developed for the chemistry 200, 300 program in Manitoba, is designed to articulate with previous science courses, provide concepts, processes, and skills which will enable students to continue in chemistry-related areas, and relate chemistry to practical applications in everyday life. It includes a program overview (with program goals…

This document, jointly developed by the Iowa Department of Public Instruction and a committee of the Iowa Council of Science Supervisors, is designed to encourage and aid local schools in assessing and revising their science curriculum on a continuous basis. Included are: (1) a schedule for conducting a science curriculum assessment and/or…

This game is designed to be used in junior and senior high school science classes with the purpose of introducing quark theory to students. This material expands on atomic theory and subatomic structure. Quarks are the fundamental building blocks of protons and neutrons. The game will teach students about the standard model of elementary…

Children come to school with a foundation for formal learning from their early experiences with interactions of the natural and technological world. Failure of elementary schools to build on this experience can discourage children, especially those who do not identify readily with the science establishment (girls, blacks, Hispanics, and the…

This unit contains six lessons on rocks for fourth graders. It describes materials, supplementary materials (including films, units, and books) schedule, unit introduction, and background information for teachers. Lessons include: (1) "Rocks Are Everywhere"; (2) "Chart Making"; (3) "Things Are Breaking Up"; (4)…

The Systems Thinking and Curriculum Innovation (STACI) Project is a multi-year research effort intended to examine the cognitive demands and consequences of learning from a systems thinking approach to instruction and from using simulation-modeling software. The purpose of the study is to test the potentials and effects of integrating the systems…