In this paper we describe the development and evaluation of two activities for delivery in first year B.Sc. and M.Chem. degree courses, in which we introduced an international context representing either a linguistic or a cultural modification to the previously developed case studies. The case studies focus on an industrial and an environmental…

For scientists, the sandbox serves as an analog for faulting in Earth's crust. Here, the large, slow processes within the crust can be scaled to the size of a table, and time scales are directly observable. This makes it a useful tool for demonstrating the role of inquiry in science. For this reason, the sandbox is also helpful for learning…

Since the demise of the key stage 2 (age 11) science Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) in England, teachers have been getting to grips with the issue of teacher assessment. Although arguably providing a more valid picture of children's scientific enquiry skills than a paper-and-pencil test, observations of investigations in progress face the…

A modification of the mixed-aldol synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone, prepared from acetone and benzaldehyde, is described wherein acetone is replaced with a series of cyclic ketones with ring sizes of 5-7 carbons. The structural variations in the resulting conjugated ketones produce regular variations in the UV-vis absorption spectra. The choice…

Chemistry students are often introduced to the concept of reaction rates through demonstrations or laboratory activities involving the well-known iodine clock reaction. For example, a laboratory experiment involving thiosulfate as an iodine scavenger is part of the first-year general chemistry laboratory curriculum at Dalhousie University. With…

This article reports on a design study aimed at achieving that students experience their learning as meaningful. Two conditions for meaningful activities were identified: (1) students should be motivated to attain a certain goal and (2) they should have rudimentary conceptual and procedural knowledge of how to attain that goal. Together, these…

The "What's the "matter" With XOD" activity addresses students' misconceptions and refines their ideas about phases of matter. This activity introduces the characteristics for solids, liquids, and gases, and begins a discussion about physical and chemical changes and how matter can cycle through different phases. Depending on class size and…

Recent reports have begun to lay the foundation for a re-visioned K-8 science curriculum which includes four strands that could be used to define and assess science proficiency for all students. Using these strands as an analytic lens, this pre-post multiple-case case study explores elementary school science teachers' practices and their students'…

The national Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Initiative favors a curriculum shift from the compartmentalization of math and science classes into discrete subject areas to an integrated, multidisciplinary experience. Many states are currently implementing programs in high schools that provide greater integration of math,…

This article presents an analysis of the longitudinal consequences of out-of-school science learning with a conceptual framework that connects the intentions of youth to their participation in science. The focus is on one girl's science activities in her home and hobby pursuits from fourth to seventh grade to create an empirical account of how…

Introducing Problem Based Learning (PBL) to a cohort of science education pre-service teachers enabled them to engage in a widely used learning and teaching strategy helpful to align university courses with the professional work they are expected to undertake on graduation. Almost fifty pre-service teachers participated in the study, focussed on…

In 2006, 4-H National Headquarters and National 4-H Council introduced an initiative aimed at increasing the number and quality of science, engineering, and technology programs that 4-H offers around the country, and increasing the number of youth involved in these programs. By engaging youth in informal science educational opportunities through…

Students' difficulties with accurately conceptualizing the relationships among the Earth, Moon, and Sun are well documented. Any teacher who has seen the film "A Private Universe" (Schneps and Sadler 1988) will remember the challenge the interviewees experienced when trying to explain their understanding of this phenomenon. This paper describes a…

Ten adolescent judokas performed circuit training consisting of six 40-s periods of judo exercises separated by 40 s (CT1:1), 120 s (CT1:3), or 200 s (CT1:5) of rest. Heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and the number of repetitions were recorded. Heart rate reached [approximately]180 beats[middle dot]min-1 at the end of work periods, with…

This article features Boulder Journey School, located in Boulder, Colorado, a full-day, year-round school that welcomes over 200 young children, ages 6 weeks to 6 years, and their families. The school community is committed to a culture based on children as curious and competent individuals capable of coconstructing knowledge. In Boulder Journey…