Cognition is a general term describing the mental capacities of an animal, and often includes the ability to categorize, remember, and communicate about objects in the environment. Numerous regions of the telencephalon (cerebral cortex and limbic system) are responsible for these cognitive functions. Although many researchers have used traditional…

It is not common to introduce current astronomy in school lessons. This article presents a set of experiments about gravitational lenses. It is normal to simulate them by means of computers, but it is very simple to simulate similar effects using a drinking glass full of liquid or using only the glass base. These are, of course, cheap and easy…

Inquiry is an integral part of the teaching and learning of science. However, many science teachers are unsure of how to promote and support inquiry in the classroom or how to design lessons that engage students in inquiry in a way that improves students' understanding of important concepts and practices in biology. In this article, the authors…

Focuses on the provision of meaningful counterintuitive experimental evidence for students while taking into account the relations of theory, instruments, and experimental data. Discusses the use of experiments designed to test pupils' conceptual framework during the teaching of introductory electricity. (JRH)

Problem solving that both requires and develops higher-order thinking skills is illustrated in the EQUATIONS Challenge Matches program, which consists of computer diskettes at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels plus a multi-level diskette. Samples of computer output are given, with the results of various types of experimentation…

Science activities with soap bubbles for primary school children are described in this article. Another activity involves children in determining the whereabouts of sugar as it dissolves in water. (SA)