For millennia, the awe and wonder of the night sky has captivated and inspired humans to explore some of the most fundamental mysteries of the Cosmos through different perspectives and disciplines. Astronomy as a field of inquiry exemplifies a synergy of disciplines, a synergy that is more often tacit. Over the years, education and educational…

In general, laboratory experiments focus on traditional chemical disciplines. While this approach allows students the ability to learn and explore fundamental concepts in a specific area, it does not always encourage students to explore interdisciplinary science. Often little transfer of knowledge from one area to another is observed, as students…

This paper presents the experience of an initiative, the EXPLORE courses, designed to bring science and technology closer to secondary school. The EXPLORE courses, organised by "EXPLORATORI: Natural Resources" project, are particularly addressed to secondary school teachers and are conducted at Catalonia (North East of Spain). The main…

The scientific discovery process comes alive for 70 minority students each year at Uniondale High School in New York where students have won top awards for "in-house" projects. Uniondale High School is in a middle-income school district where over 95% of students are from minority groups. Founded in 2000, the Uniondale High School Research Program…

Presents an analysis of student science projects at science fairs that judges are likely to encounter. Presents a challenge to the organizers of science fairs to define the goals of the fair and the criteria for selecting winners. The problems associated with the process are discussed. (SA)

A science teacher at an Alaska correspondence school discusses the educational uses of electronic mail (enhancing the relationship between teacher and distant student, encouraging early computer literacy and reflective communication skills, and promoting interschool collaboration) and describes a telecommunications-based science project involving…

Family Math and Science Nights engage students and parents in active investigations tied to the curriculum in a fun, informal environment. Through this program, families actively explore math and science ideas, discover together through guided inquiry, and apply their discoveries to solve a problem at the end. All activities are hands-on, use…

Invention and Productive Failure activities ask students to generate methods that capture the important properties of some given data (e.g., uncertainty) before being taught the expert solution. Invention and Productive Failure activities are a class of scientific inquiry activities in that students create, implement, and evaluate mathematical…

A case study is presented of a science class for 10 underachieving gifted intermediate grade students. The paper describes how a focus on overcoming underachievement might conflict with the need for active, hands-on science activities. Suggestions are offered for integrating the goals of raising self-concept while developing skills of inquiry and…

Discussion of several modes of understanding in the cognitive approach to information processing focuses on heuristic (discovery-based) scientific understanding. Topics covered include how students seeking heuristic understanding in a process-oriented school library media program look at information, use preconceptions to guide their searches,…

Contemporary instructional approaches expect students to be active producers of knowledge. This leads to the need for creation of instructional tools and tasks that can offer students opportunities for active learning. This study examines the effect of a computational experiment as an instructional tool-for Grade 12 students, using a computer…

Describes an extra credit science project in which students compete to see who can build the most efficient water rocket out of a two-liter pop bottle. Provides instructions on how to build a demonstration rocket and launching pad. (MDH)

Reports on effectiveness of an elementary school science program comparing attitudes toward science of Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) students and teachers with those of students and teachers in non-SCIS classes. Students (N=456) indicate preference for SCIS process-approach science, and SCIS teachers (N=109) spend more time teaching…

Compared is an inquiry-oriented Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) style laboratory approach with a more directive traditional approach on student outcomes in the cognitive and affective domains of learning. Differences in science achievement, reasoning ability, attitude, and stages of development are discussed. (KR)