In this inquiry-based activity, Roborovsky hamsters are used to provide students with an opportunity to develop their skills of analysis, inquiry, and design. These hamsters are easy to maintain, yet offer students a means to use conventional techniques and those of their own design to make further observations through measuring, assessing, and…

Describes how latex-based creatures are made and used to explore various topics in inquiry-based middle school science. Provides a variety of sample data and includes sections on safety concerns and chemistry notes for the teacher. (DDR)

Discusses the development of a data analysis activity used with 8th grade students at the beginning of the school year. Groups of students collected a variety of data about a specific population. (DDR)

While some textbooks still teach students that there is one scientific process that must be rigidly followed, this stagnant portrayal of the process of science can lead students to think that science and scientists are quite boring. Through integrating visual art and microscopy, students learn about the creativity of scientists and begin to…