How do scientists make inferences for something they cannot directly observe? The Black Box approach seems ideal to help students understand how scientists work. Black Boxes are sealed units; their interior is not accessible. The effort to determine their possible content (internal structure) demands successive modifications in hypothesis,…

Describes problem based learning (PBL) as a science teaching approach that combines both school and real-world science. Explains how to design an ill-structured problem considering local, state, and national standards; finding and preparing data; implementing PBL in the classroom; and its benefits and student assessment. Includes an example of PBL…