Changes are occurring within Brazilian institutes of higher education; currently several universities are reviewing their course offerings and teaching approaches to determine if they meet the needs of today's undergraduate students. When changes are made to the curriculum of experimental courses, there should be an understood guarantee that all…

An investigation is described that would be suitable for A-level or first year degree Biology or Environmental Science students. Crop plants were grown in different concentrations of lead chloride and lead nitrate. French beans, carrots and Brussels sprouts were all inhibited at concentrations over 0.01 mol dm[superscript -3] showing stunted root…

Diffusion and osmosis are central concepts in biology, both at the cellular and organ levels. They are presented several times throughout most introductory biology textbooks (e.g., Freeman, 2002), yet both processes are often difficult for students to understand (Odom, 1995; Zuckerman, 1994; Sanger "et al.", 2001; and results herein). Students…

This document is written to encourage college faculty to use a student-centered, activity-related, approach to science instruction. Suggestions are provided for methods that can be used by faculty and administrators to develop alternatives to lecturing. The major sections of this document include the following: (1) Is There an Alternative to…

Presented is a technical physics module designed to meet objectives in electricity and magnetism for students in an introductory physics course and emphasizing laboratory work. Included are basic text materials, prerequisites, objectives, a posttest, experiments, and a teacher's guide. The module is designed to be used on an individual instruction…

Lists 40 things to do to have a safer chemistry laboratory. Discusses the evolution of these guidelines for schools from safety suggestions originally developed by industry. Categorizes the 40 steps into those requiring minimal cost and those requiring moderate expense. (TW)

Discusses the properties of carbon dioxide in its solid "dry ice" stage. Suggests several demonstrations and experiments that use dry ice to illustrate Avogadro's Law, Boyle's Law, Kinetic-Molecular Theory, and the effects of dry ice in basic solution, in limewater, and in acetone. (TW)

Proposes that preparative chemistry is an important and integral part of chemistry as a whole, and an excellent way to introduce students to descriptive chemistry. Provides an outline for students to follow for converting and transforming salts. Suggests a set of general guidelines for studying anion and cation transformations. (TW)

Describes a chemistry experiment where an alkaline ice-cold permanganate solution is reduced by adding dropwise a cold diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. Outlines the course of the reduction through the various oxidation states of manganese with their characteristic colors. (TW)

Outlines an approach to chemistry experiments designed to help students appreciate the importance of each step in an experimental procedure. Describes an experiment involving Charles's Law to illustrate this idea. (TW)

Reviews the history of alchemy including personalities and methods. Discusses the philosophy associated with various early chemists and alchemists. Attempts to show that it was not unreasonable for ancient alchemists to believe in the possibility of transmutation. (CW)

Describes the procedures used to demonstrate transpiration with the common sunflower. Discusses the results expected from such an activity. Provided is a sample data sheet. (CW)

Presented is a sample hybridoma assay which can be used in a research or classroom laboratory setting for instructional purposes. Described are experimental methods, materials, and observations made during this activity. (CW)

Reports on the session at the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers meeting on chemistry laboratories in March 1987. Speakers included Leonard K. Nash and Audrey Champagne on values and goals; Howard Ende on regulation; Stanley Smith and Jerry Bell on the uses of computers; and Miles Pickering on the human dimension. (CW)

Describes a molar volume-molar mass experiment for use in general chemistry laboratories. Gives background technical information, procedures for the titration of aqueous hydrogen peroxide with standard potassium permanganate and catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce oxygen, and a discussion of the results obtained in three…