Water is critical to our health and well-being, yet one in three people do not have access to safe drinking water. Earth's water is threatened by pollution, deforestation, urban growth, and climate changes. This article describes a unit for kindergarten children called The Water We Drink.

By hosting a college students' laboratory skills contest, we provide an interesting activity for students to cultivate good laboratory practices and thereby improve their laboratory skills. The substance of this contest is the detection of the hardness of water, which involves numerous laboratory skills such as solution preparation, weight by…

It may be asserted that there is no more effective deterrent to crime than the certainty of detection. Equally true is that there is no surer way to establishing identity than by fingerprints. The detection of fingerprints at the scene of crime is therefore one of the most powerful tools available in casework investigations. However, if the crime…

Recently, smart sensing/actuation paper has attracted significant interest due to its potential usage as a sustainable component in future electronics, robotics, and intelligent sensing devices. In acknowledging the importance of this topic for the engagement of students at the university level in conjunction with Industrial Revolution 4.0, it is…

Water and an immiscible organic liquid are placed in a small plastic bottle. Ten small pieces of a notecard which is shaded on one side by crayon or pencil (graphite or colored) are cut out and placed inside the bottle. After capping and shaking, the notecard pieces float at the liquid-liquid interface with the shaded side facing the nonpolar…

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a design thinking teaching and learning model on students' design thinking skills in science class. The study utilised two projects, 'Making a Simple Solar Water Heater' and 'Drawing a 3D Topographic Map of Zhejiang Province,' based on the 5th-grade science curriculum in China, and involved 45…

A laboratory experiment was designed and implemented in a STEM teaching laboratory at Michigan State University to engage students in an activity that not only introduced an innovative nitrate detection technique but also addressed one of the negative impacts of climate change, that is, the eutrophication of water bodies. The adverse effects of…

Throughout the country, there are many bodies of fresh water affected by algal blooms. By focusing on a water source near their school, students can become scientists, too. Situating science content in real and meaningful learning experiences encourages students to be invested in their own learning, construct deeper understandings, and apply those…

Refraction is a foundational concept within introductory physics. Physics students need a deep understanding of refraction, including Snell's Law, in order to progress towards more complex optics topics such as lenses and images. Unfortunately, many physics students obtain only a superficial understanding of refraction. Although many students can…

This article explores the possibilities of a cheap one-dollar microscope, the Foldscope, for enhancing out-of-school science education. Developed by Manu Prakash and Jim Cybulski from Stanford University, these origami-type paper microscopes make it possible to provide all students with their own microscopes, due to the low cost. This provides…

Research has demonstrated that gesture produced during conversation can provide insights into scientific thinking and can aid scientific communication in adults and school-aged children. However, to date, there has been a limited exploration into the role of gesture in supporting young children's science communication, and how this is underpinned…

Scientific thinking can be applied to things we do at home. Effective results can be achieved in cooking or cleaning while also focusing on doing so with minimal waste of resources. This can also mean better economy. Choosing appropriate designs of equipment can make certain jobs easier. Three different topics are described to demonstrate these…

Science and society are inseparably linked, shaping each other in ways that define our world, emphasizing the need to teach science for empowering students capable of taking meaningful action toward building a sustainable and just society. Developing sustainability competencies in students is an important step toward this goal, with controversial…

Herbivores are important to ecosystems because they transfer energy stored in plant matter to other organisms. However, when herbivores occur in high abundances, they can become pests and harm the plants that form the basis of food webs. Mangroves are saltwater tolerant trees found along most tropical and subtropical shorelines. Because mangroves…

This article examines the ways in which four focal English Learners (ELs) in an eighth-grade sheltered science classroom used visual and written resources in a unit on watersheds. The students first recorded their observations about stream tables through open-ended drawing and writing. Their own ideas were evident in these responses, but…