A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) project designed as a module for the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory is described. The effects of van der Waals interactions on the condensed-phase structure are examined by the analysis of the pattern of the monolayer structures.

This paper discusses the evaluation of an informal science education project, The Birdhouse Network (TBN) of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The Elaboration Likelihood Model and the theory of Experiential Education were used as frameworks to analyse the impact of TBN on participants' attitudes toward science and the environment, on their…

Explains a collaborative research project in which students study a phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect which is a measure of the near-surface air temperature contrast between urbanized and adjoining rural areas. Includes background content and literature review, preliminary studies, development of research questions,…

The educational goals and objectives provide a reference for curriculum designers, teachers, and educators, and they are required for evaluation or accreditation processes. This article presents a systematic method to state the learning objectives and analyze the consistency of a secondary school science program developed in Spain. The method is…

This activity discusses a two-day unit on ecology implemented during the summer of 2004 using the project-based science instructional (PBSI) approach. Through collaborative fieldwork, group discussions, presentations, and reflections, students planned, implemented, and reported their own scientific investigations on the environmental health of…

Animals Alive! is designed to help teachers develop an inquiry-oriented program for studying the animal kingdom in which, whenever possible, live animals are collected locally, studied, observed, and then released completely unharmed back into their natural habitats. By careful selection and modification of the chapter questions, activities, and…

This is a resource book for four major areas of study: basic astronomy, a star's life, the planets, and the atmosphere. The activities and demonstrations included can be done in a classroom setting during the day by using readily available materials. Topics covered include: refracting and reflecting telescopes, star finder, circumpolar…

The goal of Project WILD, a K-12 interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife, is to assist learners of any age in developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. This…

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of the incorporation of engineering design into secondary classrooms by math, science, and technology teachers who were alumni of a week-long intensive inservice course at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire). Data collection methods included observations and interviews,…

Almost every school in the United States has natural areas nearby that are often overlooked as learning sites. The intent of this document is to provide educators with a platform to begin natural resource programming at sites near their school. Philosophical as well as concrete information is outlined to provide both intrinsic and conceptual…

Presented are various activities and projects intended to help Boy Scouts earn a merit badge in oceanography. Each project and/or activity is related to a requirement (objective) found in a list at the beginning of the booklet. Topic areas and/or related activities and projects include: (1) nature of oceanography (naming oceanography branches,…

Details construction of an inexpensive electronic auditory device in which the resistance in parallel with the device is inversely proportional to the frequency of sound produced. (CP)

Describes an experimental project on boomerangs designed for an undergraduate course in classical mechanics. The students designed and made their own boomerangs, devised their own procedures, and carried out suitable measurements. Presents some of their data and a simple analysis for the two-bladed boomerang. (Author/MLH)

Presents two calculations of the probability of detection of an interstellar comet, under the hypothesis that such comets would escape from comet clouds similar to that believed to surround the sun. Proposes three problems, each of which would be a reasonable term project for a motivated undergraduate. (Author/MLH)

Presents a report of the annual conference of the Education Group of the Institute of Physics, held at the University of Oxford. The educators agreed that project work is a useful teaching technique and that there is a need for categorization of such activities. (MLH)