The focus on practical investigations in the National Curriculum is seen to be important if students are to attain a connoisseurship in science experimentation. The chain of processes involved in doing real science involves: non-linear thinking; creative flair; and critical evaluation within an authentic setting. The research presented in this…

This paper reports on the results of a class experiment in which advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology and beginning General Biology science students selected a science project using art as the medium of expression and demonstration. Students were allowed to select their own project, with the instructor's approval. Once a project was decided upon,…

This teacher's guide presents 12 hands-on laboratory activities for high school science classes that cover the environmental issue of water resources in California. The activities are separated into three sections. Five activities in the section on water quality address the topics of groundwater, water hardness, bottled water, water purity, and…

The aim of the Learning in Science Project is to: (1) investigate science teaching/learning at the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14); (2) identify some of the key difficulties in this subject area; and (3) find ways of overcoming such difficulties. The project is seen both as an evaluative and a research project in that it is concerned with…

The first working paper of the Learning in Science Project, "An Initial Framework," outlined what was then seen as the major aims of the project and suggested how these aims might be achieved by three phases of research: exploratory (to observe teaching/learning in Form 1 to 4 science classrooms and to identify difficulties perceived by…

This guide is for the gifted, talented, or creative student in grades 4-9, who wants to do a science project, enter a competitive fair, or who is interested in pursuing an independent study in any subject area. The first part of the book is a teacher's guide. It gives directions, guidelines, suggestions, and tips for assisting students in the…

Written for science teachers of elementary and secondary Native American students, the guide offers 18 science-related activities that integrate science with Indian culture and life. A teacher preparation exercise is presented first to allow the teacher to look at him/herself and use the information as a tool to understanding the students'…

An alternative teaching model has been proposed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P). The model uses a six-step approach (outlined in an appendix) which fosters an environment in which children can ask questions about a situation, offer explanations, carry out investigations, and report their findings. This paper reports on the…

Two booklets were developed by the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--to help teachers adopt an approach to primary science teaching which would enhance children's understanding of floating and sinking. Both booklets were designed to enable teachers to reconceptualize their teaching task from activity-driven, didactic teaching to…

The Prime Minister's Committee on Natural Science in Education in Great Britain reported in 1918 that "...in many schools more time is spent in laboratory work than the results obtained can justify." Seventy years later this conclusion can often still be drawn. This is particularly a problem in open distance education where laboratory practicals,…

This inventory of science education projects for minorities in the United States contains a survey of efforts made since 1960 to improve the science education of minority groups and to increase their participation in science and science-related careers. All levels of science education are included in the survey; physical and biological sciences,…

Describes how a high school teacher successfuly organized, funded, and involved students and community members in an archaeological dig under the school's front lawn. (IW)

Discusses the construction of artificial reefs for such uses as commercial fishing and recreational boating. Describes a class project in which students construct a small artificial reef and observe the changes over time in terms of temperature, salinity, flora and fauna. (TW)

For the past 13 years the JASON Project has offered students and teachers a unique opportunity to learn about how the earth and space systems support life, and technologies used to study the earth-space system. The JASON Project aspires to help teachers to increase student learning of content-specific information; and to engage students in…

This paper describes a German project that developed students' capabilities for understanding and valuing biotechnology and genetic engineering, focusing on practical fieldwork with schools by an interdisciplinary team. The paper identifies the characteristics of individual and structural preconditions and their development during active project…