Gill-breathing freshwater snails (Family "Pleuroceridae") are ecologically important, abundant in many streams in the United States, and easy to collect and maintain under classroom conditions. These snails can be used in classroom tests to demonstrate effects of pollutants on aquatic organisms. In more advanced classes, students can cage the…

Over the past 25 years, the author has had the opportunity to study the subject of solar energy and to get involved with the installation, operation, and testing of solar energy systems. His work has taken him all over the United States and put him in contact with solar experts from around the world. He has also had the good fortune of seeing some…

The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) what effect the use of interactive computer-based simulations (ICBSs), the use of laboratory inquiry-based experiments (LIBEs), and the use of combinations of an ICBS and a LIBE, in a conceptually oriented physics course, have on science teachers' beliefs about and attitudes toward the use of these…

The four main forms of carbon--diamond, graphite, buckyballs, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)--are an excellent vehicle for teaching fundamental principles of chemical bonding, material structure, and properties. Carbon atoms form a variety of structures that are intrinsically connected to the properties they exhibit. Educators can take advantage of…

Forensic science courses encompasses the disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, which provides an opportunity for students to become engaged in all content areas within one course. The inquiry-based learning environment allows visualization of results almost immediately, facilitating student interest. The laboratory…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

Discusses the benefits of thermochromic transformations for studying thermodynamic properties. Describes an experiment that uses a commercially available dye, attains equilibrium rapidly, employs a simple, single-beam spectrophotometer, and is suitable for both physical chemistry and introductory chemistry laboratories. (TW)

Describes a program to support lectures on analytical centrifugation, and to illustrate the manner in which useful analytical data about macromolecules can be obtained from simple centrifugation studies without the need for mathematical expertise. Discusses the background, methods, calculations, and results involved in this activity. (CW)

Shows how model rocketry can be included in physics curricula. Describes rocket construction, a rocket guide sheet, calculations and launch teams. Discusses the relationships of basic mechanics with rockets. (CW)

Outlines the role of the main organisms involved in woodland decomposition and discusses some of the variables affecting the rate of nutrient cycling. Suggests practical work that may be of value to high school students either as standard practice or long-term projects. (CW)

Describes a simplified redox method for total iron analysis suitable for execution in a three-hour laboratory period by general chemistry students. Discusses materials, procedures, analyses, and student performance. (CW)

Illustrates the scope of experimental investigations for biochemistry education in high school biology and chemistry courses. Gives a brief overview of biochemistry experiments with proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, vitamins, metabolism, electron transport, and photosynthesis including materials, procedures, and outcomes.…

Describes a laboratory experiment in which benzene fluorescence is quenched by bis(acetylacetonato) copper(II). Discusses how this experiment can demonstrate a special technique used in the field of photochemistry. Provides an outline of the experimental procedure and discusses its results. (TW)

Sedimentary patterns and hydraulic effects can be studies in model streams which are not to scale. The "Western River" is such a model which is being used effectively at Western Carolina College. Construction of the model, student exercises, and observations made when using the model are discussed. (Author/JN)

The importance of examining both the natural history of organisms being investigated and numerical data from long-term field experiments is illustrated by describing a long-running field experiment at an English Field Study Council Centre. Sample results are discussed and alternative methods of using field studies in biology instruction are…