Examines the content knowledge of genetics as it is organized for solving effect-to-cause problems. Reviews proposed reasons explaining why students find genetics difficult to learn. Explains dominant and codominant inheritance patterns, multiple alleles, and X-linkage. (RT)

Students write a short paper in which they describe and interpret the history of a geologic feature. Provides an introduction, logistics of the assignment, background and rationale for the writing process, suggestions for change, and conclusions. (RT)

Describes composite materials and related industries. Discusses the few courses at the undergraduate level, the few schools offering the courses, alternatives to these courses, job opportunities, and future trends. (YP)

Argues that advances in Earth science call for their inclusion in Earth history. States that the focus should be on the planet and the process by which it reached its present state. Explains pre-solar and pre-lithospheric history, interacting spheres of influence, characteristics of eons and eras, and their transitions. (RT)

Outlines a three-day unit for presenting biotechnology. States that the approach surveys the processes of enzyme restriction, ligation, transformations of recombinant plasmids, and gel electrophoresis. Diagrams accompany the article. (RT)

This paper discusses the mechanization of mathematical functions by means of analog electronics. Five different approaches are described which demonstrate the versatility of the analog technique by using parabolic function, exponential decay technique, projectile trajectory, trigonometry, and piecewise linear approximation techniques. (YP)

Suggests a revised Montessori elementary biology sequence based on the new five-kingdom model. In keeping with Montessori principles that move the learner from the whole to the parts and from the simple to the complex, offers a proposed outline of instruction for the lower elementary (6-9) level and for the upper elementary (9-12) level. (TJQ)

Presents the case study of a university-level instructor teaching a course in physical science to prospective elementary and early childhood teachers. Concludes that the beliefs of the instructor constrained the enacted curriculum to an extent that gaps between the needs of students and the enacted curriculum were wider at the end of the course.…

Outlines the social and cultural background, education, and scientific contributions of Percy Lavon Julian, an African American natural product chemist. Presents and analyzes traits and abilities relevant to his growth, development, and survival and some of his thoughts on the nature of science, the relationship between science and the humanities,…

Presents an overview of the important items that the author's suggest should be included in a biochemistry course given to students in veterinary medicine. Presents a broad range of specific topics in biochemistry and strategies for covering as many topics as possible in one course. (LZ)

Fifteen students participated in a study designed to document the curriculum processes that influenced the meanings associated with the content studied by a secondary environmental science class. Uses entropy to illustrate what was learned about the curriculum processes that shaped the meaning of content in the science class studied. (ZWH)

The authors argue for change in how the nature of science is represented in school curricula and dispute the idea that they have argued for a large expansion in science curricula. The intent is to challenge reformers and educators to take another look at the nature of science and how nature ought to be reflected in the curriculum. (LZ)

Describes results of telephone interviews of science supervisors about the implementation of science/technology/society (STS) education in different states. (MKR)

Provides a brief profile of the currently available videodiscs for general biology, with comparable information for each. An introduction discusses benefits and problems associated with videodisc use in the classroom. Profiles contain information on description, good and bad features, still images, animations and movies, audio, software,…

Presents Principles of Biochemistry for use as main focus of a biochemistry course. The nine guiding ideas are the principles of continual turnover, macromolecular organization, molecular recognition, multiplicity of utilization, maximum efficiency, gradual change, interrelationship, transformational reciprocity, and information transfer. In use…