In our college course, "Life Science for Elementary School Teachers," our investigation assesses the germination success of an invasive plant, purple loosestrife, compared to native wildflowers. Topics addressed include the scientific method, experimental design, seed dormancy, plant competition, ethno-botany, and success of non-native plants. The…

Reviewed are some of the techniques being used in plant biotechnology laboratories. Described are tissue culture and genetic manipulation. Advantages and disadvantages of this approach and ethics and public concern issues are discussed. (CW)

Many students struggle with statistical concepts such as interaction. In an experimental group, participants took a paper-and-pencil test and then were given training to establish equivalent classes containing four different statistical interactions. All participants formed the equivalence classes and showed maintenance when probes contained novel…

Teachers often struggle to excite students about geology, with most young people in today's technology-driven society being unfamiliar with rocks and minerals. Discussions centered on medical geology, the science that studies the link between normal environmental factors and geographical distribution of health problems, may help bridge the gap.…

Discusses some of the remarkable capabilities and fascinating behavior of plants. Describes several simple experiments that young scientists can accomplish with plants to demonstrate their ability to sense, react, and adapt to their environment. (JJK)

This booklet, one of six in the Living Things Science series, presents activities about ecosystems which address basic "Benchmarks" suggested by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for the Living Environment for grades 3-5. Contents include background information, vocabulary (in English and Spanish), materials,…

Describes activities that can be done to study insect ecology by use of the galls of goldenrod plants. (RH)

This textbook presents basic science to children during two or three consecutive years with an increasing number of facts and a progressive elevation of ideas. Special knowledge of things and the general development of the mind are attained by this method of repetition, but avoids monotony. The author has tried to keep clear of this danger by…

Sumac can be used in every season to represent such concepts as species variation, the food web, and natural foods and dyes. This article briefly discusses the sumac family, the relationship of the carpenter bee (Ceratina dupla) and the staghorn sumac, and the uses of the sumac in the kitchen and the craftsman. (NQ)

This hands-on science unit includes a beginners' and an advanced activity involving tree sap, as well as a brief description of a maple sap harvest. (CB)

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum provides an easily maintained classroom plant which can act like an animal. Directions are given for: acquiring the organism; activating it; observing its life cycle; and viewing protoplasmic streaming. (DH)

Examines energy interconversions in photosynthesis, limiting the discussion to areas pertinent to chemistry (particularly the energetics of the light reactions). Topic areas considered include bioenergetics, photochemistry, conversion of light energy into electrical potential energy, the chemiosmotic hypothesis, and others. (JN)

The purpose of this study was to determine the practicality of infrared photographic analysis to air pollution agencies, by the detection of plant damage from pollutants before they are visually identifiable. Results showed that photomicrographic imaging using infrared radiation should be considered a viable surveillance tool in similiar…

Describes an audio tutorial system for teaching botany in minicourse units which allow for greater individualization. (LS)