The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Library Institute was a project that brought together 28 school and public librarians from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to discuss science, mathematics, and technology. education reform and what can be done to bring it about. This book discusses the project in 12 chapters:…

This document is a collection of some of the physics activities used in the Teaching Science with TOYS professional development program for teachers. The TOYS activities have been compiled into this document as a resource for teachers who want to use toy-based physical science activities in the classroom. The activities do not assume any…

This document is a collection of some of the chemistry activities used in the Teaching Science with TOYS professional development program for teachers. The TOYS activities have been compiled into this document as a resource for teachers who want to use toy-based physical science activities in the classroom. The activities do not assume any…

Technology for Science is a National Science Foundation funded program that is developing and testing curriculum units for teacher materials built around a series of design-oriented science problems called "challenges," mainly for ninth-grade general and physical science classes. Technology for science challenges have a clear connection…

Students often hold personal explanations for natural phenomena that are intuitive, alternative to current scientific explanations, and extremely tenacious. This research effort attempted to document and interpret if and how exposure to conceptual change instructional techniques influenced one experienced teacher's conceptions of teaching science…

The ability of students to go beyond facts and to think critically, while at the same time enjoying and valuing the learning process, is fundamental to science and environmentalism. This book provides enrichment activities for the science curriculum that provide concrete connections with important world events. Each activity is self-contained and…

Recognizing that community growth and change are inevitable, Viewfinders' goals are as follows: to introduce students and teachers to the concept of the visual environment; enhance an understanding of the interrelationship between the built and natural environment; create an awareness that the visual environment affects the economy and quality of…

This book was designed to open up opportunities to expand an instructor's "teaching toolbox." It contains numerous examples of activities or ideas that can be implemented with few modifications to engage students. This book synthesizes one science program's 5-year curricular development experience into a form that addresses and reflects all the…

The possibility of life on other planets holds enormous fascination for people of all ages. This interdisciplinary learning kit uses that theme to launch scientific learning in young students. Through a series of hands-on activities, it directs participants to solve an outer space mystery thereby acquiring and developing scientific knowledge and…

This unit is part of the Understanding Our Environment project that is designed to engage students in investigating specific environmental problems through concrete activities and direct experience. Students begin by researching the migratory songbirds that live in their community. They determine the bird's roles in the ecosystems and their…

This paper reports on a nationwide, random telephone survey conducted with elementary school principals and human resources directors to measure the levels of competency and preparedness of students today and in the future for entry-level jobs; attitudes toward the importance of science skills in relation to entry-level employment; assessments of…

This document reports on the evaluation study of the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET) 1993 Summer Institutes that provided opportunities for teachers from around the country to participate in hands-on education programs in areas such as environmental and ecological studies, material science, space…

This book contains construction plans of exhibits that have been collected during more than 10 years, and notes for their maintenance, at the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Hands-On museum. It is a useful source of hard-to-find information for exhibit builders, science fair participants, science teachers, students, and home tinkerers. This collection…

Constructivist classroom environments are characterized by student engagement in science processes and manipulating experimental materials with experiential teaching of specific science concepts. Constructivist classrooms are where teachers build models of students' science knowledge, students participate actively in determining the viability of…

This document is a compilation of lesson plans designed to teach math/science concepts that have appeared in the journal "School Science and Mathematics". The activities combine important mathematics and science fundamentals in a single lesson and have been tested by classroom teachers. The lesson plans include concepts, objectives, rationale,…