Many new directions for science teaching were developed during the post-Sputnik era. Hands-on science teaching remains a popular direction, yet may be seen as something complex or mysterious by those not familiar with some of the jargon which usually accompanies any discussion of science teaching. This paper responds to several questions teachers…

This book is designed for middle school students to learn scientific literacy through event-based science. Unlike traditional curricula, the event-based earth science module is a student-centered, interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented program that emphasizes cooperative learning, teamwork, independent research, hands-on investigations, and…

This book is designed for middle school life science or physical science teachers to help their students learn scientific literacy through event-based science. Unlike traditional curricula, the event- based earth science module is a student-centered, interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented program that emphasizes cooperative learning, teamwork,…

This curriculum provides background information and activities for teaching inquiry-based science in the classroom and at the Oregon Zoo. The ZooScope program was created to provide students with hands-on and minds-on activities that are crucial to taking theoretical learning into the real world. The hope is that as students begin asking about the…

The purpose of this study was to document the iterative development of a design-based science curriculum called Learning Science by Designing Artifacts (LSDA). The study refers to the enactment of the Safer Cell Phones curriculum in a high school located in the Midwest. The curriculum was a 5- or 9-week unit in an 18-week science elective course.…

Over the past five decades, there have been a countless number of science-oriented programs that were viewed on television. In the last two decades, research has blossomed on informal science teaching, effective informal science teaching techniques, and the ideal environments for increasing science literacy in informal educational settings. This…

This publication is a collection of 13 hands-on activities that focus on earth science-related activities and involve students in learning about growing crystals, tectonics, fossils, rock and minerals, modeling Ohio geology, geologic time, determining true north, and constructing scale-models of the Earth-moon system. Each activity contains…

This student handbook targets children in grades 3-5 and features both group and individual activities. By completing one group and one individual activity in each section of the eighth chapter, a student can become a certified Junior Master Gardener. Contents include: (1) "Plant Growth and Development"; (2) "Soils and Water"; (3) "Ecology and…

This program is a new and innovative gardening project that targets children in grades 3-5 (Level 1). This book contains eight chapters that feature group and individual activities. Students can become certified Junior Master Gardeners by completing one group and one individual activity for each teaching concept and by participating in one…

In this activity, students test whether the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. An ice cube is placed in a box made of colored paper (one box per color; white, yellow, red, and black) which is then placed in the sun. Students predict which color will melt the ice cube first and record the order and time required for the ice cubes…

This paper presents a study investigating K-8 preservice teachers' attitudes towards science in a technology-based science content course. The study was conducted in a learning environment in which hands-on science, educational technology, collaboration, and constructivism were promoted. Results suggest that using technology in classroom teaching…

This brief discusses growing protein crystals. Protein crystals can be very difficult to grow. This activity for grades 9-12 provides a simple recipe for growing protein crystals from Brazil nuts. Included are a history of protein crystals, a discussion of microgravity effects on growth, connections to academic standards, and lab sheets. (MVL)

Most children know how to describe an object--by color, size, and shape. Here they'll learn that all objects are made of matter and that all matter can be described with basic scientific properties--mass, weight, volume and density. Each of these properties is described using fun, real-life examples. With clear illustrations and hands-on…

Most people certainly take light for granted. But understanding the basic nature of light can open up a whole new world! All about Light takes kids on a fun journey to answer questions like: "Why does light shine through some things and not others?" and "Why can we see our reflections in water, but not in a rock?" Students learn how light travels…

Why does a magnet stick to the fridge but not to the wooden cabinets? This question will be answered as viewers discover what makes something "magnetic." Young students learn about positive and negative forces, the North and South Poles, and the basic concepts of why opposites attract. Children find out more about what magnets are used…