Up, up and away! A hot air balloon, an airplane and even the space shuttle all defy the force of gravity, but they all do it in different ways. Children will learn about the basic concepts that make flight possible. With clear demonstrations and a hands-on project, students will be able to understand more easily the basic concepts behind various…

Most people know what magnets do. Sometimes they stick together, sometimes they push apart and sometimes they don't do anything at all. But why do magnets act the way they do? Students will learn about the role of atoms in magnetism and why certain substances are magnetic while others are not. They will also discover some of the many ways…

Why does light behave the way it does? How does it travel from its source to the objects it illuminates and then to human eyes? Students will learn about waves, including the concepts of reflection, absorption, refraction and how light is related to the colors that can be seen. With a hands-on activity and real-life examples, these concepts are…

The world contains a limited number of elements--the purest form of matter. But when these elements are combined, the possibilities are limitless! Water, carbon dioxide and salt are just a few examples of how elements can be combined to form entirely new substances. Many of these combinations occur naturally, while others are man-made. Students…

For thousands of years, humans dreamed of flying--but it isn't as easy as birds make it look. Students will learn about lift, gravity, thrust and drag--the forces that are used to get tons of steel off the ground and carry people thousands of miles before landing safely. They will also discover the role atoms and air pressure play in this amazing…

This paper is a report on the teaching experiment conducted in the Introduction to Engineering I course at PUC-Rio's Technical-Scientific Center (CTC) during the two terms of 1997. The idea was to test and develop hands-on teaching methodology as set forth in "Hands-on Teaching and Concurrent Teaching: Relations and Difficulties" (Carmo…

This document, concerning the 4-H horticulture project, includes a leader's guide and three youth activity guides. The leader's guide can be used to plan group project meetings that are both fun and educational. Activities can be adapted to various age groups. The leader's guide includes basic information for growing plants indoors and outdoors,…

Using an interactive method to teach middle school students can address the needs of this diverse population. Electrofiles provide opportunities for students to be actively engaged in learning. Students can build content knowledge in electrical circuits by designing an electrofile or they can review other content area knowledge through a variety…

This study assessed the impact that reflective journals used in an introductory college science course had on preservice teachers' science literacy. Fourteen preservice teachers enrolled in an introductory physical science course taught using a variety of constructivist instructional methods (hands-on activities, cooperative group work,…

This study reports on the effects of a major reform initiative which was implemented in the Iowa City Community Schools District. The Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) Project was launched in 1994 to reform the district's elementary science program. It was designed to increase teacher effectiveness by providing a…

What organisms have adapted to life in environments ranging from the ocean floor to desert sands, from frigid the tundra to the deepest, darkest jungle? None other than plants! From microscopic algae to the largest trees, millions of plant species have evolved in every habitat on the planet. In Plant Biodiversity, learn how plants developed in the…

Plants are vital to all other life on this planet - without them, there would be no food, shelter or oxygen. Luckily, over millions of years plants have developed many different features in order to survive and reproduce. In Plant Reproduction, students will discover that primitive mosses and algae are dependent upon water for their reproduction.…

Plants can survive in even the harshest of environments, from the freezing Arctic to the arid desert. In All About Plant Adaptation, join young plant lovers as they uncover some of the amazing ways that plants have adapted over millions of years enabling them to survive almost anywhere on Earth. Discover how some plants living in cold, arctic…

This paper discusses the benefits of having gardens at schools. School gardens are a practical and effective way to connect children with nature, teach hands-on science and environmental education, and beautify barren school grounds. In order for all United States schools to establish gardens, school ground improvement must become an important…

This handbook features ideas for implementing Project WET activities in Virginia. Project WET activities are designed for a variety of educational programs and can be used to complement existing curricula while addressing curricular objectives and educational standards nationwide. Activities include: (1) "Life Systems"; (2)…