The significant stages in the development of understanding of the concept of electric charge are discussed. The history is outlined with references to certain important experiments, and suggestions are made for relevant school demonstrations and experiments. (KR)

A study of the relative effectiveness of an introductory activity to teach intracoronal operative preparations to dental students (n=35) found that in comparison with traditional classroom methods used with 29 students, the leadup activity resulted in more efficient instruction and improved learning. Amount of teacher supervision was also a…

An activity in which students obtain a growth curve for algae, identify the exponential and linear growth phases, and calculate the parameters which characterize both phases is described. The procedure, a list of required materials, experimental conditions, analytical technique, and a discussion of the interpretations of individual results are…

Demonstrations to help students change their misconceptions about chemical bond breaking are presented. Students' misconceptions about chemical bonds in both biological and chemical systems are discussed. A calculation for the release of energy from respiration is presented. (KR)

An activity that introduces students to the correct handling of bacterial recombinants, antibiotic sensitivity testing, insertional inactivation, plasmid DNA isolation, restriction endonuclease digestion, agarose gel electrophoresis, Southern blotting, hybridization, and autoradiography is presented. A list of needed materials, procedures, safety…

Describes a training program conducted to prepare graduate students to teach laboratory-tutorial classes in an introductory psychology course. States that the program consisted of four sessions held over six weeks, and included role playing, video feedback, discussion, and written guidelines. Reports a positive reaction to the program. (DB)

Discusses three teachers' syntactical subject matter knowledge in science. The focus of the discussion is the link between teachers' views of the growth of scientific knowledge and the methods they use to help students construct a knowledge of science. (IAH)

Presented is an approach to the study of nutrient cycling in the school laboratory. Discussed are obtaining, processing, and incubating samples; extraction of ions from soil; procedures for nitrate and ammonium analysis; data analysis; an example of results; and other aspects of the nitrogen cycle. (CW)

Describes a set of Mathcad instrument simulations and documents that introduce important concepts for instrumental analysis. Enables students to adjust parameters and optimize an instrument in a timely fashion. (DDR)

Most high school chemistry labs contain detailed procedures on how to perform experiments, collect data, and analyze findings. These step-by-step instructions often eliminate opportunities for inquiry, higher levels of thinking, and the sense of accomplishment students find through independent discovery. For these reasons, two years ago the author…

The chemical and instrumental methods used in the study of transition-metal complexes provide a complete determination of their structure, bonding, and properties. It unites concepts of analytical, inorganic, and physical chemistry in a way that students might appreciate that these areas of chemistry are not different.

Newborn screening has existed as a state-based public health service since the early 1960s. Every state and most territorial jurisdictions have comprehensive newborn screening programs in place, but in the United States a national newborn screening policy does not exist. This results in different administrative infrastructures, screening…

This publication consists of resource materials related to development of an environmental technology program. Section 1 presents DACUM (Developing a Curriculum process) results, including the following: a chart of duties and task statements, equipment/tools and software lists, future trends, traits/attitudes, techniques, knowledge/skills,…

This handbook was developed for persons in Virginia without formal teacher training who are teaching a laboratory course in trade and industrial education for the first time. The guide covers some of the issues that a beginning teacher must address in the first few weeks of school. The document also provides background information for the…

This guide contains 43 modules of laboratory activities for technology education courses. Each module includes an instructor's resource sheet and the student laboratory activity. Instructor's resource sheets include some or all of the following elements: module number, course title, activity topic, estimated time, essential elements, objectives,…