Describes the inexpensive and safe method of using roundworms in the classroom or laboratories. Because parasitic infections are so common, students should learn about worms. Provides statistics on just how many people have a worm infection in the world. Explains how to study living nematodes, and obtain and use earthworms. (Contains 13…

Five experiments tested the development of conceptual categories by familiarizing infants to objects in a category and presenting them with an object in a different category. Infants' responses indicated that infants at 7 to 11 months categorized animals, vehicles, and furniture; at 11 months, plants and kitchen utensils; and at 9 to 11 months,…

Comparison of 184 animal science students in modified alternating day block schedule with 136 in 9-week accelerated block schedule showed that higher-order thinking skills achievement was less than half of the passing standard. Higher- and lower-order skills performance of modified schedule students was superior, which may be explained by teacher…

Explains a study that assesses students' ideas about animals. Evaluates textbooks and trade books according to the identifications and words they use. Discusses student responses from different grade levels on the classification of animals and identifying what is an animal. Summarizes the results of the study and makes recommendations on the…

Reflects on middle school students' interest in stamp collections and considers science-related stamps as a good source for a classroom display. (YDS)

Two experiments are reported in which the ratio of the average times spent in the terminal and initial links ("Tt/Ti") in concurrent chains was varied. In Experiment 1, pigeons responded in a three-component procedure in which terminal-link variable-interval schedules were in constant ratio, but their average duration increased across components…

In a continuation of the conversation with Fitch, Chomsky, and Hauser on the evolution of language, we examine their defense of the claim that the uniquely human, language-specific part of the language faculty (the ''narrow language faculty'') consists only of recursion, and that this part cannot be considered an adaptation to communication. We…

This column describes the book, "The Tarantula Scientist," that features the work of arachnologist Sam Marshall, a scientist who studies spiders and their eight-legged relatives. Marshall is one of only four or five scientists who specializes in the study of tarantulas. The informative text and outstanding photographs follow Sam as he…

Educators need to think about pedagogical as well as ethical issues when asking if dissection has a role in contemporary K-12 science education. I consider some arguments for and against dissection as a way to teach students the biological concepts of form and function.

In teaching drawing and painting, the author encourages students' creative spirits. She also encourages creative writing to accompany their artwork. Colorful language in their written work and personal response to an artwork makes a complete, meaningful lesson. In this mixed-media exploration, using animals as a theme, third-grade artists explored…

The feeding of Diarmis proboscis is an exciting outdoor laboratory activity that demonstrates a single concept of adaptations--cryptic colorations. The students are "transformed" into D. proboscis (no Harry Potter magic needed) in order to learn how adaptations work in the natural world. Prior to beginning this activity, students should have a…

Information about the control of the activity of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC), a key enzyme in the citric acid cycle, is not well covered in the biochemical education literature, especially as it concerns the allosteric regulation of OGDHC by adenine nucleotide and ortophosphate. From experimental work published during the last…

The canny world of advertising has caught on to the free radical theory of aging, marketing a whole array of antioxidants for preventing anything from wrinkles to dry hair to reducing the risk of heart disease--promising to help slow the hands of time. Working with genetically engineered mice--to produce a natural antioxidant enzyme called…

A laboratory project that investigates Cu(II) bind to bovine serum albumin (BSA) in an aqueous solution is developed to assist undergraduate students in gaining better understanding of the interaction of ligands with biological macromolecule. Thus, students are introduced to investigation of Cu(II) binding to BSA by potentiometry with the Cu(II)…

Although reinforcement often leads to repetitive, even stereotyped responding, that is not a necessary outcome. When it depends on variations, reinforcement results in responding that is diverse, novel, indeed unpredictable, with distributions sometimes approaching those of a random process. This article reviews evidence for the powerful and…