The creative application of low-cost, readily available materials and techniques promotes inclusion and provides accessibility in the classroom and laboratory for students who are blind or have low vision. Difficulties encountered by these students include operation of laboratory equipment, execution of ordinary laboratory procedures, and use of…

This article presents a class activity called "The Case of the Disappearing Snack" that involved second- and third-grade students. In this activity, the students investigated who stole the class snack. As they investigated the "crime," they developed critical-thinking skills and practiced using a microscope. Although microscopic evidence was not…

When students use plants to investigate cellular respiration, they confront the misconception that plants only "perform" photosynthesis (Driver et. al., 1994). Because this is such a strong misconception, several experiences with plant respiration are needed before students accept the idea that plants use some of the food from photosynthesis. Part…

In this article, a trainee teacher explores the value of using novel digital equipment with very young children. She describes a classroom-based study designed to address these questions: (1) How do very young children react to and engage with the digital microscope in a science-based activity?; (2) How would the foundation-stage leader,…

Experiments with the simple pendulum are easy, but its motion is nevertheless confounded with simple harmonic motion. However, refined theoretical models of the pendulum can, today, be easily taught using software like CALCODE. Similarly, the cycloidal pendulum is isochronous only in simplified theory. But what "are" theoretically equal intervals…

We describe experiments on Benard-Marangoni convection which permit a useful understanding of the main concepts involved in this phenomenon such as, for example, Benard cells, aspect ratio, Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers, Crispation number and critical conditions. In spite of the complexity of convection theory, we carry out a simple and…

A new method is presented for measuring the rate of the oxidation of glucose in the presence of glucose oxidase. The improved method employs luminescence measurements to directly determine the concentration of oxygen in real time, thus obviating complicated reaction schemes employed in previous methods. Our method has been used to determine…

An upper-division forensic chemistry experiment is described. It involves using glycolic acid and sodium glycolate as analogs of [gamma]-hydroxybutyric acid and its sodium salt. The experiment shows the use of silylation in GC-MS analysis and gives students the opportunity to work with a commonly used silylating reagent,…

The purpose of this study was to explore what options exist for a school district that has chosen to implement or reinforce an elementary technology education program. The option selected was a mobile technology education laboratory. A mobile laboratory can offer the advantages of financial flexibility, currentness, ability to serve a large…

Describes the construction and operation of a simple field mill to measure atmospheric electric fields. (Author/CP)

Described are multichannel analyzers and a high-speed digital counter for a lecture room. (CP)

Describes construction of a variety of relatively inexpensive cameras for astronomical purposes. (CP)

A variety of equipment and materials for teaching science are described. Included are films, film loops, balances, and other items. (RH)