State and district science standards typically call for students to take part in hands-on labs and experiments in the elementary grades. The 1996 National Science Education Standards, which were written by the National Research Council and serve as a reference for many states, emphasize similar activities. Yet the use of even simple labs and…

There has been a recent call for the use of more systematic thought experiments when investigating learning. This paper presents a storyboarding method for capturing and sharing initial ideas and their evolution in the design of a mathematics learning task. The storyboards produced can be considered as "virtual data" created by thought experiments…

Alaryngeal speakers (speakers in whom the larynx has been removed) have inconsistent control over acoustic parameters such as F[subscript 0] and duration. This study investigated whether proficient tracheoesophageal and oesophageal speakers consistently convey phrase boundaries. It was further investigated if these alaryngeal speakers used the…

Inquiry is a goal of science education reform. Middle school science teachers and their students can develop understanding of inquiry by using an experimental design format. Facilitating this format with the four-question strategy helps students to design their investigations. An example of varying concentrations of vinegar and water illustrates…

A variety of experimental evidence indicates that the memory representation for multiplication facts (e.g., 6 [times] 9 = 54) incorporates bidirectional links with a forward association from factors to product and a reverse association from product to factors. Surprisingly, the authors did not find evidence in Experiment 1 of facilitative…

According to Crain and Nakayama (1987), when forming complex yes/no questions, children do not make errors such as "Is the boy who smoking is crazy?" because they have innate knowledge of "structure dependence" and so will not move the auxiliary from the relative clause. However, simple recurrent networks are also able to avoid…

Uses paper chromatography with food dyes to provide a simple and inexpensive basis for teaching chromatography. Provides experimental methodology and tabled results. Includes a solvent system comparison (Rf) for seven dyes and twenty-two solvents. (MVL)

Presents the results of an experiment designed to test two hypotheses: (1) a delay of two weeks at room temperature will have no effect on the viability of fertile chicken eggs and (2) refrigeration will have no effect on the viability of fertile chicken eggs. Experimenters were the author and two ninth-grade students. (PEB)

Ping-Pong vacuum cannons, potato guns, and compressed air cannons are popular and dramatic demonstrations for lecture and lab. Students enjoy them for the spectacle, but they can also be used effectively to teach physics. Recently we have used a student-built compressed air cannon as a laboratory activity to investigate impulse, conservation of…

The sequence of events preceding the actual discovery of oxygen is reviewed; the circumstances surrounding the discovery and isolation of oxygen by Priestley are examined; and the experiments he carried out are described largely in his own words, taken from his books and papers. (DT)

Details a laboratory experiment designed to extend the calcium PVC matrix membrane ion-selective electrode studies to complex formation equilibria. (Author/MA)

Presented is a laboratory exercise that utilizes the natural yeast carbonation method of making homemade root beer to study fermentation and the effect of variables upon the fermentation process. There are photographs, a sample data sheet, and procedural hints included. (Author/MA)

Reviews various science activities investigating polarized light. (SL)

Discusses selected bioinorganic aspects of carbonic anhydrase and describes experiments that will reinforce the students' understanding of the presence and essential role that metal ions have in some biological systems. (SL)

Describes an experimental arrangement for investigating optical barrier penetration. (SL)