Celebrates the 300th anniversary of "Principia Mathematica" written by Sir Isaac Newton. Reviews Newton's life and the circumstances which relate to "Principia." Relates the contributions of other scientists of Newton's time. Discusses Newton's life after the publication of "Principia." (CW)

This study was designed to determine how students' engagement in a learning and debate activity on a current scientific controversy influences their understanding of the nature of science and, in turn, informs their decision-making on the issue. Two high school science classrooms, totaling 38 students from 9th through 12th grade, participated in…

Students' alternative conceptions arise out of an interconnected system of beliefs: about the nature of science, of learning, of the natural and social world. Cross-cultural perspectives on these world views are therefore essential. This study probed middle school students' conceptions about plants. Tribal students were found to have a richer and…

Plant tissue culture has developed into a valid botanical discipline and is considered a key area of biotechnology, but it has not been a key component of the science curriculum because of the expensive and technical nature of research in this area. This manual presents a number of activities that are relatively easy to prepare and perform. The…

Teachers' views of the nature of science largely determine the way that they present science to their students. This study investigated the emerging philosophies of science and teaching in eight preservice science teacher interns. The study was conducted with a standardized open-ended interview format. Most interns viewed science as an exciting,…

Children have ample opportunities to learn about science outside of school through visits to science museums, participation in extra-curricular science programs, and by pursuing experiments at home, yet few studies have examined what it means to do science in such places and how such ways of knowing might become integrated with, or differentiated…

This document presents a collection of articles selected from the Journal of College Science Teaching. The selected articles represent how college science teaching should be practiced and include modifications in classrooms and laboratories to allow for the development of inquiry skills. Articles include: (1) "What Should Students Learn about the…

Discusses Heisenberg's uncertainty principle in simple terms. Presents scientific examples leading to the development of the principle and describes popular misconceptions associated with it. (SK)

Describes: (1) Law of Mass Action; (2) equilibrium constant and ideal behavior; (3) general form of the equilibrium constant; (4) forward and reverse reactions; (5) factors influencing equilibrium; (6) Le Chatelier's principle; (7) effects of temperature, changing concentration, and pressure on equilibrium; and (8) catalysts and equilibrium. (JN)

Presented are a list of topics and references for a course in which scientific theories and concepts are developed to explain the energy crisis. Using the suggested approach, students gain an understanding of scientific theories and concepts as they relate to current human problems. (DS)

Reviews the problem of certain logical and conceptual shortcomings in textbook presentations of the energy concepts in introductory physics. Discusses concepts and principles related to thermodynamics and echanics. Provides many formulas and diagrams. (YP)

Explains an activity that allows students to visualize antigen-antibody type reactions and learn about antibodies and antigens without performing blood typing tests. Provides directions for students and a comparison chart of a blood typing simulation with procedure which is based on the reactions of certain ionic solutions when mixed. (RT)

Describes two demonstrations: 1) the effect of polarity on solubility using sodium dichromate, TTE, ligroin, and water to form nonpolar-polar-nonpolar layers with the polar layer being colored; 2) determination of egg whites to be yellow by determining the content of yellow colored riboflavin in the egg white. (MVL)

States that students have misconceptions about the principles of mechanics internationally providing examples and two problems. Describes Nachtigall's program to train teachers and reports its application to classroom teaching. (YP)

Discusses the emergence of chaos as a major scientific subject and its place in historical, scientific, and technological context. Three sections provide (1) an overview of the scientific paradigm; (2) a review of the ideology of classical mechanics; and (3) examples of classical systems behaving in peculiar, nonintuitive manners. (MDH)