Philosophy and practice in gifted education are reviewed, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive planning policy which takes into account the total experience of the gifted student and the need for a differentiated curriculum. Gifted education should include basic skills, general curriculum, talent development, and interpersonal relationships…

Discusses study of tenth and eleventh graders that was undertaken to determine how paid employment influences the behavior and attitudes of adolescents. Topics discussed include the development of responsibility, isolation from adults, negative effects of working, and West Germany's system of apprenticeship combined with part-time schooling. (10…

States the objectives and implementation procedures for this teacher-directed or individualized learning discovery unit. Describes the value of the program and additional activities that can be included. Shows a copy of the program. (RT)

Examines the physical properties of the ocean (including the composition of seawater; waves, currents, and tides) and the topography of the ocean floor. Included are (1) activities on oceans, saltwater, and the sea floor; and (2) questions, and a puzzle which can be copied. (Author/RT)

Describes mechanisms of thought associated with making predictions. Concludes that successful predictors had high initial knowledge of the subject matter and were formally operational. Unsuccessful predictors had low initial knowledge and were concretely operational. Systematic manipulation, note taking, and higher-level thinking skills were…

Shows that the second law of thermodynamics is in the common experience of many people and if taught first, before the law of conservation, can result in fewer misconceptions among pupils. Stresses the use of common experiences in teaching. (CW)

Describes the interdisciplinary environmental education program at the University of Waterloo (Canada). Discusses the evolution of the program over the past decade, which is now a four-year honors program leading to a Bachelor of Environmental Studies Degree. Focuses on the departmental unit, interdisciplinary characteristics, and the program's…

Discusses some of the potential for using computer-assisted interactive videodisks in teaching chemistry laboratory techniques. Describes an effort currently underway at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) where 18 interactive videodisk lessons dealing with kinetics, equilibrium and the behavior of gases have been developed. (TW)

Describes an exercise developed at the University of Natal (South Africa) in which students visit a plant which manufactures a variety of lead compounds. Outlines the procedures for the laboratory preparation of lead compounds that students prepare with samples they collected at the plant. (TW)

Reports on a study involving open-ended interviews of a sample of international agriculture students at the University of Minnesota. Presents findings about the students' agricultural backgrounds, the agricultural situations in the students' home countries, and the students' assessments of their education in the United States. (TW)

Describes the goals and outcomes of the "We Love Science Day" programs that resulted from the inservice course, "Creative Integration of Science in Elementary Education" for Pennsylvania teachers. Provides samples of the hands-on activities that were offered to students, parents, and teachers. Includes a calendar of…

Describes a set of field trips for participants of the Coastal Environmental Education for Primary Grades program in Georgia. Includes a sample of the activities used by first- and second-grade students. Discusses follow-up activities and the need for more educational programs dealing with sand dunes and saltwater marshes. (TW)

Describes a study which was designed to determine the effect of a 25-hour introductory qualitative analysis course on high school students' understanding of formal concepts related to electrolytes. Suggests that introductory concrete experiences better prepare students to deal with more formal abstract concepts. (TW)

Describes an experiment which uses the Gran plot for analyzing free ions as well as those involved in an equilibrium. Discusses the benefits of using Gran plots in the study of acids, as well as other analytes in solutions. Presents background theory along with a description of the experimental procedures. (TW)

Describes a two-week concentrated laboratory course in chemistry offered by Union College (New York) for middle school students. Provides the objectives of the course and a listing of experiments done by the students. Promotes the use of experiential approaches rather than lengthy lectures and discussions. (TW)