This article describes an interdisciplinary, activity-based lesson plan implemented in a third/fourth-grade classroom. During these activities, students use musical concepts to think about, illustrate, and discuss animal behavior, and they use scientific concepts to motivate musical composition and performance. The lesson ends with small group…

We developed a course in inquiry-based science for students training to become primary school teachers. The emphasis of the course was teaching students to do inquiry-based science activities themselves, as this is the best way of learning how to teach using inquiry-based methods. (Contains 1 table.)

The "Robot Roadshow Program" is designed to increase the interest of elementary school children in technical disciplines, specifically math and science. The program focuses on children from schools categorized as rural or underserved, which often have limited access to advanced technical resources. We developed the program using robots…

This book is designed to be a guide for a hands-on science experience for students in grades 3 through 6. Over 200 students can participate at the same time, moving from one station to another. The activities have been selected to encourage experimentation, creativity, higher-order thinking and fun with science. All activities use multi-modality…

The study and use of kites have contributed to science through the development of aeronautics. This document traces some of the history of kites and provides teachers and students with basic information about kite components and flight dynamics. The major portion of the book provides students with 18 projects which deal with: (1) shapes that will…

This book is written for children ages 5 through 10. Part of a series designed to develop their curiosity, fascinate them and educate them, this volume includes information about the history of sheep raising and making cloth from wool, as well as the many uses of wool and methods of producing it. An activity for making a doll from wool is…

This material discusses supernova, the violent death of a massive star, at a level appropriate for upper elementary students. Background information on Supernova 1987a is presented. Observation techniques using visible light, ultraviolet waves, radio waves, neutrinos, X-rays, and gamma-rays are described. A vocabulary list, 11 questions, and 6…

This book is written for children ages 5 through 10. Part of a series designed to develop their curiosity, fascinate them and educate them, this volume provides information on the origin and uses of salt, both in the ancient world and today. Topics are: (1) relationship of salt to the human body; (2) collection methods; (3) uses for human life;…

Presents simple experiments to study the basic properties of light utilizing a flashlight, small mirrors, a magnifying lens, a plastic comb, paper and pencil, and a pair of eyeglasses. (JJK)

This student employee handbook offers tips on planning, design process, and presentation of a student Lunar Nautics project. Each section includes mission, task, challenge, and guide questions. With the activities presented, students will learn to design a Lunar Lander, Lunar Miner, and Lunar Base; investigate the geography and geology of the moon…

This document on meteorology is one of a four-volume series of Project Earth Science that includes exemplary hands-on science and reading materials for use in the classroom. This book is divided into three sections: activities, readings, and appendix. The activities are constructed around three basic concept divisions. First, students investigate…

This book shows how physics relates to daily life. Chapters included are: (1) "Physics of Fun" (dealing with the concepts of friction, Bernoulli's principle, lift, buoyancy, adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, gas expansion, waves, light, mirror images, and solar cells); (2) "Physics of Nature" (illustrating the concepts of inertia, static…

This activity book presents reading activities for grades 4-7 exploring the mysterious creatures of the deep sea. The creatures include: angel sharks; argonauts; barberfish; comb jelly; croakers; electric rays; flying fish; giganturid; lantern fish; narwhals; northern basket starfish; ocean sunfish; Portuguese man-of-war; sea cucumbers; sea…

This book is written for children ages 5 through 10. Part of a series designed to develop their curiosity, fascinate them and educate them, this volume examines the characteristics and natural history of elephants. Topics included are: (1) elephant's ancestors; (2) elephant life; and (3) training elephants for work. Quiz items are included. (YP)

Background information, lists of materials needed, and procedures are provided for 12 electrochemistry experiments. The experiments involve investigating: (1) a simple electrical circuit; (2) how a doorbell works; (3) how a two-way switch works; (4) conductors and insulators; (5) controlling current with a pencil; (6) what an electrolyte is; (7)…