In this article, the author provides an overview of teaching and learning activities that combine both historical and civics instruction with the study of technology, in line with NCSS thematic strand "Science, Technology, and Society." Specifically, these integrative teaching activities focus on Lowell Mill and Ralph Waldo Emerson, within the…

The polygraph (lie detector) may be an ideal vehicle for converting aspects of a physiology course into an interdisciplinary course, enabling discussion of interrelationships between science, technology and society (STS) and social dilemmas arising from technological developments. The authors present a way of incorporating the polygraph into a…

Historical stories of scientists provide an excellent opportunity to help students see that science is indeed a human endeavor and demonstrate the interrelationships among science, technology, and society. A number of engaging historical accounts illustrate characteristics of the nature of science. The story of Lise Meitner leads students through…

The term "science fiction" has become synonymous, in the media at least, for any discovery in science too incredible or unexpected for the nonscientist to imagine. One of the most common classroom uses of science fiction is for students to pick out flaws in science fiction movies or television shows. Unfortunately, this approach can result in…

The world's greatest cities and centers of civilization arose near or along major waterways providing access to the sea. Many people, no matter where they live, find the ocean and the life associated with it a fascinating topic. Although the ocean is characterized by high taxonomic diversity (over 90% of the animal phyla are represented in the…

Many teachers find developing a new lesson or course quite difficult. It would be nice to have all necessary information, lesson plans and assessment materials ready at hand. But most often, they find themselves on their own when it comes to lesson and course development. The author faced this situation when he was asked to develop a lesson on…

"Give a hoot, don't pollute!" "Save the environment!" "Save the Whales!" Ranger Rick. Recycle. These are all well-known phrases and emblems of the fight to "protect the environment." Young children seem to understand almost intuitively the need to do those simple things that will make the Earth a better place to live and play. However, especially…

Technology education is evolving as an essential subject in schools. Because it is a new subject there are varying opinions about what technology education is and where and how it should be taught. This booklet focuses on answering questions related to technology education including those dealing with the relationship between technology and…

The major advantage of STS is the kind of teaching it allows and demands. Twelve middle school teachers who were enthused with STS teaching selected two sections for a research study. One section was the experimental STS section; the other followed the course syllabus and textbook closely. The major findings indicate the advantages for STS as a…

Toilet paper (TP) composition and physical characteristics were used to model scientific investigations that combined several "National Science Education Standards." Experiments with TP permitted the integration of TP history, societal change resulting from invention, mathematics (including geometry and statistics), germ theory, and personal…

Presented are two brief articles related to teaching the history of chemistry in college chemistry, "Utilizing a Historical Perspective in the Teaching of Chemistry" (Joseph W. Kamsar), and "History of Chemistry" (George B. Kauffman). (RH)

Discusses the proceedings of a symposium on science and technology in the English primary school sponsored by the English authorities and the Council of Europe's Council for Cultural Cooperation. The aims were to (1) discuss the scope of work on science and technology; (2) describe government policies on primary science; and (3) discuss assessment…

As part of the National Science Foundation-funded Internships in Public Science Education (IPSE) program, we have created a classroom activity that encourages middle school students to think about the interactions between technology, individuals, and communities. Good and bad, the effects of technology on society are important, real-world issues.…

This guide has been developed through a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is part of an ongoing commitment to ensure that the results of scientific research on ozone depletion are…

This volume contains 36 lessons designed to be used in secondary social studies classes to introduce the science/technology/society (STS) themes and issues. While the first 11 lessons focus on general STS themes, the other 25 lessons cover specific STS issues that fall under such categories as population growth, water resources, world hunger, food…