The advantages of active learning approaches have prompted national recommendations for the development of inquiry-based laboratories to replace traditional laboratory classes. However, there is little consensus for the most-effective implementation strategies. Frequently, a single inquiry-based exercise is incorporated at the end of a traditional…

Measuring the heat capacity ratios, [gamma], of gases either through adiabatic expansion or sound velocity is a well established physical chemistry experiment. The most accurate experiments depend on an exact determination of sound origin, which necessitates the use of lasers or a wave generator, where time zero is based on an electrical trigger.…

In 2018 the Gulf coast of Florida suffered extensive damage from harmful algal blooms (HABs), from as far north as Clearwater Beach south to Naples. The bloom lasted nearly a year, picking up in intensity during the late summer months. HABs occur when conditions such as reduced salinity, higher water temperatures, light saturation, and currents…

The work from the University of Central Florida's STEM summer camp (sponsored by Workforce Central Florida) is shared. The camps targeted low-SES schools with a high percentage of students on free and reduced lunch as well as high percentages of students with. Students were given preassessments and postassessments to gauge their knowledge of and…

This article describes the use of project-based instruction in activities and labs intended to develop higher-order thinking skills with high school students and pre-service teachers through the use of soap making.

Research has shown that certain ways of teaching can make a difference in whether students learn standards-based content. Many strategies have proven to be effective in teaching literacy, mathematics, science and social studies. These strategies have facilitated blending academic and career/technical subjects to make learning more meaningful for…

The objective of this paper is to provide some practical insight into the process of implementing large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCT) in educational settings and to provide general recommendations for researchers conducting education-based RCTs in the future. The authors draw their recommendations from their recent experiences…

A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS TO BE PERFORMED WITH SMALL APPARATUS BY STUDENTS IS PRESENTED. PREPARATION OF DATA SHEETS AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ARE ENCOURAGED. IN THE CATEGORY OF MATTER AND MOLECULES, THE CONCEPT TO BE DEVELOPED IS THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THERE ARE EMPTY SPACES IN AIR AND IN LIQUIDS. EXPERIMENTS WITH INERTIA, THE LAW OF SPRINGS,…

DIRECTIONS FOR CONDUCTING A SERIES OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ARE PRESENTED. THE EXPERIMENTS CONCERN THE STUDY OF HEAT AND MOLECULAR MOTION, HEAT EXCHANGE IN A MIXTURE, SPECIFIC HEAT, HEAT AND SIZE, EXPANSION OF LIQUID, EXPANSION OF AIR, HEAT OF FUSION OF ICE, HEAT OF VAPORIZATION OF WATER, LIGHT AND SOUND, LAW OF REFLECTION, PLANE MIRROR IMAGES,…

This teacher's guide and student guide unit contains supplemental readings, activities, and methods adapted for secondary students who have disabilities and other students with diverse learning needs. The materials are designed to help these students succeed in regular education content courses and include simplified text and smaller units of…

THE MAJOR CONCEPT OF THE UNIT IS THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO PARTICLES IN ORDER TO STUDY THEM. ATOMS ARE COMPOSED OF TWO KINDS OF CHARGED PARTICLES--PROTONS AND ELECTRONS. ANY DIFFERENCE IN THEIR NUMBERS RESULTS IN A CHARGED BODY. IF ENOUGH CHARGED BODIES ARE PRODUCED, THEY WILL AFFECT CHARGE DETECTORS. CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN FROM THE…

Describes the Environmental Buddies program designed to pair fourth-grade (mentors) and kindergarten (proteges) children to work on science investigations centered around ecological themes. Details program components, including the following: investigations that interest and challenge both ages, careful student pairing, emphasis on mutual benefits…

The basic elective course in introductory botany is designed for secondary students who probably will not continue study in plant science. The objectives of the course are to help the student 1) identify, compare and differentiate types of plants; 2) identify plant cell structures; 3) distinguish between helpful and harmful plants; 4) predict…

Fossil fuels, upon which we now depend almost exclusively, are finite resources. Because the environmental problems inherent in large scale fossil fuel consumption are increasingly apparent, the reality of developing alternative energy sources must be faced. Solar energy is the obvious solution to the problem. It is a renewable, clean source that…