This paper examines the process of high school students' planning investigations in the chemistry laboratory across two consecutive academic years in terms of their actions and their progress. The context is a set of five inquiry-based laboratory tasks in which participants (9th and 10th graders, 14-15 and 15-16 years of age) are required to plan…

For students in biology, chemistry, or environmental science, diatoms offer excellent insight into watershed health and human impact on the environment. Diatoms are found globally in virtually every habitat that has sunlight and moisture, including polar seas, tropical streams, and on moist soils and mosses. Studying diatoms as biological…

This manual is organized around the concept of chemical change as used to explain everyday phenomena. It concentrates on three interrelated aspects of chemical change: (l) scientific knowledge; (2) technological applications; and (3) societal issues. The unit is divided into four episodes or segments of instruction with suggested time allotments.…