It is becoming clear that human influences are a significant factor driving climate change. Education is one of the main weapons in influencing patterns of behaviour and teachers inevitably have a crucial role to play. Teachers need to be fully aware of issues surrounding climate change in order to be positive role models for children and to…

Can you imagine a class where students cover the content with each other rather than simply listening to the professor's lecture? Can you envision students developing their own laboratory investigations and quizzing each other weekly to check for understanding? Well, that's pretty much how the major science organizations across the nation are…

Food, medicine, clothing--much of what people encounter every day comes from plants or plant products. However, plants often do not get as much attention in the K-12 curriculum as they deserve. Because of the essential role plants play in peoples lives, it is important to include standards-based plant units in the elementary science curriculum.…

This book is Laurie Thorp's dirt-under-the-fingernails ethnography of four years in an elementary school garden and the ways in which this garden catalyzed cultural transformation and inspired hope, growth, and community. Filled with photographs, sketches, poetry, and journal entries, Thorp's engaging book describes the educational benefits of…

In this paper, the authors explore the potential of garlic ("Allium sativum L.") to illustrate the concept of allelopathy and demonstrate the biological activity of plant volatiles. This article describes several classroom experiments involving garlic that can be used as a method of introducing students of various ages to the following important…

Enquiry based learning is an important tool in science teaching. Students of Class XI (16-17 years old) were asked to hypothesise on the role of different pigments found in plants with non-green leaves. The majority hypothesised that these plants were devoid of chlorophylls and some other pigments performed the function of photosynthesis. Their…

Bioassays are commonly used to test the biological activity of chemicals and other exercises are presented in which students synthesize plant hormones. Lab exercise is conducted using commercially available auxins and auxin regulating compounds.

From a rhetorical perspective, Mendel's work and its reception elicit two important questions: (a) why were Mendel's arguments so compelling to 20th century biologists? And (b) why where they so roundly ignored by his contemporaries? The focus of this article is to examine the latter question while commenting on the former by employing several…

Describes activities on two storage organs, carrots and radishes, which are plants that store some of the food their leaves make in modified roots, stems, and even leaves. (ASK)

The seashore is many things: (1) a place of wonder and delight--inspiring artists and composers; (2) a place of work--for transport and fishing; and (3) a place for play--for sandcastles, surfing and swimming, sailing. In this article, the authors offer some tips on exploring the flora and fauna of the seashore. (Contains 3 boxes and lists 4…

Scientists call the land along the edges of a river, stream, or lake a riparian zone. In this guide, riparian zone will be called the Green Zone. Riparian zones make up only a small part of land in the United States. But they are very important. They protect water quality and quantity, supply food and shelter for fish and wildlife, and provide…

As follow-up to a previous article "Avoid Misconceptions When Teaching about Plants," the author identifies fifty additional misconceptions. Undergeneralizations are added to the list of oversimplifications, obsolete concepts, terms, misidentifications, and flawed research. A glossary at the end of the article compares words used in botany with…

Introduces sequoias, the largest tree species, and describes the importance of fires in sequoias' successful reproduction and management of the sequoia ecosystem. (Contains 23 references.) (YDS)

Describes the Purple Loosestrife Project, an innovative outreach and educational program to provide a biological control of purple loosestrife. Involves cooperation of community, teachers, and students. (YDS)

The fish poisons derived from plants used throughout the world, not only as piscicides but also for a range of other uses, including insecticident and in folk medicines, is presented. The aim of this review is to provide a useful background for students interested in natural products.