Explores the dominant factor controlling the distribution of Daphnia. Describes components of a temperature gradient apparatus that can be assembled from materials readily obtainable in the laboratory and hardware stores. Investigates whether the mean depth of Daphnia is determined by temperature. (KHR)

Describes an automatic pipette washer that is functional, inexpensive, and easy to construct from locally available parts. (KHR)

Outlines a laboratory activity which takes place at the zoo and helps make some of the important aspects of evolution more concrete. Includes the principles of adaptation, variation within a species, types of evolution, and predicting future evolutionary trends. Provides a student worksheet. (RT)

Discusses the changes that schools will have to make to ensure that all lab exercises are done in compliance with the new chemical hygiene law. Two tables are included: (1) Chemical Hygiene Compliance; and (2) Duties of a Chemical Hygiene Officer. (ZWH)

Presents a laboratory demonstration that helps students understand the concept of microscope calibration. (JRH)

While other lab exercises allow the student to isolate and study one component of the cell, the purpose of this lab is to break down the cell into several components and perform simultaneous assays to determine the constituents. Centrifugation is used as a separation technique. Provides procedure and expected results. (LZ)

Describes an activity having students investigate and report the names of acronyms. Presents a list of common acronyms used in biological education. Author found that having students investigate acronyms improved their comprehension of the large number of seemingly complex and intimidating bioscientific jargon. (PR)

Explains why laboratory strains of bakers yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are particularly suited for classroom science activities. Describes the sexual life cycle of yeast and the genetic system with visible mutations. Presents an overview of activities that can be done with yeast and gives a source for teachers to obtain more information. (PR)

Presents a discussion of interesting aspects of ants that was launched by the author's reading of "The Ants" by Holldobler and Wilson (1990). Describes how the study of the early history of ant taxonomy could be viewed as "entertaining." Their huge numbers and segregation into colonial social systems makes ants good research organisms. (PR)

Describes using microcosms as a mechanism for teaching lake acidification caused by acid input. (ZWH)

A real world sample of actual data that students can use to see the application of the Hardy-Weinberg law to a real population is provided. The directions for using a six-step algorithmic procedure to determine Hardy-Weinberg percentages on the data given are described. (KR)

Discussed is how strange words frequently reveal their meanings through contextual use, similarity to known vocabulary, by their sounds, or by analysis of their parts. Twelve words from the discipline of biology are analyzed using analysis of their parts. (KR)

Discusses the impact that three ecologists had on the poetry of Gary Snyder. Provides examples of Snyder's poetry in which the ecological concepts of the food chain, succession, the biology of loops, and networks are illustrated. (MDH)

Describes the work taking place on the National Science Education Standards and its three working groups of curriculum, assessment, and teaching. Discusses the implications of the standards for biology teachers. (PR)

Asserts that concerns over the use of animals in science education is confounded by the unworthy introduction of false sentiment by animal rights groups, which persist in ignoring the realities of biology. (PR)