Business leaders in Oklahoma cannot find the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent they need to stay competitive. Students' lagging performance in K-12 is a critical reason why. The good news is that the nation's most effective STEM education programs can help turn the tide. Students have made progress in math over the…

Guided by a new framework, the NAEP science assessment was updated in 2009 to keep the content current with key developments in science, curriculum standards, assessments, and research. The 2009 framework organizes science content into three broad content areas. Physical science includes concepts related to properties and changes of matter, forms…

Following discussions of Oklahoma aerospace history and the history of flight, interdisciplinary aerospace activities are presented. Each activity includes title, concept fostered, purpose, list of materials needed, and procedure(s). Topics include planets, the solar system, rockets, airplanes, air travel, space exploration, principles of flight,…

Sooner Elementary Engineering and Science Clubs (SeeS) began less than four years ago at a single elementary school as an effort to bring more science education into our local elementary schools without increasing the burden on the school's teachers. Due to popular demand, the program expanded slowly at first, but is doubling to include eight…

This handbook, compiled by the Oklahoma State Science Committee, presents the basic philosophy of a school science program. Curriculum models in the publication are taken from several elementary science course improvement projects. Program organization and evaluation, relationships of science to the total school program, preparation of elementary…

This guide, prepared by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is designed to assist administrators, their staffs, and science teachers for grades K through 12 to assess and improve their science programs. Topics discussed include: (1) the relationship of science to the total school program, (2) the unity of science, (3) the nature of…

This guide consists of examples and blank worksheets to aid Oklahoma schools in assessing their science curriculum on a continuing basis. Worksheets focus on: (1) philosophy and rationale of science curricula; (2) expected student outcomes; (3) educational programs (topics covered and concepts emphasized); (4) student skills; (5) program…

In this activity, teachers in one state create and share an "exchange box" of environmental and cultural items with students of another state. The Environmental Exchange Box activity enables teachers to improve students' skills in scientific inquiry and develop attitudes and values conducive to science learning such as wonder, curiosity,…

COMPARED WERE TWO TEACHING METHODS, LECTURE-DEMONSTRATION AND INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION, IN TEACHING A SCIENCE METHODS COURSE FOR PROSPECTIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS. COMPARISONS WERE MADE REGARDING (1) CONFIDENCE TOWARD TEACHING SCIENCE, (2) ATTITUDES TOWARD SCIENCE, (3) ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCE, AND (4) STUDENT TEACHING BEHAVIORS IN SCIENCE. THE…