Since 2005, nearly 600 Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week) events have taken place across the U.S., involving American Physiological Society (APS) members in K-12 outreach. The program seeks to build student understanding of physiology and physiology careers, assist teachers in recognizing physiology in their standards-based curriculum, and…

Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week is an annual science outreach program sponsored by the American Physiological Society in which K-12 students learn about physiology through meeting a physiologist and performing an experiment. Performing PhUn Week at an Australian private primary school during a family vacation in 2014 enabled me to receive a…

Learning about components and processes of complex biological systems is challenging and requires abstraction through mediational tools such as text, visuals, models and visualisation experiences. The 'systems concepts' necessitate building coherent relations and anticipating consequences, requiring greater mediational support. This article…

Edited by a diverse group of expert collaborators, the "Handbook of the Cultural Foundations of Learning" is a landmark volume that brings together cutting-edge research examining learning as entailing inherently cultural processes. Conceptualizing culture as both a set of social practices and connected to learner identities, the…

Topics such as sports, exercise, health, and nutrition can make the science of physiology relevant and engaging for students. In addition, many lessons on these topics, such as those on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems, align with national and state life science education standards. Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn…

The Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, CA, included events to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the American Physiological Society (APS) and reflect on the recent accomplishments of the society. Most of the APS activities in the past quarter century were guided by a series of strategic plans. Membership in the APS…

Outlines a classroom science activity suitable for elementary through adult levels demonstrating that coldwater submergence may cause some people to appear dead when they are not. Includes a description of several activities which exhibit the signs of coldwater camouflage, materials needed, and discussion topics. (DS)

This educators guide discusses the brain and contains activities on neuroscience. Activities include: (1) "The Space Life Sciences"; (2) "Space Neuroscience: A Special Area within the Space Life Sciences"; (3) "Space Life Sciences Research"; (4) "Neurolab: A Special Space Mission to Study the Nervous System"; (5) "The Nervous System"; (6)…

Explains an integrated insect unit in which students learn about the characteristics, life cycle, and environment of an organism; learn about specific body structures; and make inferences about the body structure and behaviors of the insects. (DDR)

Presents the results of a cross-age study of 7- to 15-year-old children on their thinking about vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Suggests experiences that could be included in the school science curriculum and argues for more classroom work relating structure with function in order to address students' conceptual difficulties. (Contains 18…

Describes an activity to help students understand how feathers help insulate a bird's body. (WRM)

Speculates that physiological changes resulting from repeated, long-term stimulation in human and laboratory animal brains are related to short- and long-term memory processes. Describes a physiological-based model which may explain many current learning theory principles and can serve as a foundation for developing new learning theories based on…

This article: (1) explains the respiratory patterns of several freshwater insects; (2) describes the differences and mechanisms of spiracular cutaneous, and gill respiration; and (3) discusses behavioral aspects of selected aquatic insects. (ML)

Presents a hands-on activity as an excellent starting point for investigations related to the eye. Involves making a simple model of the vertebrate eye to illustrate the formation of an upside-down image on the retina by the lens. Links to investigations in numerous science disciplines including astronomy, genetics, biology, earth science, and…

Summarizes a debate over biology education that took place during a symposium sponsored by the School Science and Mathematics editors in 1908. The six published symposium contributions were meant to address such questions as whether zoology, botany, and human physiology should be studied in one biology course, and what the general purposes for…