Classrooms across the United States increasingly find immigrant science teachers paired with urban minority students, but few of these teachers are prepared for the challenges such cultural assimilation presents. This is particularly true in secondary science education. Identifying potential prospects for culturally adaptive pedagogy in science…

Most accounts of affect and motivation in the science education literature have discussed them as relevant to, but distinct from, disciplinary pursuits. These include Pintrich's seminal work on affective and motivational factors in learning science (P. R. Pintrich, 1999, 2003; P. R. Pintrich & E. De Groot, 1990; P. R. Pintrich, R. W. Marx,…

The concept of partnerships between schools and practicing scientists came to prominence in the United States in the mid 1980s. The call by government for greater private sector involvement in education to raise standards in science achievement saw a variety of programmes developed, ranging from short-term sponsorships through to longer-term,…

Introduces a geology unit investigating rocks for fourth grade elementary students. Describes three students' academic improvement as an example of program effectiveness. (YDS)

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum provides an easily maintained classroom plant which can act like an animal. Directions are given for: acquiring the organism; activating it; observing its life cycle; and viewing protoplasmic streaming. (DH)

This article describes a science learning experience in which intermediate grade students launched balloons with attached postcards to study wind currents. More than 200 (of over 900 balloons) were returned, and their analysis supported the students' hypothesis about the direction of wind currents. (DB)

Examines the line graphing ability of middle/high school students (N=625) to provide baseline data on the mastery of line graphing subskills. Results show that seventh- and eighth-grade students were less successful in graphing than high school students, suggesting that graphing skills should be introduced and emphasized in earlier grades. (JN)

Describes a classroom activity using slime, a colloid: it behaves like both a solid and liquid. Explains how slime can be produced from guar gum. An activity where students work in teams and become a slime factory is presented. (PR)

Discusses the growing awareness of the important role of technology as it relates to both science and mathematics. Describes the Technology/Science/Mathematics Integration Project designed to integrate technology with science and mathematics at the middle school level. (JOW)

Focuses on the performance assessment of the practical component in science education, discussing changes over the years in the rationale and methodology of large-scale performance assessment. Illustrates these changes by comparing the Second International Science Study (1984) with the Third International Science and Mathematics Study. Contains 77…

Observes students in 6th grade science classes as they use the Web to carry out an inquiry-based assignment. Explores their understanding and enactment of the assignment to do research on the Web. (Author/CCM)

Determined if the number of operational questions asked by fifth- and sixth-grade students (N=72) increased by teacher modeling or by practice at writing such questions. One finding is that students experiencing two types of teacher modeling asked more operational questions than students in a control group. (JN)

Describes the plants and animals which inhabit a natural meadow. Includes a two-page, color drawing of such a meadow with a key indicating the flora and fauna illustrated. (JN)

The percentage of students (n=1,605) and teachers (n=75) in grades three through six in the sample who report science as their favorite subject was determined. The results were compared to previous research. Results indicated that the proportion of students who reported science as their favorite subject was higher than the proportion of teachers.…

Investigates the relationship of locus-of-control orientation and task structure to the science problem-solving performance of 100 same-sex, sixth-grade student pairs. Some overall conclusions were that there was no relationship between locus-of-control orientation and effectiveness of problem-solving strategy. Internality was significantly…