Reports a study analyzing the inquiry level of science activities within junior high science textbooks and their accompanying supplemental activity guides. (PR)

Authors have found that students have experience with metric units for volume and length; however, students have difficulty conceptualizing mass measurements in terms of grams and kilograms. Presents an activity, "Mass Appeal," where students use an equal arm balance to become familiar with the gram. (PR)

Student questioning within the Search, Solve, Create, and Share (SSCS) problem solving instructional model was investigated. The results suggest that the SSCS problem-solving instructional model increases student questioning in the presence of the teacher (n=22) when compared to a teacher-directed laboratory instructional model. The implications…

Author states that many students are intimidated and bored with information in science textbooks and describes an approach to make textbooks more familiar. Explains that the technical terms in textbooks are analogous to "characters" in a fictional story. The "plot" is determined by the headings and subheadings. Describes steps…

Describes activities where students explore electrical mystery boxes to learn about electricity. The electrical devices utilized are a bulb, a battery, a wire, a diode, and an LED. Students first explore the materials and then try to infer arrangements of these devices in sealed boxes. Describes the construction of the mystery boxes and classroom…

Tested model of middle school science and mathematics achievement with national probability sample of 3,116 seventh grade students. Collected data from students and parents over three time periods in seventh and eighth grades. Concluded that, although prior achievement had dominant influence in schooling process, other variables including parental…

Six sixth-grade science textbooks were examined for conceptual structure and readability. Hierarchical concept maps were composed on text segments for chosen topics and maps were scored. Reading analyses were also computed. Two trends were visually but not statistically evident. The Fry readability scores were higher than sixth grade, but no…

Reviews studies designed to teach students to be more able thinkers in particular subject areas. The interventions reorganize thinking by teaching strategies, metacognition, thinking dispositions, distributed cognition, and transfer of learning. Students are provided with psychological resources to think better across a range of contexts. (MMU)

Describes the results of the American Chemical Society Public Outreach Office's research program to measure the impact of the Kids & Chemistry program on both the children and the volunteer scientists. Highlights include objectives of the program, pretest research, focus group results, field tests, and pre- and posttest survey results.…

This book suggests an approach to science instruction that integrates literature as an alternative form of instruction or to enrich textbook instruction. It uses conceptually and factually correct works of fiction and outlines activities where students are allowed to do the majority of the work and the teachers act as facilitators. Though the…

In this study, a conceptual change model serves as a theoretical underpinning for analyzing what might count as evidence of conceptual change. Theoretical components of the conceptual change model include the status a conception has for learners, and the conceptual ecology of knowledge within which conceptions are believed to survive and have…

This study was part of a project to develop science and technology (STS) issue investigation and action materials with the potential for use across science and social studies classes at the secondary level. Special emphasis was given to learning teachers' perspectives on the development of a unit on the impact of pesticides on society. Seven areas…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest and most ambitious international study of mathematics and science achievement ever undertaken with more than 500,000 students in 41 countries being tested in mathematics and science at three different year levels. South Africa is the first country in Africa to have…