Reported is a study that compares the achievement of seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade subjects who are presented a science principle with an instruction sequence of two programed-instruction films and two review booklets. Studied was the ability of students to (1) exclude irrelevant variables, (2) study rule learning given the opportunity to exclude or not to exclude the irrelevant variables, and (3) study the effectiveness of a programed instruction film. The control group received no instruction. A Partial Treatment Group received Film 1 and a Review Booklet which contained no rule. The Partial-Rule Treatment subjects received Film 1 and a Review Booklet containing the rule. The Full-Rule Treatment groups (two) received Film 1 and Film 2 and Review Booklets, but only one of these two groups received the rule in the Review Booklet. Three tests were used to measure achievement. A multivariate analysis of variance and covariance were used to analyze the data. It was concluded that: (1) the programed film was an effective teaching technique; (2) it was necessary to include instruction that allowed the exclusion of irrelevant variables; and (3) giving the rules may be useful but not for all grade levels, since it was found detrimental at the seventh-grade level. (Author/EB)