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Journal Article

Give Me Some Skin: A Hands-On Science Activity Integrating Racial Sensitivity

What’s the largest, fastest growing, organ in the human body? It’s the tough, elastic, flexible, and waterproof covering that helps protect other organs and body parts from such things as germs, heat, cold, and sunlight—skin, of course! This li...

Journal Article

Science Sampler: Accessible reading assignments

A few simple reading strategies, properly utilized, can be dynamic, learning techniques. Here the author describes how these strategies helped to engage a student with learning difficulties related to head trauma....

Journal Article

Ask the Experts

Why is the Earth's core hot—is it still heating, or now cooling? Is there any evidence that all elements with an atomic number greater than lithium’s have been formed by nuclear fusion in stars? Find the answers in this month’s issue....

Journal Article

The Tools of Science: Using computer probeware to enhance students' laboratory experiences

Computer probeware enhances laboratories by allowing students to experience natural phenomena firsthand. In this article, the author describes ways in which computers are used as tools in student laboratory activities....

Journal Article

Ecology on Campus

A laboratory exercise for an introductory environmental course was developed to give students service learning opportunities and to gather environmental data on academic buildings. This project was a valuable assessment tool for the university as wel...

Journal Article

Island Watershed Activity: Introducing students to watersheds and water quality

Before students can understand important water quality issues, they must learn about the existence and dynamics of watersheds. In this activity, students mold an island out of clay with distinct drainage basins, observe runoff by dropping water on th...

Journal Article

The Case Study: Senior Seminar

Incorporating a case study format into a senior seminar course is a novel method of teaching the components of a successful seminar. Within this format, seminar presenters familiarize their audience with relevant background information, present a cas...

Journal Article

Journey into the Five Senses

As part of her doctoral research, this author visited a multi-age (K–2) classroom as it studied the five senses. The student-centered, hands-on unit took a community approach—involving visiting professionals, parents, a museum, and school colleag...

Journal Article

Teaching through Trade Books: The Science of Invention

The books What Is a Scientist? and Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women are used as springboards for projects in which students in grades K–3 and 4–6 create or modify inventions....

Journal Article

Adapting to the Environment: Helping students understand natural selection

A classroom activity based on the story of the peppered moth sheds light on natural selection. While the topic of evolution is often difficult to approach in high school biology, this activity captures student attention and helps them learn about the...

Journal Article

Idea Bank: Substitute Success

The covering teacher's duty includes creating a successful classroom experience for a limited period or a one-time basis. Tips provided in this article can help enhance the classroom experience whether a teacher absence is a planned day or an emerge...

Journal Article

Science Centers for All

University professors suggest ways to bridge gaps among diverse learners—of different cultural, socioeconomic, physiological, and linguistic backgrounds—through the use of science centers in the classroom. Includes ideas for setting up science ce...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Graduate Students as Middle School Content Experts

This article describes how an NSF project sponsors graduate students who provide rich science content expertise for middle school teachers and their students and simultaneously gives these graduate students extensive exposure and understanding of the...