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Journal Article

No More Leaks: A Process-Oriented Lesson Exploring the Invention and Chemistry of Disposable Diapers

High school chemistry can be intimidating to some students, so it is critical that we engage students in nonthreatening preparatory investigations during middle school. Based on the learning cycle model (Bybee and Landes 1990), this lesson invites st...

Journal Article

The Early Years: Safe Smelling

Using the sense of smell, animals find food or a mate and detect the presence of predators; their survival depends on this. In a discussion on using our sense of smell to keep use safe, some children may relate experiences of smelling something burni...

Journal Article

Problem Solving by Design

In a unique school—university partnership, methods students collaborated with fifth graders to use the engineering design process to build their problem-solving skills. By placing the problem in the context of a client having particular needs, the ...

Journal Article

Teaching through Trade Books: Secrets of Flight

The date was December 17, 1903. The place was a windswept beach near Kitty hawk, North Carolina. With Orville Wright at the controls and his brother Wilbur running alongside, the plane took off. This event lasted only 12 seconds, but it made history ...

Journal Article

Editor’s Note: Creating Problem Solvers

You’ll see that even young children are able to raise questions about the world around them and are willing to seek answers while making careful observations. Although there is no prescription for how to problem solve, the author provides some sugg...

Journal Article

Today’s Authors, Tomorrow’s Scientists

Although not all teachers can invite scientists into classrooms on a regular basis, they can invite them into their students’ worlds through literature. Here the author shares how she used the nonfiction selection, Science to the Rescue (Markle 199...

Journal Article

Commentary: Why Societal Issues Belong in Science Class

Young people face a future filled with important issues that should be informed by science—such as climate change, genetic manipulation, and the management of pandemics. To meet these challenges, students need an understanding of scientific concept...

Journal Article

Scope on Safety: Science storage requirements

Middle school science teachers need to address two issues concerning storage. First, if it is insufficient, they need to work with administrators to secure additional storage area(s). Second, whether sufficient or not, good housekeeping practices are...