All Resources

Journal Article

Blast Off into Space Science with Fuses

Batteries and bulbs electrify middle school students. In fact, one of the most engaging activities in the authors’ classroom is building fuses. When it comes time for students to close the circuits and let the sparks fly, they really get excited! T...

Journal Article

What's the Buzz? A classroom simulation teaches students about life in the hive

The opportunity to be a part of a functioning hive and the experiential nature of the lesson enabled students to learn how each bee's job contributes to the survival of the hive. Through this simulation students learned both content and process skill...

Journal Article

Editorial: Where There's a Market, There's a Way: Student Entrepreneurs—Filling a Niche in Education

The Journal of College Science Teaching’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue. ...

Journal Article

Scuba Science

To bridge the textbook compartmentalization of science courses and to bring the spirit of interdisciplinary investigation into the classroom, the author uses scuba technology as a high interest, practical example that requires a working knowledge of ...

Journal Article

How Big Are Raindrops?

Wilson A. Bentley, an American naturalist, studied precipitation whenever he could spare a few moments away from his dairy farm. Rain, sleet, hail, snow—it made little difference—Bentley simply loved precipitation! Almost a century ago he develop...

Journal Article

Observational Journals: An Aid to Sky Watching: A Stellar Exercise—Predicting Events in the Sky

The endless procession of the Sun, Moon, and stars allows science students to fashion predictive models by keeping their own observational journals. Through careful recordkeeping, classroom discussion, and reflective writing, students’ work progres...

Journal Article

Blow-by-Blow Inquiry: Students use their minds and lungs in this engaging inquiry activity

To promote the spirit of science as inquiry, this article presents an engaging activity that capitalized on students’ interest in the homerun-hitting race between professional baseball players Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Third-grade students were ...

Journal Article

Point of View: Astrobiology Courses—A Useful Framework for Teaching Interdisciplinary Science: Setting the Record Straight on the Possibility of Extraterrestrial Intelligence

This column shares reflections or thoughtful opinions on issues of broad interest to the community. This month’s issue focuses on Astrobiology—the investigation into the possibility of extraterrestrial life—a topic that both captures the public...

Journal Article

Commentary: Tips for Successful Presentations

An opinion piece about presentations and tips for making them successful. ...

Journal Article

Choosing Primary Literature in Biology to Achieve Specific Educational Goals: Some Guidelines for Identifying the Strengths and Weaknesses of Prospective Research Articles

The author, a professor at SUNY Geneseo, reports on her experiences using primary literature as the major focus of a seminar on evolutionary biology. Having discovered that the choice of articles can be the key to student understanding of scientific ...

Journal Article

Defending Ecology

Incorporating the issue of non-native species into science curricula is an effective way to protect our deteriorating environment while teaching students fundamental principles of ecology. In addition, the ubiquitous nature of the problem allows stud...

Journal Article

Blowing Bubbles: An Interdisciplinary Science and Mathematics Lab

Are you looking for an inexpensive, hands-on way to introduce the nature of molecules, surface tension, light waves, and color? How about blowing bubbles? Allowing middle school students to explore abstract mathematics and scientific concepts concret...

Journal Article

Forestry 101

The world’s population is increasing at a phenomenal rate. One of the resources this growing population relies on now, and will rely on more as nonrenewable resources are used up, is wood. Currently, wood is used for building shelter and furniture,...

Journal Article

Editor's Note: 'Tis the Season for Outdoor Learning

Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Conceptual Change in Introductory-Level Astronomy Courses

As part of a project to transform an introductory astronomy course (Bisard and Zeilik, 1998), the authors developed, validated, and presented a set of multiple-choice questions to hundreds of students at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Central...

Journal Article

Arthropod Genetics

Think about invertebrates for a minute. Do arthropods come to mind? The phylum Arthropoda is the most diverse of the invertebrates, spanning from horseshoe crabs to lobsters to insects. These organisms have in common their exoskeletons, segmented bod...

Journal Article

“Creative Final Projects” in Mathematics and Science: An Educational Instrument for Maximizing Students' Learning and Understanding

In a final class project, art and communications students taking science and mathematics courses at Chicago’s Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art produce a significant creative work using a media of their own choosing. In this articl...

Journal Article

SCST: Changes in Science Education—Are We Getting Ready? Predicting Education’s Future

In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. This article's focus is on the new millennium which establishes a natural marking point for change. Reflection on the last 10 years might give some insight into the direction w...