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Journal Article

The Case Study: Saint Anthony and the Chicken Poop—An Essay on the Power of Storytelling in the Teaching of Science

Not only are stories captivating, they make it easier to learn and recall facts, figures, and equations. Stories tell us who we are as a people—the problems we face, the values we cherish, the barriers we must surmount....

Journal Article

Ecosystem Explorations: Connecting an ecology field experience to the classroom

The Ecosystem Explorations curriculum includes eleven classroom lessons. The lessons are divided into two sections—Understanding Ecosystems and Human Connections to Ecosystems. The curriculum incorporates scientific inquiry skills, cooperative lea...

Journal Article

Teaching Teachers: Preservice Teachers' Views of Scientists

This study demonstrates the importance of changing educators' perceptions and understandings of science and scientists....

Journal Article

Modeling Success during Earth Science Week

If your students are going to learn about scientific inquiry and the nature of science, you must be explicit, or purposeful, in your planning, presentation, and assessment of these concepts. The activity and details provided here are intended to serv...

Journal Article

After the Bell: Family viewing

If no specific homework needs to be completed, family viewing of science-related programs is enjoyable and rewarding and a no-pressure learning experience....

Journal Article

An Integrative Science Capstone Course: Western Washington University's Experiment in Investigative Science for Elementary Education Majors

This article describes a course in experimental science for preservice elementary education students. Through “directed discovery,” students collaborate in developing and executing a plan to investigate water as a common thread in biology, chemis...

Journal Article

SCST: Celebrating SCST's Commitment to Science Education—A Brief Look Back: Improving Interdisciplinary Science-Teacher Interaction

In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. In this month’s issue the focus is on the first SCST goal: Improvement in the teaching of college science courses via interdisciplinary interactions among teachers of college...

Journal Article

The Sky’s the Limit: Parents and first-grade students observe the sky

In this study of the sky and moon, students went outside after school each day to observe the sky and record their observations in their moon journals. The unexpected surprise was the involvement and reactions of students’ parents. This journal act...

Journal Article

A Shared Biology Teaching Experience Among Undergraduate Colleges: The "Spartan Speakers Program”—Benefiting Colleges and Universities Across Michigan

In over 18 years of operation, the Michigan State University’s “Spartan Speakers Program” has provided over 346 quality seminars, discussions, and workshops at over 40 four-year and community colleges throughout the state of Michigan. This arti...

Journal Article

Guest Editorial: In Search of Science for All

An opinion piece about the issue of inclusion in the elementary science classroom....

Journal Article

Original Research Projects: A Major Component of an Undergraduate Microbiology Course: Engaging in Independent Research—Studying a Karst Aquifer in South Central Texas

This article describes a new teaching strategy employed in a senior-level microbiology course where up to 25 students are introduced to and conduct semester-long original research projects. The paper presents examples of several student projects. Ove...

Journal Article

A Science-in-the-Making Course for Nonscience Majors: Reinforcing the Scientific Method Using an Inquiry Approach

Using the inquiry method, nonscience majors in Portland State University’s Natural Science Inquiry classes complete student-directed projects, individually and in groups, that tackle scientific, ethical, political, and social issues. By observing, ...

Journal Article

Clean Stream Program

Fresh water is one of our most important resources, yet 97 percent of Earth’s water is salt water and an additional 2 percent is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. That means that only 1 percent of the world’s water supply is available for drinking...

Journal Article

Favorite Demonstration: An Interactive, Fiery Model of Genetic Complementation—Shedding Light on a Conceptually Difficult Biological Topic

The phenomenon of complementation is not only one of the most important, but it is also one of the most challenging concepts for undergraduate genetics students to grasp. Complementation occurs when parents with the same mutant trait have offspring t...

Journal Article

Editor's Roundtable: Drawing conclusions

Science Scope’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

Out of Sight: Investigating Unseen Objects

In this module, students measure and map unseen objects hidden within boxes representing the ocean floor. These instructional activities use the element of mystery to motivate student inquiry in a manner that promotes discovery learning in an interdi...

Journal Article

What Research Says: What Have Researchers Been Saying About Science Fairs?

To help stimulate more interest in science fairs, this article offers a brief history and rationale of the science fair, discusses the research that has been done on science fairs, and describes how science fairs have grown to become an international...

Journal Article

Introducing Undergraduates to Diagnostic Virology Using PCR: Understanding Molecular Techniques of DNA Analysis in Diagnostic Medicine

In clinical laboratories, molecular methods of DNA analysis such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are used to identify fungal and bacterial pathogens, parasites, and important viruses. This laboratory will fit into many teaching settings to sho...

Journal Article

Wetlands: At the Water's Edge

May is American Wetlands Month—an opportunity to leave the classroom and excite students with guided hands-on experiences in nature. In this article, the National Audubon Society provides a naturalist's view of wetlands, an activity, and a list of ...

Journal Article

Frances Hamerstrom: Wildlife Biologist

The main purpose of this article is to provide a series of science lessons geared around the work and life of wildlife biologist Frances Hamerstrom. The activities are grouped around specific books she wrote....

Journal Article

Productive Questions: Tools for Supporting Constructivist Learning

The six types of productive questions—attention-focusing, measuring and counting, comparison, action, problem-posing, and reasoning—enable teachers to create a bridge between activities and students. A teacher's own style and knowledge of student...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: "Chemical-Free" Foods—An Investigation of Senior Chemistry: The Struggle to Reach a Definition of “Chemistry”

The aim of this study is to determine what students' conceptions of a chemical are as they graduate with degrees in chemistry. With the knowledge of what preconceptions students are bringing into the classroom, educators must alter their plan of stud...

Journal Article

What Should Students Learn About the Nature of Science and How Should We Teach It? Applying the "If-And-Then-Therefore" Pattern to Develop Students' Theoretical Reasoning Abilities in Science

Teaching in ways that help students understand the nature of science and how to use scientific reasoning patterns have long been central goals of science education. This article attempts to explicate the basic pattern of scientific reasoning, show ho...

Journal Article

After the Bell: Problem solving with parents

This article features activities for students and parents to perform at home in an effort to get students and parents to work together on science....

Journal Article

Scientific Reasoning for Nonscience Majors: Ronald N. Giere's Approach: Analyzing Scientific Press Reports to Teach Nonmajors the Value of Research

Ronald Giere has created a novel and effective approach for teaching general education science courses. His textbook provides students with an opportunity to understand the sciences in the context they will typically encounter the material—in the p...

Journal Article

SCST: SCST Turns Twenty. Now What? Asking How We Can Better Serve Our Members—Can You Provide the Answers?

In this column the leadership of the Society for College Science Teachers (SCST) shares its views with JCST readers. In this month’s issue the new president focuses on where the Society goes from here in addressing the changes that have taken place...

Journal Article

Scope on the Skies: Planets on the Move

This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. In this month’s issue read about the orbital paths of the planets....

Journal Article

Writing Abstracts on a Central Theme: Linking Diverse Course Material to Create a More Complete Understanding of Engineering Geology

The abstract writing assignments described in this article focus on a central theme and require the students to apply, rather than summarize, course material. This method has the additional benefit of making connections between different course topic...

Journal Article

Teaching Teachers: Connecting to Resources on the Internet

This article addresses using the World Wide Web (WWW) as a technology tool in science methods courses to help preservice elementary teachers learn about science and science education....

Journal Article

Editor's Note: Ending and Beginning

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

Journal Article

Take Five, Write Five

This adapted activity—Take Five, Write Five—helps students write concise, informative, and articulate summaries in just five sentences....

Journal Article

Constructing Flying Discs

In this activity, students create unique, colorful flying discs and their interest in science soars! Once the discs are finished, they are tested for flight distance and the students return to the classroom to do the mathematics, with distances poste...

Journal Article

Wrinkles in Time

Wrinkles can be a good thing. The more corrugated the brain, the better. This unit on the brain features some activities to help get this fascinating information to middle school students without their eyes glossing over....