Cemeteries as Science Labs

Journal Article | October 2005

Cemeteries can be outdoor museums, teeming with valuable information that tells a story. They provide archaeologists with an opportunity to examine how artifacts (tombstones and monuments) reflect cultural change and…

Focusing Labs on the Nature of Science

Journal Article | October 2004

After learning about the scientific method, students are often left with mistaken impressions about how scientists work. This article seeks to give students a better understanding of the nature of science through…

The Fifty-Cent Optics Lab

Journal Article | September 1999

Any teacher who has had the pleasure of giving students their first view of an image made by a handheld lens will agree that optics is addictive. Seeing how a magnifying glass works, building a telescope, and…

What Motivates Students in the Lab?

Journal Article | January 2002

Four types of motivational methods were examined in this study: quizzes, scheduled presentations, unscheduled presentations, and a control. The quiz group showed the most significant and positive change. Because…

Supercharging Lessons With a Virtual Lab

Journal Article | February 2013

A virtual lab supplements an exploration of simple circuits.

Writing Better Lab Reports

Journal Article | December 2009

As science teachers at a suburban California high school, the authors were concerned about the lab report conclusions written by their upper-level chemistry, biology, and ecology students—which were consistently of poor…

Not Your Ordinary Lab Day

Journal Article | August 2000

After reading a news story about two men who died in an accidental explosion while trying to make the controlled substance methamphetamine, students learn about the stereochemistry of organic molecules and various…

Inviting Engineering Into the Science Lab

Journal Article | February 2015

Two guided-inquiry lessons display the integration of NGSS engineering practices into traditional elementary labs.

Scope on Safety: Detoxing the Lab

Journal Article | August 2015

This column shares safety information for your classroom. This month’s issue discusses how to reduce the risk when working with toxic substances.

Technology in the Lab: Part One

Journal Article | September 2005

The development of probeware--electronic sensors connected to a desktop computer, calculator, or handheld computer, together with supporting software--has revolutionized the conduct of science laboratory instruction and…