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Measurements and Molecules Matter: Less Is More and Curriculum "Survival of the Fittest"
Book Chapter |
Many famous scientific discoveries have been made when an experimenter noticed something unusual or a mistake and followed up on the serendipitous discrepancy rather than ignoring it as others had done. This free…
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Bottle Band Basics: A Pitch for Sound Science
Book Chapter |
In this activity, three identical-size glass soft drink bottles with varying amounts of water are used to make sounds of various pitches. Upon initial consideration, the pattern established when using the bottles as…
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Metric Measurements, Magnitudes, and Mathematics: Connections Matter in Science
Book Chapter |
This model-building activity helps learners visualize SI’s base-ten relationships; the connections between the meter, liter, and gram; the real-world relevance of mathematics to science; and the somewhat abstract…
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Book Chapter |
In this activity, students identify the scientific names of items they have around the house.
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Medical Metaphor Mixer: Modeling Infectious Diseases
Book Chapter |
This model-building activity helps learners visualize SI’s base-ten relationships; the connections between the meter, liter, and gram; the real-world relevance of mathematics to science; and the somewhat abstract…
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Cookie Mining: A Food-for-Thought Simulation
Book Chapter |
In this activity, various brands, sizes, and textures of chocolate chip cookies are “mined” as an edible analogy for natural resource management and conservation.
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Book Chapter |
Teachers (or students) are asked to generate and discuss a list of the Top 10 Crazy Ideas in Science and a related list of Top 10 Challenges of Learning Science. This brainstorming activity focuses on science as a…
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Book Chapter |
In this activity, the wording and validity of the scientific and economic claims for compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) are critically examined. Their environmental impact relative to standard incandescent lightbulbs…
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A Terrible Test That Teaches: Curriculum-Embedded Assessment
Book Chapter |
In this activity, a “terrible test” appears to be impossible to pass. However, it is intentionally designed to include common errors in item construction that, if noticed, allow the test-wise learner to ace the test…
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Diagnostic Assessment: Discrepant Event or Essential Educational Experiment?
Book Chapter |
In this activity, learners are asked to complete sample diagnostic assessments that model how nongraded, preinstructional “tests” support learner-centered curriculum and instruction. These kinds of tests, the specific…
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Dual-Density Discrepancies: Ice Is Nice and Sugar Is Sweet
Book Chapter |
Seemingly identical crystalline cubes (ice versus halite crystals) are observed to either sink or float in two seemingly identical clear, colorless liquids (ethanol and water). Also, a handful of sugar cubes are…
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Inferences, Inquiry, and Insight: Meaningful “Miss-takes”
Book Chapter |
The Nature of Science (NOS) includes making scientific inferences based on available empirical evidence (observation) and logical arguments (e.g., prediction based on pattern recognition). Making and learning from “miss…
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Pseudoscience in the News: Preposterous Propositions and Media Mayhem Matters
Book Chapter |
The nature of science (NOS) is to rely on empirical evidence, logical argument, and skeptical review, versus pseudoscience (e.g., astrology), which falsely claims scientific validity and credibility despite the weight…
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Scientific Reasoning: Inside, Outside, On, and Beyond the Box
Book Chapter |
Direct observation, measurement, indirect evidence, and inferential reasoning are used to uncover nature’s patterns and their underlying logic. Scientists use both data interpolation and extrapolation, as well as new…
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Magic Bus of School Science: “Seeing” What Can’t Be Seen
Book Chapter |
Scientists use direct empirical and inferential evidence, logical argument, and skeptical review to formulate and evaluate hypotheses and tentative, provisionally accepted theories. In this activity, a simple line-…
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