Briefly traces the development and planning of a one-week interdisciplinary field course for high school students which focuses on the ecology, geology, history, and culture of Big Bend National Park, Texas. Provides a narrative of each day's events. (DC)

Describes a college biology research course in which college and high school students investigated the relationship between age and reproductive status in hunter-killed female coyotes and used the findings in an environmental analysis of population, resources, and pollution. Makes suggestions for conducting similar courses. (Author/SK)

To encourage students to become involved in the inventive and imaginative dimensions of biology, students are asked to invent: a useful product, way to use old newspapers, insect repellent, organism attracter, organelle separater, way to measure rate of hyphal growth, and method to measure strength of spider web. (DC)

Procedures are outlined for a laboratory exercise in which students use a gravimetric method to determine the rate of transpiration in sunflower seedlings. Discusses the data in terms of the effectiveness of stomatal openings, mechanisms for water movement in plants, and the role of transpiration in the environment. (DC)

Compared effectiveness of a Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS)-style laboratory program in a university general biology course against a popular traditionally oriented program. Although learning gains for both groups were significant, students using the BSCS-style investigations scored significantly higher on a posttest of laboratory…

Examined problem-solving strategies of 30 high school students as they solved genetics problems. Proposes a new sequence of teaching genetics based on results: meiosis, sex chromosomes, sex determination, sex-linked traits, monohybrid and dihybrid crosses (humans), codominance (humans), and Mendel's pea experiments. (JN)

Examines recent creationist legislative strategy against the background of their past antievolution efforts. Indicates that, while the language now used is no longer explicitly religious, the mainspring which continues to drive the creationists' efforts for equal time is their religious commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture as literally…

Describes a simple model to illustrate several aspects of the biochemical origin of life and the process of evolution through natural selection. The model has students predict the outcome of evolution in populations of beads. Instructional strategies using the model are also discussed. (Author/JN)

A different approach is used to develop taxonomy concepts. A traditional outline of each phylum under consideration is given to students, together with a series of questions. Students must then determine relationships within the outline by answering the questions. (Author/JN)

Suggests using African-clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) for conditioning (behavior) experiments. Other experiments using these easy-to-care-for frogs are outlined. (JN)

Reports the findings of a study which examined the knowledge and problem-solving strategies used by 14 ninth grade biology students to solve three types of basic genetics problems. Concludes that although most students could solve problems correctly, they sometimes lacked meaningful understanding or could not interrelate concepts. (DC)

Fossil records are used to point out two major flaws in the scientific creationist theory: (1) factual evidence does not support the theory, and (2) the creationists' own characterization of the fossil record contradicts their theory. Claims that creationists avoid discussing specifics about their model because of weaknesses. (DC)

Describes and evaluates a two-day workshop on human genetics for high school biology teachers which involved: (1) a series of lectures by professionals in medical genetics, ethics, and genetic counseling; (2) demonstrations; (3) question-and-answer sessions; (4) a curriculum packet; and (5) a follow-up bimonthly newsletter. (DC)

Procedures for constructing an inexpensive, hands-on working model of DNA are provided, as well as suggestions for using the model in a high school or college biology class. (DC)

Presents five activities that combine art and biology skills: (1) creating a work of art based upon microscopic observations; (2) collecting patterns found in or on or produced by organisms; (3) making bio-sculptures; (4) creating a creature; and (5) visually expressing an organism or biological concept. (DC)