Optical illusions are assumed to be of interest to high school mathematics students. The article indicates how a topic can be both educational and entertaining. Readers are invited to try to construct some illusions on their own, and to see if they can classify them. (MP)

Educators seeking support for continuation of science laboratory instruction can find information in the ERIC data base. Sections cover: (1) what's available; (2) beliefs about the role of laboratories; (3) what critics say; and (4) research evidence. (MP)

A call is made for the integration of science and social studies education in elementary and secondary schools. Examples are given of situations where instruction has been integrated over the two areas. It is felt instruction can be provided which focuses on problem solving and decision making. (MP)

Factors believed to be major in influencing instruction in the waning years of this century are examined. It is felt teachers need assistance from many disciplines to be fully aware of the many implications various factors have for mathematics instruction. A list of eight contemporary goals for mathematics instruction is provided. (MP)

Fifty subjects were physics graduate students in Taiwan, and forty-five were physics graduate students in the United States. Results indicated Taiwanese students pursuing their studies in the United States did not feel as well prepared as their counterparts. Recommendations include revision of undergraduate curriculum and requiring more English…

Summaries of studies of the Project for an Energy-Enriched Curriculum (PEEC) materials are given, and information is presented about a pilot study in which students were asked to give their perceptions about the quality and usefulness of selected energy units. Some relationships between results of these studies are identified. (MP)

The arithmetic portion of the Tennessee Eighth Grade Basic Skills Test is examined. A stratified sample of elementary teachers in Tennessee was used in the investigation. Data available suggest that unsatisfactory scores obtained by some students on the test do not come from teachers' failures to teach the subject. (MP)

Two models are presented. The first assumes that air resistance is proportional to the velocity of the falling body. The second assumes that air resistance is proportional to the square of the velocity. A program written in BASIC that simulates the second model is presented. (MP)

Selected mathematics education research on the role and nature of women in mathematics is reviewed. Studies are quoted which indicate that there are no inherent factors which keep girls from learning mathematics at the same level as boys, and that intervention programs can be effective. (MP)

National assessment data on student performance in several phases of algebra are reported. It is noted that this performance has not reached the point of mastery even for most students with two years of algebra and a year of geometry. However, the data are not thought to suggest complete failure. (MP)

It is noted science education is in a major period of transition, largely because of major problems facing society today. The feeling expressed is that science teaching designed to respond to societal demands of the 1960's is inappropriate for the demands of the 1980's. Possible directions for new programs are discussed. (MP)

Concern is expressed that trigonometry is being de-emphasized at the secondary level, and that even incoming college students with excellent mathematics backgrounds and aptitudes appear to be "drawing blanks" on even the most fundamental trigonometric concepts. Teaching trigonometry as the ultimate high school subject is promoted. (MP)

Information provided outlines what is being done in North Carolina to reverse the teacher shortage in science and mathematics. Recommendations for other states with similar problems are offered. Improvement of public school science and mathematics is seen to be a long-range project with many dimensions. (MP)

The view presented is that many elementary teachers do not understand the nature of science, how the skills are useful in everyday life, and of how science content is involved in many human endeavors. Integrating science with other disciplines is thought to have potential for improving the quality and quantity of science instruction. (MP)

Presented here is an index which indicates the title and location of each activity by volume and page numbers. The majority of items relate to arithmetic, elementary algebra, and plane geometry, but material also covers such topics as statistics, probability, trigonometry set theory, topology, and modern algebra. (MP)