This article presents an authentic writing opportunity to help ninth-grade students use the writing process in a science classroom to write and illustrate picture books for fourth-grade students to demonstrate and share their understanding of a biology unit on cells. By creating a picture book, students experience the writing process, understand…

Like the figurative apple for the teacher, the tomato is a well-known food symbol representing a variety of cuisines. We drew on current scientific research and partnerships with classroom teachers to develop a case study activity consisting of four layers to teach concepts of plant biology and genetics to middle and high school students. The goal…

Students love learning about animals: how animals behave, what animals eat, why some animals are more dangerous than others are, and why animals look the way they do. In this 5E lesson, students investigate why some animals look the way they do--specifically, the advantages of camouflage and mimicry. What are an animal's advantages of being…

Learning about microscopic things, such as cells, can often be mundane to students because they are not able to see or manipulate what they are learning about. Students often recall learning about cell division through memorization--thus they find it tedious and dull. Few opportunities exist that allow students to explore and manipulate cells or…

"Palynology" is the study of fossil pollen and spores, and these tiny grains can provide fundamental information about past climates on Earth. Among their many unique and useful properties, pollen and spores are composed of some of the most chemically resistant organic compounds found in nature. They are also produced in vast quantities and are…

Learning science vocabulary is an often tedious but important component of many curricula. Frequently, students are expected to learn science vocabulary indirectly, but this method can hinder the success of lower-performing students (Carlisle, Fleming, and Gudbrandsen 2000). We have developed an inquiry-based vocabulary activity wherein students…

Teachers often struggle with controversy when teaching biological evolution in American schools. Research indicates that curriculum with a nature of science (NOS) focus quells controversy (McComas 2004; Scharmann 2005; Staver 2003). This article presents a 5E NOS series that is a first step in a NOS curriculum that situates student understanding…

This activity explores the cycling of carbon between the atmosphere (primarily as CO[subscript 2]) and biomass in plants, animals, and microscopic organisms. Students design soil respiration experiments using a protocol that resembles current practice in soil ecology. Three methods for measuring soil respiration are presented. Student-derived…

Although butterflies are a common topic of study in many early childhood classrooms, integrating art production broadens the scope of the study and allows children to deepen their knowledge and understanding through creative self-expression. This article presents a set of integrated activities that focus on helping children fully grasp the process…

Transforming science curricula into multicultural science curricula requires the infusion of materials and perspectives often omitted from classroom textbooks. One strategy that may help the development of such lessons is to design lessons that incorporate the cultural history behind the concept being taught. Presented in this article is a…

This activity targets students' misconceptions about embryonic and adult stem cells while also addressing an important grades 9-12 science content standard. The authors designed the activity to provide students an opportunity to explore differences between embryonic and adult stem cells prior to formal explanation. The overarching goal of this…

Learning about the water situation in other regions of the world and the devastating effects of floods on drinking water helps students study science while learning about global water quality. This article provides science activities focused on developing cultural awareness and understanding how local water resources are integrally linked to the…

This article presents an interview with G. Kip Bollinger. G. Kip Bollinger currently works as a consultant for Intermediate Units, school districts, professional science societies, and science text and kit producers. He performs curriculum alignment, does assessment training, coaches science teachers, trains teachers in the use of specific…

In the project presented in this article, high school students create and observe miniecosystems in an ecology unit designed around a 5E (engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation) instructional model. Students choose a wide variety of organisms and use creativity to design miniecosystems. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)

A priority for all biology teachers must be for students to leave the classroom with a broad knowledge and understanding of science. Students need to be critical of science, analyze science, and relate new science knowledge to their daily lives. Unfortunately, many students are not reaching this goal. One strategy for making science laboratories…