Suggests that effective communication between teacher and students will help eliminate and deter behavioral problems. Discusses such strategies as keeping pace with the student, redefining behavior, and using presuppositions with connectives to help achieve this goal. (DH)

Describes the four-day Washington visit of the 1984 Presidential Awardees for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. Also gives 1985 nomination information and a list of private-sector contributors. (DH)

Suggests a microcomputer/mastery-learning combination for more effective use of teacher time and management of records, tests, grading, and student directions. Mastery learning is discussed along with the many advantages microcomputers can provide toward this goal. (DH)

Describes the MENTE (Minorities Engaged in New Things in Education) program which builds migrant students' skills, confidence, and awareness of opportunities. Components include language arts, quantitative skills (science and mathematics), and personal development activities. Participants later entered college at a much higher rate than the…

Reports on two science field trips which inservice teachers completed through the Earthwatch organization. Participants learned about microbial mats and evolutionary theory on a coastal expedition and about archeology on a dig in the Mediterranean. Teachers returned with firsthand experience of scientific investigation and renewed enthusiasm for…

A Maryland county addressed the problem of finding and keeping qualified science teachers by starting a program to certify teachers in areas most needed and to upgrade skills for current science teachers. Needs assessment, program courses, and university cooperation/course offerings are discussed. (DH)

State geological surveys offer a wealth of information and aid for teachers. Suggestions for contacting state agents, using their materials, finding other resources, developing class activities, and conducting field trips are included along with a plan for a geological jaunt from Mississippi to Minnesota. (DH)

Suggests examining population density to help students understand density as a chemical concept. Simple experiments and demonstrations with carbon dioxide, burning oil, natural gas, and temperature are also suggested. (DH)

Provides background information on collecting and identifying aquatic invertebrates, indicating that inconspicuous larvae and nymphs can be more easily identified according to their mode of feeding for which they are morphologically and behaviorally adapted. Descriptions of various types are included along with a key to functional feeding groups.…

"Females in Engineering, Methods, Motivation, and Experience" (FEMME) is a precollege program at New Jersey Institute of Technology giving academically talented ninth-grade girls an introduction to engineering. Four experiments (windmill building, burglar alarm construction, electrochemistry, and spatial reasoning activities) helpful in achieving…

Describes a class during which teachers bicycle through Missouri to gather information about the natural environment. Bikers traveled to several state parks, had guest lecturers, and viewed landscape formations firsthand. Suggestions for planning the bike-study trip and comments on support vans and teacher interests are included. (DH)

Teaching how scientific models work can result from "black box" techniques applied to various classroom seating arrangements. The teacher can assign students to seats based on observable (last name, height) and nonvisible (telephone number) criteria. Students become involved in guessing the criterion, which leads to discussion of models and…

Indicates that the most dangerous laboratory hazards are the least dramatic ones and that hazardous chemicals are often used in laboratories without proper precautions. Selected sources of information essential for secondary schools and recommendations for safe practices and chemical use statistics from a study of Ohio high schools are given. (DH)

Examines recent data on sex-related differences in science and mathematics achievement, discussing meta-analyses findings on attitudes, career choice, life/physical science preferences, and motivation. Indicates that spatial visualization appears to be very important and that girls more often attribute success to luck rather than skill. (DH)

Describes the properties of colloids, listing those commonly encountered (such as whipped cream, mayonnaise, and fog). Also presents several experiments using colloids and discusses "Silly Putty," a colloid with viscoelastic properties whose counterintuitive properties result from its mixture of polymers. (DH)