"Schools Ethics Technology" was a German interdisciplinary research project with the Centre of Ethics in the Sciences at the University of Tubingen. The project highlighted the new topic of biotechnology and genetic engineering, involving the formation of active project groups within schools. This study examined teaching activities within 10 project schools over 1 year. Researchers evaluated the role of project work in school development. Students in grades 5-8 and in grades 9-13 completed surveys. Researchers examined teacher portfolios and conducted participant observations. Results indicated that most students felt ill-prepared by the schools for responsible citizenship. Facts from the sciences were only made central in classroom work when they had gained specific significance with regard to a question or when they could be used to show the difference between empirical knowledge and ethical considerations. Verification experiments were only conducted in the classroom if students had discussed their worth and implicit meaning. The role of teachers changed in an analogous way during project work. All schools had difficulties planning and converting the ideas of developed understanding of science and technology into real classroom work. The main cause was the prevalent school culture. The researchers note the need to change school culture at all levels. (Contains 3 figures and 13 references.) (SM)