Two new curriculum development projects, interdisciplinary in nature, are described in this article. Exploring Human Nature, the Educational Development Center project, is a social studies course for high school students which integrates biological science into its program. Conversely, the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study course, Human…

Analyzes five biology textbooks in 11 categories identified as current controversial issues and biosocial problems. Quantitative ratings for each category, based on total number of textbook pages, are presented for Darwinian evolution, disease states, drugs, environment, human genetics, human reproduction, man in nature, origin of life, population…

Out of the four fundamental interactions in nature, electromagnetics is one of them along with gravitation, strong interaction and weak interaction. The field of electromagnetics has made much of the modern age possible. Electromagnets are common in day-to-day appliances and are becoming more conventional as the need for technology increases.…

Explains the two theories on the origins of human and animal behavior. Introduces the new discipline of sociobiology, a merging of biology and sociology. Describes the central dogma of sociobiology and its societal implications, and discusses criticism of sociobiology. Presents the nature vs. nurture debate. (YDS)

Discusses various aspects of the human sciences program, including its modular format, activity-centered orientation, personalized approach, interdisciplinary nature, and flexibility in packaging. Descriptions are made for four modules within the program. (CS)

Discusses the strengths of the many lines of scientific evidence supporting the idea of human evolution and the importance of the agreement that exists between them. Argues that using humans as a case study in evolution allows educators to illustrate broader aspects of the nature of science and how the overall strength of any scientific…

This book is an outlined for the short study (1- to 2-weeks) of chronobiology, a field of science that explores the relationships between time and biological functions. It develops step-by-step the reasoning that leads to the current scientific understanding of biological rhythms. The unit can be inserted into a standard middle or high school…

Discusses the nature and consequences of organisms' adaptation to new environments, including examples of adaptation and tolerance, aliens, adventives and invaders, vacant niches, arrival and fate of an adventure, hybridization with native organisms, and invasion without introduction by humans. (DS)

This interdisciplinary course is designed for senior year high school students in social studies and/or science. Its main thrust is the investigation of human values as they relate to the environment, although rooted in the natural sciences as a means of understanding the complexities inherent in the environment. Use is made of the case study…

Two activities in which students use the human body to collect meaningful data that will be used symbolically in the form of sets of equations to search for patterns in nature are described. The mathematics and science concepts/skills, background information, objectives, lesson outline, and extensions are included. (KR)

This science curriculum guide for grades 7-9, developed by the Manitoba Department of Education, attempts to correlate information known about the intellectual and social development of young adolescents with the nature of science education. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to examine how humans grow and develop, how humans…

This video program focuses on four rivers: the Mississippi, the Amazon, the Jordan, and the Mekong. Each locale serves as an example of what can happen when human beings tamper with the natural system of a river. Without thoughtful planning, the consequences can be disastrous,, but when communities work together, a balance can be achieved between…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This ZIM-SCI study guide presents activities…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

This study reports on the improvement of a teacher researcher's teaching practice by adopting a constructivist teaching approach. Four biology units on the nervous system, human circulatory system, evolution, and vertebrate classification were selected to illustrate a model of biology teaching. Data were drawn from student responses to…