Matter is an essential science topic that is often challenging to teach at the early elementary levels. Learning about matter helps students develop a solid foundation for more complex concepts that are taught in later years. Make this abstract concept developmentally appropriate for children by engaging them in investigations that focus on…

Discusses a typical food chain and the interrelationship between plants and animals. Describes the "Food Chain Pit" game which can be used to help students create food chains of different habitats. (RT)

Describes classroom activities to help children determine cause and relate the changes to the substances being changed. Advocates the use of "change jars" and making daily observations to teach the concepts that certain conditions promote change. Includes ideas using temperature, moisture, rotting, and sprouting to teach the concept of change. (CW)

Presents several classroom ideas to help students understand their relationship to and their place in the universe as well as how difficult it would be to find life beyond Earth. Lists activities for children including the "Map Procedure," the "Model Procedure," and "Good Ol' Sol." (CW)

Describes an activity using a large balloon to help children understand that, even though the horizon appears to be flat, the Earth is, indeed, round. Uses a toy ship to reinforce evidence from the first part of the activity. Stresses the importance of confronting naive theories at an early age. (CW)

Describes a lesson designed to help young students conceptualize cholesterol and its effects on the body. Provides young students with a concrete way to understand how cholesterol builds up in blood vessels and restricts blood flow. Includes a simple illustrative experiment for children to perform themselves. (CW)

Describes a collaborative effort involving art, earth science, and computer lessons in teaching the theory and practice of contour mapping. Discusses the approaches and activities contained in the unit for seventh-grade students. Includes the computer program which was written for use with Terrapin LOGO on an Apple II. (ML)

Reviews the space classroom that would have been conducted by Christa McAuliffe during the space shuttle flight. Includes lab activities, word puzzles, vocabulary lists, and graph reading exercises for elementary science students. (ML)

Describes methods for collecting insects including a ground trap, a light trap, a kill jar, and a "pooter." Includes illustrations and directions for making the collecting instruments. (MA)

Presents thirteen concepts about water and suggests science activities for each. Designed as early childhood learning experiences. (MA)

Describes several elementary science learning experiences and activities concerning the concept of space. Activities described include tracing children's shadows at different times of day, moon observations, and planetarium activities. (DS)

Describes a unit for the first grade that takes advantage of the fall seasonal changes to explore, be creative, and learn. Ties all the subject areas together through a look at leaves and trees. A list of resources is included. (JRH)

Presents two activities, the "Super Bubble" that challenges students and parents to blow the biggest bubbles and "For Fingers Only" that asks them to duplicate a pattern of blocks using only the sense of touch. (JRH)

Describes a consumer science fair to help students develop problem-solving skills and become savvy consumers. (MKR)

Presents an overview of an interdisciplinary animal behavior unit on wolves, including aspects of science, social studies, and language arts. Includes sources of wolf information. (MKR)