Author Bio: Reprinted with permission

None

Connect articles by Reprinted with permission:

Investigating Older Technologies

Last year, a team of Greek students (14 and 15 year-olds) studied traditional housing as part of a science and society unit on renewable energy. Their report, published in Steps International,* reveals the value of many traditional methods and materials.

Mid-Stream Performance Assessment

Assessment and tasks developed for the Integrated Inquiry Project in Vermont.

Adaptation: Predator - Prey

Communities of plants and animals always include predators and prey. Predators have adaptations, enabling them to capture and eat their prey. In this activity these adaptations are referred to as Predator devices.

Invent an Animal

In this activity children explore the ways that animals protect themselves from predation. While this activity is desert based, it can easily be adapted to any environment: prairie, seashore, woods, field, etc.

Roly-Poly or Pill Bug Science

In the animal kingdom, behavior is often the first line of adaptation to a new environment. Since roly-polies lack physiological adaptations for conserving water, they compensate with behavioral adaptation. These experiments show how roly-polies cope with one of the major challenges of living on land.

Julie's Taxi

The investigation began when Esmate came in proudly stating he had come to school by taxi. Julie said it wasn't fair and that she wished she had a taxi. We had a large cardboard box in the classroom and decided to use to make a taxi.

Elementary My Dear Watson

Organizing "hands-on" investigation by children is not difficult, provided you are willing to experiment yourself. For instance, the topic "fruits" is ideal because, in Pakistan, it is relatively easy to provide children with samples of real fruit with which to begin their investigation.

The Algebra Blues

Whenever I think about a conversation I had with my granddaughter, I get the blues. She was in a seventh grade advanced math class and they were studying algebra. I asked her how it was going. She showed me her homework.
Her solution of a simple equation like 2x + 10 = 16 required 5 lines. First she had written down the equation. Next she had written “2x + 10 – 10 = 16 – 10, subtract 10 from both sides.” Then, “2x = 6, collect terms.” And so on.

User Friendly Insect Anatomy

Suggested macro-parts of insects to be studied are: hairs, bristles, fuzz, scales, "whiskers," horns, claws, hooks, spines, spurs, plates, wing veins, knobs, filaments...