SimRiver: Environmental Modeling Software for the Science Classroom

Journal Article | December 2010

While students may acknowledge the impact that land use and development have on our environment, they do not necessarily understand the relationship between human activities and ecosystem responses. Therefore, the…

Methods and Strategies: Modeling Problem-Based Instruction

Journal Article | November 2007

Students get excited about science when they investigate real scientific problems in the classroom, especially when the investigation extends over several weeks. This article describes a health-science problem-based…

Science Sampler: Modeling the effects of drugs on the brain

Journal Article | October 2007

The following activity teaches students about the neurobiological consequences of drug use on their brains and behavior. Students make clay models that allow them to visualize how drugs affect neural communication. If…

Mathematics in the Biology Classroom: A Model of Interdisciplinary Education

Journal Article | February 2005

This article describes an interdisciplinary course that develops essential mathematical modeling skills within an introductory biology setting. The course embodies recent recommendations regarding the need for…

Modeling Success during Earth Science Week

Journal Article | August 1999

If your students are going to learn about scientific inquiry and the nature of science, you must be explicit, or purposeful, in your planning, presentation, and assessment of these concepts. The activity and details…

Guest Editorial: A revolutionary model of professional development

Journal Article | October 2010

Traditionally, professional development in education has focused on three main areas: content, general pedagogy, or pedagogical content knowledge. While each area has its own purpose, in this article the author focuses…

The ESA21 Project: A Model for Civic Engagement

Journal Article | October 2005

Making the content of a course interesting to students can be quite a challenge for an instructor. Making the content of a required general education science course interesting to nonscience majors can be near to…

Methods and Strategies: The Teaching-With-Analogies Model

Journal Article | March 2007

Teachers often use analogies and are unaware of it—they are using them automatically. Whenever they begin an explanation with “It’s just like…,” “It’s similar to…,” or “Think of it this way…,” they are using an analogy…

Nematodes: Model Organisms in High School Biology

Journal Article | September 2007

In a collaborative effort between university researchers and high school science teachers, an inquiry-based laboratory module was designed using two species of insecticidal nematodes to help students apply scientific…

A Service-Learning Model for Science Education Outreach

Journal Article | August 2006

The Science Education Outreach Program (SEOP) engages undergraduate students from a variety of academic disciplines in service-learning experiences. University and community educators introduce and model contemporary…

Safety First: Modeling Safety in Clay Use

Journal Article | November 2012

This column shares safety information for your classroom. This month’s issue discusses the types of clay and when to use each type.

Science Sampler: Frog dissection—An alternative model

Journal Article | January 2007

Local dollar stores can be a treasure-trove of inexpensive items that are ideal for hands-on activities in the science classroom. This article describes one such activity in which a model frog that costs less than a…

Repairing Femoral Fractures: A Model Lesson in Biomaterial Science

Journal Article | October 2006

Biomaterial science is a rapidly growing field that has scientists and doctors searching for new ways to repair the body. A merger between medicine and engineering, biomaterials can be complex subject matter, and it can…

Scope on Safety: Building safety into student models and projects

Journal Article | March 2003

This column shares safety information for your classroom. In this month’s issue the author discusses the basic safety guidelines for students engaging in model building and other hands-on projects.

Developing an Interdisciplinary Curriculum Framework for Aquatic-Ecosystem Modeling

Journal Article | October 2007

This paper presents results from a July 2005 workshop and course aimed at developing an interdisciplinary course on modeling aquatic ecosystems that will provide the next generation of practitioners with critical skills…