Doing Science : Innovative Curriculum for the Life Sciences

Problem-based, student-centred learning is the key to implementation of the national standards for science education in the United States. Students learn science best by `doing′ science, by identifying real-world problems and designing projects that lead to possible solutions.

Based on extensive experience in an award-winning US high school science programme, this book provides a step-by-step guide for designing problem-based learning in the life sciences.

Offers new views and strategies to enliven the teaching of science by incorporating the investigative aspects of the subject. Bound to provide invaluable help in solving a very serious national problem. William J. Lennarz, Professor and Chairman Dept. of Biochemistry and Cell Biology State University of New York at Stony Brook Provides science teaches with innovative ways to involve students in working on dynamic, real-world problems and projects. This probmel-based, student-centered approach to "doing science" focuses on life science learning and includes lessons from biology, chemistry, and physics. This holistic method has been incorporated into the national standards for science education. Includes practical examples on how to: * Utilize the natural curiosity, concern, and creativity of students to turn them into active participants in instruction, instead of passive recipients * Design and develop problem and activity scenarios, and assess and evaluate the end results * Teach students where and how to collect and analyze data in order to find the solutions to questions and problems * Recruit and incorporate community mentors into your students′ projects Addresses issues of liability and includes sample projects, policies, and release and permission forms. The author provides all the tools you need to turn life sciences into a "living" science.