Introduction to science instruction stripped of "the form of research" causes a "loss of interest in science" and a "dislike of science." The students we examined in this research project studied in a curriculum which does not require "the process of research." In addition, the problem-solving process of students was examined. We examined especially the standard method of anticipation. (1) When it seems that anticipation is not important, the teaching method should progress to the next activity. (2) Students should consider how the existing verifying method is applied. (3) Students do not have the prospect of problem solving in many cases. However, there was a local prospect and the problem was solved. (4) There is also some learning effect in lessons which do not show the "process of research." From the above results, it seems necessary to apply the accepted "process of research" to lessons in all the sciences. Unnecessary scenes of anticipation should be found and eliminated. The time saved by this should be allotted to substantial research activities.

This study examines the effectiveness of having students form their own hypotheses and examine them through observation in the learning process. Students in one class on the structure of flowers were divided into two groups. One group was to learn deductively and the other, inductively. The first group was allowed to make hypotheses about the subject of the lesson and was asked to write their reasons for forming these hypotheses. After that, they were allowed to observe the flowers and given a lesson that lead to an appropriate understanding. The second group was allowed to observe many kinds of flowers and to look for similarities in their structures. The results show that the group that learned deductively understood the structure of flowers better than the group that learned inductively.

Crystallization differentiation plays an important role in the study of earth science in high school by helping students to understand the diversity and the origins of igneous rocks. However. it is difficult for students to understand. So in order to improve their understanding. an observation lesson on crystallization differentiation was designed and put into practice with igneous rocks, specimens of zoned pluton. Students were divided into two groups: the experimental group which used a "one concept map" that described crystallization differentiation at the time of observation, and the control group which did not. Consequently, since "the concept of the classification of igneous rocks" decreased only at 5% of the rate of danger in the experimental group while "the concept of the formation process of igneous rocks" increased, it became clear that using the "one concept map" is effective. Moreover, it was suggested that the conversation of the students during their observations influences concept formation. Showing and using the "one concept map" for a short time in various scenes seems to deepen the understanding of the students.

It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching materials for science classes in order to improve them and develop classes. In this paper. I examined some materials used in geological field study as examples of science teaching materials, describing them and the process of evaluating them. Then I discussed the present state and problems of evaluating materials for geological field study, based on previous studies. In addition, I showed that in order to evaluate teaching materials for geological field study we need a learning place, a learning text. and a teaching plan. Moreover, I pointed out two directions in evaluating materials of geological field study: evaluating materials synthetically and evaluating the process of students' scientific thinking through geological field study.

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors promoting enthusiasm in students in the fifth grade of elementary school, the second grade of lower secondary school, and the second grade of upper secondary school to observe independently the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life. 343 fifth-grade elementary school students, 276 second-grade lower secondary school students, and 191 second-grade upper secondary school students responded to questionnaires. The results were as follows: (1) The most important factor encouraging such enthusiasm is "An intellectual urge to know about the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life." Fifth-grade elementary school students listed three other factors: "An intellectual urge to pursue the dissection and to carve with a knife in animals," "Observations in an aquarium," and "A sense that they have acquired knowledge about the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life." Second-grade lower secondary school students listed two other factors: "Intentional and unintentional education about the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life by their own families and local people" and "Experience of Nature." (2) As years pass by, the factors promoting such enthusiasm converge in "The intellectual urge to know about the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life." (3) As years pass by, students' enthusiasm to observe independently the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life declines, which serious situation is caused by "The intellectual urge to know about the structure of the body and the ecology of underwater life" declines.

This symposium is planned jointly by SJST Secretariat, the Curriculum Study Committee and the International Exchange Committee of the Society. In addition, it is also a part of researches by two study teams, i.e. Shogo Kawakami and Shunsuke Kumano, both supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

The Finnish national core curriculum can be divided into two parts: the general principles of education and a description of the teaching of different school subjects. In this article the general part of the curriculum is described shortly and then the curriculum for science teaching is described. An example of teaching and learning physics in lower secondary school is given. Finally the results of two studies concerning teaching at schools are briefly quoted.