MEXT has published supplemental readers to help primary, junior high and upper secondary school students learn about radiation in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident of 2011. The aim of this study was to assess the level and range of previous teaching about radiation in upper secondary school science classes based on the standard use of supplemental readers in order to support the enhancement of related school teaching. The results enabled suitability assessment for a wide range of topics and levels with a focus on the content of lessons. The definitions of radioactivity, radiation, radioactive materials and the influence of radiation were of a standard appropriate for high school-level teaching, while topics such as the observation, measurement and uses of radiation were not taught. Few lessons dealt with gray units, fluorescence and the ionizing effect of radiation, while more dealt with variations in radiation, the presence of natural radiation and radiation transmission and shielding. No teaching covered the characteristics of half-life and the use of radiation in advanced technology and daily life.

The idea of the teaching of science as enquiry is based on J.J. Schwab's theory, which was proposed in the new curriculum movement during the 1950s and 60s. Although Schwab's theory of enquiry learning has been an object of study for a long time, little is known about his conception of the significance of "discussion" particular to science or science education. This paper has the following objectives: first, reanalyzing Schwab's view of enquiry; second, making clear his thoughts about the significance of discussion in scientific enquiry; third, understanding why he introduced discussion into science classrooms. In conclusion: first, for Schwab, the necessity of discussion in scientific enquiry is suggested by his outlook on enquiry characterized by (1) stable enquiry and fluid enquiry, (2) sociality of scientific enquiry, (3) diversity of scientific enquiry; second, the significance of discussion in scientific enquiry is derived from the diversity of scientific enquiry; third, through introducing discussion into science classrooms, Schwab aims to get students into the habit of elaborating processes of scientific knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of authentic learning in science classes on students' formation of combustion concepts. In order to achieve this goal, science classes based on authentic learning were conducted for elementary school students (6^<th> grade) on the study of 'burning'. Then, after the classes, twelve children were interviewed about the concept of combustion. The results were as follows: it turnd out that the science classes based on authentic learning fostered students' acquisition of the scientific knowledge more effectively; the students' knowledge of combustion was more integrated and extended. Moreover, it helped the students relate the lesson to the real world.

In discourses of science classes in which children collaborate to solve problems, children express a multitude of thoughts through their comments and questions, promoting their constructions of scientific concepts. In this study, we analyzed the function and the process of students' construction of connoisseurship that functions in children's activities above. Elementary school science classes were the subject of this study. In conclusion, our analysis revealed the following: 1. Students' scientific connoisseurship is constructed as a consensus among colleagues via the process of collaborative learning. Assessments by teachers that then connect children's thoughts to scientific concepts become good models for the children, who construct scientific concepts and enhance their overall scientific connoisseurship. 2. Children appropriated images, metaphors, the results of experiments and so on, as socially distributed cognitions. 3. Children enhanced their scientific connoisseurship through self-evaluation and mutual evaluation in the discourses.

The purpose of this study was to clarify how the authorized textbook, "Yoiko-no-kagaku (Science for Good Children)" (1949・50) was influenced by "Shizen-no-kansatsu (Observation of Nature)" (1941・42) before the Second World War and the substitute textbook, "Rika-no-tomo (Science as a Friend)" (1948) after the War by means of comparing the former textbook with the latter textbooks. Through the study of documentary records, the following conclusions were reached: (1) 40 and over percentage of the units of "Rika-no-tomo (Science as a Friend)" (1948) were the same ones of "Yoiko-no-kagaku (Science for Good Children)" (1949・50). About 20 percent of the units of the above textbook were introduced in "Rikai-no-mokuhyo (Objectives of understanding)" which were adopted as the textbook standards for science in elementary school in February 1949 with others. (2) The unit "A soap bubble" was incorporated into "Shizen-no-kansatsu (Observation of Nature)", "Rika-no-tomo (Science as a Friend)" and "Yoiko-no-kagaku (Science for Good Children)". The principal objective was to awaken children's interest in the soap bubble in these three textbooks. (3) The seesaw as teaching material was not adopted in "Shizen-no-knsatsu (Observation of Nature)" and "Rika-no-tomo (Science as a Friend)". Therefore it is thought taht "The Basic Science Education Series, Machines" (1944), compiled by B. M. Parker, may have been referred to during the creation of this material. (4) Comparing "Shizen-no-kansatsu (Observation of Nature)" with "Yoiko-no-kagaku (Science for Good Children)" revealed not only that the theme of individual research were different in both lessons using these books, but also that the progress of presentation of their research results were unliked in both.

This paper introduces a stream table which was used for science lesson trials in fifth grade elementary school classes. The effectiveness of the stream table was verified by examining the pupils' understanding of functions of running water, in comparison with the experiment of running water on a heap of soil. The results were the following: (1) According to a questionnaire given to the pupils before and after the lessons, the use of a stream table to compare the functions of running water on a heap of soil was shown to be effective in promoting the pupils' understanding of the relationship between the volume and speed of running water; and the process of erosion. (2) According to the pupils' descriptions on their lesson worksheets, the stream table facilitated the pupils' understanding of the process of erosion from running water better than those of transportation and sedimentation. The effectiveness of the stream table was notable in promoting the pupils' understanding of the process of erosion by running water. One feature of the stream table is its ability to allow students to control the conditions of the experiment and hence to make a reproducible experiment. It is thought that this feature was described in the results mentioned above.

In recent years, science education has focused on the importance of argument. However, it is noted that even fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school children have difficulty supporting their arguments with reasoning. This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a class that incorporates teaching strategies for constructing arguments that are comprised of claims, evidence, and reasoning. In this study, a class was given on "pendulum movement," a unit taught in science education for fifth graders, with the goal of clarifying factors that affect the pendulum period. Four teaching strategies were incorporated into the unit's preparatory phase and eight strategies were incorporated into the unit's implementation phase. In the content knowledge test, both the children's rate of giving correct answers and their degree of confidence both improved significantly compared with having studied the unit. In an argument task concerning the content of the unit, children scored over 80% in all having criteria concerning claims, evidence and reasoning, with the exception of only one criterion. In another argument task given before and after the unit, both of which concerned matters that had already been learned by the children, their arguments showed significant improvement in some criteria concerning evidence and reasoning. Connections in performance were identified between the argument tasks concerning the content of the unit and those concerning matters already learned. These results demonstrate that the class in this study is effective in developing arguments that are specifically comprised of claims, evidence, and reasoning. As a challenge for the future, we will endeavor to resolves the problem of omission of description, often detected in elementary school children's arguments.

The purpose of this research is to clarify the problems in the teaching methods with regard to education about nuclear power and to contribute to nuclear education in the future. There are many problems inherent to atomic energy itself, and ther are correspondingly difficult aspects to the methods of teaching about it. On the basis of the Junior High School Course of Study published in 2008, there exist some deep problems as we reflect on and reformulate our perspectives on nuclear power and other related issues. In order to form opinions, it is necessary to have basic knowledge and understanding of radiation and atomic energy. In addition, when we investigated the understanding of atomic energy of the students in the teacher-training course, it was revealed that most of them did not have sufficient knowledge of radiation and atomic energy. Therefore, we carried out a special lecture about atomic energy. As a result, we showed that many of the students advanced their knowledge and understanding of atomic energy, which raised their interest level as well as their confidence in their ability to teach about it.

An educational activity for undergraduates was held to train them to become elementary school teachers who can conduct science classes that include observation and experiments. An activity was designed to acquire ideas and objects to produce and provide classes in "Science Education Study", using teaching materials for experiments in the Matter/Energy field, for qualification as first grade elementary school teachers. Although the practice course was difficult for students, the mean of evaluation of six lessons exceeded 4.5 in all items on a five-point Likert scale. Moreover, the self-evaluation (five-point scale) of confidence in instructing each unit was an average of 2.9 before taking the lessons, indicating that they did not have much confidence initially, but the average became 3.9 after the practice course. This practice seemed to satisfy all participants who wished to become elementary school teachers. It is also expected to guarantee a minimum standard of teacher capability in the limited time allocated for the course.

The purpose of this study was to reveal a correlation between metacognitive processing and representational functions in science learning. In this study, using the perspectives of the metacognition model (Nelson, T. O., 1994) and the representational network model (Wada, 2010), we analyzed modifying components of metacognition through the process of students' constructing scientific concepts. Additionally, we built didactics based on cooperative learning to improve metacognitive monitoring and metacognitive control, and to promote representational competences. Results indicate that: (1) Development of students' scientific thinking skills and ability to explain was promoted by activating their metacognitive monitoring and metacognitive control. (2) The embodiment of the autonomous students' metacognitive monitoring and metacognitive control helped them to organize representational networks. Therefore, metacognition and representational functions were interdependent structures. (3) The students' metacognitive monitoring and metacognitive control functions were enhanced through accurate scaffolding via cooperative learning.

The purpose of this study is to obtain new perspectives and strategies for reflecting on the purpose of biology curriculum to the textbooks by analyzing the contents and teaching materials arrangement of the recent high school biology textbooks in the United States. The materials for analysis are 9 kinds of textbooks published after Benchmarks for Science Literacy (1993) and National Science Education Standards (1996). These textbooks have the following characteristics: 1) An inquiry-centered approach. 2) The diversification of laboratory work. 3) Descriptions of each taxon focusing on evolution. 4) Linking biological science content to human biology. 5) Introducing occupations, advanced research, and social issues related to biology. 6) Connecting the contents to online learning resources. With regard to structuring the contents of textbooks, some textbooks list the layered biological concepts adapting to each unit and chapter. The use of concept maps in assessment practice is another strategy to structure contents. Comments are inserted in some descriptions of textbooks for the purpose of connecting the relative contents or concepts. In laboratory work and assessment, inquiry skills are shown concretely. It will be necessary to examine the sequence of the contents of biology textbooks taking inquiry skills into account.

Elementary school children are basically interested in science. Successful experiences and understanding in science experiments keep them interested in science through upper secondary school and even university. However, the number of students who plan to seek occupations related to science and/or engineering decrease in about 40% of lower secondary school students and in about 25% of upper secondary school students. Most students are interested in global warming, natural phenomena, et cetera, and, as they proceed through the grades, their acquisition of higher-level knowledge of science and technology is enhanced by their experience. Children's interest in science largely depends on that of their parents. That is, children whose parents are interested in science and technology and talk with them about scientific topics will grow to love science.