The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the sequence of learning on students’ understanding of the concept of density by examining whether it is more effective to have students learn a “developmental science lesson on density” or a “mathematics lesson on proportion” after the “science lesson on density according to the textbook.” To achieve this purpose, two groups (science development→mathematics, mathematics→science development) were set up, and “developmental science lessons on density” and “mathematics lessons on proportion” were conducted in a lower secondary school Grade 1 science class, and survey questions on density (“density test”) were subsequently administered to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the two learning sequences. The results revealed that the sequence of learning, “mathematics lesson on proportionality→developmental science lesson on density” more effectively promoted the students’ understanding of the concept of density, and, moreover, was particularly effective in understanding the third usage of the concept of intensive quantity and conservation. Here, the effects of sequencing of learning in science and mathematics on students’ understanding of concept of intensive quantity were confirmed and clarified.

The primary purpose of this study was to create a questionnaire based on the assumed causal model that “cross-curriculum learning in subject of science and mathematics” mediates “awareness of the relevance between science and mathematics”, “learning strategies” and “self-efficacy”, and affects “usefulness of science and mathematics learning” and, further, to clarify the causal model of the factors that constitute “the significance of cross-curriculum learning in science and mathematics.” The secondary purpose of the study was to clarify the relevance of likes and dislikes of science and mathematics to each factor. After conducting a questionnaire survey, regarding the first purpose, six factors were extracted as factors that constitute the significance of cross-curriculum learning in science and mathematics: “awareness of problem solving,” “functional viewpoints / ways of thinking”, “usefulness of science and mathematics learning”, “learning strategies in science”, “necessity of mathematics in science learning”, and “awareness of formulation / quantification”. In addition, as a result of multiple regression analysis and path analysis, it was clarified that the “functional viewpoints / ways of thinking” indirectly influences the “usefulness of science and mathematics learning” via the four factors (“awareness of problem solving,” “learning strategies in science,” “necessity of mathematics in science learning,” and “awareness of formulation / quantification”). Furthermore, with regard to second purpose of the study, comparison between the likes and dislikes of science and mathematics and the scores on each factor, in the “awareness of formulation / quantification,” revealed ra significant difference between Group II (likes math and dislikes science) and Group III (likes science and dislikes science). In science learning, in order to raise “awareness of formulation/quantification,” the results of this study suggest a need for activities to quantitatively analyze and interpret while utilizing mathematical knowledge and skills, such as creating graphs to render natural things / phenomena and experimental results, as well as to derive formulas and patterns.

The main purpose of this study is to develop learning materials based on the selection and application of knowledge about human blood circulation, and to enhance pre-service elementary school teachers’ scientific recognition. Specifically, we extracted a total of thirteen concepts related to human blood circulation and developed learning materials that support the selection and teaching application of each concept. As a result, the number of pre-service elementary school teachers who achieved scientific recognition of blood circulation (distinguishing between arteries and veins and distinguishing between arterial blood and venous blood) was significantly increased (from about 30% to about 50%) by using these learning materials. On the other hand, it was difficult for pre-service elementary school teachers to scientifically recognize the concepts necessary for selection and application, and to combine them and apply them to problems. In addition to analyzing the obtained knowledge, we examined problems related to the selection and application of knowledge by pre-service elementary school teachers from a viewpoint of improving upon existing learning materials.

In this study, we developed an educational program for children to acquire the qualities and abilities to use information in the event of a natural disaster. As a method, we conducted computer programming education using the “Disaster Learning Set LT” (manufactured by NARICA Co., Ltd.), which is a teaching material linked to the “Lego WeDo2.0” software, and subsequently examined the educational effectiveness of this practice. Specifically, the learners first understood that opening and closing the water gates regulates the water level and prevents flooding. Based on this understanding, the learners created and practiced a program to close the water gates by using sensors that respond to movement and detect the rise in water level, in relation to the rise in water level during heavy rain. The positive results of the practice suggested that it is possible to cultivate the “ability to think, judge, and express” and the “attitude to work independently” as the aims of programming education to reduce disasters by appropriately using information based on knowledge and skills related to natural disasters. Further, we found that learners used the knowledge and skills they learned in Science and Mathematics in the implementation of programming education using technology and engineering. In addition to opening and closing water gates, pupils were able to demonstrate their ability to think of ways to prevent disasters through computer programming.

If radioactive radon gas is contained in spring water, it can be readily taken out of the spring water and used as a teaching material for radiation education. However, there have been no studies on which hot spring waters contain radon gas that can be used as teaching materials. In this report, we collected hot spring water sources scattered around Japan with an aim to confirming whether they could be used as sources of radioactive material for a cloud chamber. Since there has been no location map for readily accessible springs suitable for a radioactive source for cloud chambers, it is important to create a location map due to the dissemination of radiation education. Although it would be convenient to use the hot spring water for the cloud chamber immediately after collecting the water, there are some springs that can be used even several weeks after collecting the water, suggesting that hot springs could indeed be utilized as a convenient and effective radioactive source for science teachers to handle.

We expect that pupils can review and improve their own thoughts. The purpose of this study is to develop a science teaching method for elementary school that enables pupils to become sensitive to the “uncertainty” over the process of scientific inquiry by critically viewing the thought of themselves and others, and to verify the effectiveness of this method through actual lessons. The method gives a special lesson on “uncertainty,” then has pupils critically pointing out the “uncertainties” in other students’ thoughts during the discussion. Grade four pupils in the experimental class were taught using this method in the science unit of “how matter warms.” The ways in which their consciousness and thoughts of “uncertainty” changed after the lesson were analyzed and compared with those of the control class. The results showed that the method developed in this study improved the pupils’ consciousness for critically and skeptically thinking others’ thoughts, and thus pupils become sensitive to “uncertainty.” Results further suggested that the method develops pupils’ metacognitive abilities (as critical thinking toward the process of thinking), as well as their abilities of thinking scientifically to solve problems.

The purpose of this study was to implement a junior high school science class that incorporated peer evaluation activity and to clarify the changes in students’ awareness of consideration. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was designed to ask questions about “science class,” “content of the consideration,” “the scene of the consideration,” and “support in writing the consideration,” and a survey was conducted among third-year students at a public junior high school. From the results of the analysis, it was found that the peer evaluation activity was viewed positively as a support in writing the consideration, because it made students aware of how to write consideration in an easy-to-understand way, as well as making the class easier to understand by including activities such as exchanging opinions with friends and making corrections. As for the scene of the consideration, it was found that the effect was to increase the awareness of explaining one’s own consideration and correcting the consideration of others. As for the content of the consideration, it became clear that the effect was to increase the awareness of not describing “impressions of the observation or experiment” or “what I thought was important in conducting the observation or experiment” in the consideration.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has implemented and continues to work on the SSH (Super Science High school) project for the purpose of “cultivating human resources for science and technology”. At SSH designated schools, students cultivate interest in observations and experiments through scientific inquiry activities. In this study, we will target both the SSH main target classes, which have many scientific exploration activities at SSH designated schools, and the students who are not in the SSH main target classes, which have fewer such exploratory activities in science. The effect of the exploration process on students’ interest in scientific observations and experiments was examined in a case study. The results revealed that in the scientific inquiry process after “Implementation of observations and experiments”, students’ interest in observation and experimentation may be transformed into a deeper interest regardless of the inquiry elements of the course and students’ effort. These results suggest that it is possible to foster a deep interest in observation and experimentation among students even if the learning process has few exploratory elements after “implementation of observations and experiments”.

Understanding physics learners’ diagram-drawing performances in solving physics problems is important in education practice, therefore, the accumulation of basic data associated with diagram-drawing performances is desirable. In this study, a physics problem in which the objective was to find the static frictional force was presented to physics learners at the secondary education level who had previously learned about frictional force, and the students’ diagram-drawing performances in solving the problem was subsequently surveyed. The results of the survey revealed that there was no significant difference in the diagram-drawing performances between the male and female students. Additionally, among both the male and female students, it was suggested that the degree of success at problem solving correlates to the degree of their diagram-drawing performances. On the other hand, the results also suggested that for the female students, the diagram-drawing performances do not necessarily contribute sufficiently to the problems’ solutions. Hereafter, based on the results of this case survey, it is expected to extend the survey groups and variations of the problems and to further discuss the significance and limitations of diagram-drawing performances in solving physics problems.

Transparent skeletal specimens are prepared with staining solutions such as Alizarin Red S and Alcian Blue to stain hard bones and cartilage, and then make visceral and muscle tissues transparent. There are various methods for preparing these specimens, but in general, highly toxic chemicals such as formalin and potassium hydroxide are often used. Organic solvents such as xylene and acetone, which are used to remove lipids, have a strong odor and make some students feel sick. Trypsin, used for proteolysis, and high-purity glycerin, used for clearing, are both expensive. There are thus many issues involved in routinely making specimens in science classes at junior or senior high schools. Moreover, since potassium hydroxide used in the clearing treatment is a strong alkali, it is necessary for students to be alert and take measures when it comes into contact with their skin. However, such specimens rarely disassemble the living body in the process of their production, and the three-dimensional arrangement of the bones is almost completely preserved, without losing small bones. Therefore, the specimen is a suitable teaching material for considering the positional relationship between bones and internal organs, motor function, and development. There are examples of its use in ESD (Education for Sustainable Development), in marine environmental education, and science education. In this study, we investigated a clearing reagent to improve safety and reduce costs. Specifically, papain was used instead of trypsin. We also examined various weak alkaline components and detergents instead of potassium hydroxide and glycerin. Results showed that a saturated solution of disodium hydrogen phosphate is effective for clearing.

Elementary school students learn how to use a planisphere for the first time in Grade 4. From previous research, for children to further understand the correspondence between the star map drawn on the planisphere and the appearance of the constellations in the actual starry sky, it is recognized that, beyond basic guidance, pupils require a general skill of the basic usage of the planisphere, specifically: (1) The shape of the planisphere window (horizon) changes depending on the location (latitude). (2) The shape of the constellation drawn in the planisphere is distorted as it moves away from the celestial pole (the center of the star chart). I therefore conducted in-class practice to foster the students’ understanding of these two points. The purpose of this study was thus to examine how much 4th grade students understand “the window of the constellation” and “the distortion of the constellation ”. As a result of examining the three materials of the pre-survey, the remarks and behavior recorded during the lesson, and the post-survey, as well as verifying in the lesson practice, the following points were clarified: (1) The degree of the Grade 4 students’ understanding of the “planisphere window” was that “It can be seen that the planisphere window changes depending on the place of observation,” and (2) The degree of understanding of “constellation distortion” was “It can be seen that the constellations in the lower part of the south of the planisphere are horizontally longer than the actual shape of the starry sky.”