As far as we know, much Japanese science education for young children involves the biology of natural experiences and observation, but little content from physics and chemistry. However, foreign countries report systematic lessons in the latter fields. However, directly importing lessons and presenting them in Japanese elementary and lower secondary schools is difficult. Therefore, we created a science education program with the following two features: (1) Substances, objects, and phenomena closed to Japanese children are included and (2) lessons are suitable for presentation at a nursery school, kindergarten, and science museum. Specifically, we developed an experimental classroom on “materials and buoyancy” in physics and presented its lessons in a nursery school, kindergarten, and science museum. An assessment of its value was also performed.

Many junior high school students have difficulties in their understanding of learning about lenses. Part of the difficulty may be seen to be derived from laboratory instruments used in learning about lenses. We developed an experiment tool designer to lead to an understanding of the principles of lenses and usage of the optical instruments. In a class using this experimental tool, it was observed that students conducted experiments over and over. Effects of the experimental tool and the active learning program were evaluated.

This is a study of the spatial composition of room-groups and free-space in seven examples of integrated junior and senior high schools.

1. The examples were divided into two size groups according to the total floor area per home-classroom, group S (300sqm/homeroom) and group L (640sqm/homeroom).

2. The rates of learning-space and common-space vary according to size, the sum of the rates of these groups is constant. Accordingly, the spatial composition rate of free-space group is almost constant at around 30%.

3. The rates of the types of free-space were found to show the space characteristics of each example.