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Science Notes - Papers Solicited For Biology Curriculum Workshop

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

A workshop focusing on "Integrating Biology Across the Curriculum" will be held September 23-24, 1994. Educators are invited to submit abstracts describing exemplary integration strategies and information about successful and unsuccessful programs.

Factors Associated With Self-Esteem, Sex-Role, And Academic Achievement Among Adolescents, Shiou-Shiang Juor

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to investigate factors associated with self-esteem, sex-role, and academic achievement among adolescents. Subjects were high school students ranging from 9th to 10th grade. Three forms were used in this study: the Bem sex-role Inventory, the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory (CSEI) and the Attitude toward Achievement Inventory. Results showed that adolescents classified as masculine or androgynous in gender-role orientation were found to have higher self esteem than adolescents classified as feminine or undifferented. Further, the adolescents classified as androgynous and masculine had higher ability in academic achievement as measured by grade point average. The results also …

Ecoregions And Subregions Of Iowa: A Framework For Water Quality Assessment And Management, Glenn E. Griffith, James M. Omernik, Thomas F. Wilton, Suzanne M. Pierson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Ecoregion frameworks are valuable tools for inventorying and assessing environmental resources, for setting resource management goals, and for developing biological criteria and water quality standards. In a collaborative project between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we have refined boundaries of the EPA's five ecological regions of Iowa and defined six subregions of the Western Corn Belt Plains ecoregion within the state. Lists of candidate stream reference sites have been developed to date for the seven largest regions, and the sites were visited and evaluated by Iowa DNR and U.S. EPA personnel …

Back Cover

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of The Iowa Academy Of Science, 1993-94, Paul E. Rider

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Since 1976, annual reports have served as a continuing record of the activities of the Iowa Academy of Science and an archive for its history. These augment the 100 year IAS history written in the centennial year of 1975.

This report covers the period from July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994. It is based on the official records of the Academy (committee reports, Board minutes, correspondence) as well as the recollections, impressions and thoughts of the author.

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of An Iowa Aridity Index In Relationship To Climate And Crop Yield, Soumare Harouna, R. E. Carlson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

An aridity index and its components, temperature and precipitation, for the period from 1900 through April 1993 were defined and characterized. This index describes the anomalous behavior of both temperature and precipitation over time. Our intent was to examine climate variability in Iowa. Moving mean and standard deviations over various lengths of time were calculated from three time series. We found that these indices fluctuate considerably from year to year and from month to month. The lowest aridity index values occurred in the recent summer of 1992, and the highest occurred during the very drought-prone 1930s. The 12-month moving mean …

Testing The Accuracy And Precision Of Wetness Sensors In A Tomato Field And On Turfgrass, Kara J. Potratz, Mark L. Gleason, Melanie L. Hockmuth, Sharon K. Parker, Glenn A. Pearston

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Measurements of dew-period duration by painted, flat-plate, electronic wetness sensors at the top of the plant canopy in a tomato field and on adjacent turfgrass were compared with visual observations. The response range of sensors during the onset of dew sometimes exceeded 5 hr. but was less than 1 hr. on other nights. Sensors in the tomato field indicated dew formation occurred as much as 2 hr. earlier or later than dew became visible on adjacent tomato leaflets at the top of the crop canopy. A calibration threshold for sensors derived from a drying curve resulted in the underestimation of …

Back Cover

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Water Quality Monitoring (1988 To 1991) At The Iowa Academy Of Science's Parish Farm, Grundy County, Iowa, Brenda K. Nations, George R. Hallberg

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

In May 1988 sampling was initiated to evaluate water quality in relation to management practices at Parish Farm, which is owned by Iowa Academy of Science. Initial results showed tile-line effluent to have high concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen (N0₃-N). Twelve monitoring wells were installed over a one year period to analyze shallow groundwater at the farm. The wells, tile lines, and surface water were sampled monthly, through October, 1991, and the water analyzed for N0₃-N and some pesticides. N0₃-N concentrations varied, related to landuse and management of adjacent areas. Greater N0₃-N concentrations were …

Evaluation Of Implanted Radio Transmitters In Pheasant Chicks, Dean E. Ewing, William R. Clark, Paul A. Vohls

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

We studied game-farm pheasant (Phasianus colchicus Linneaus) chicks implanted with miniature transmitters to determine if surgery and implantation affected growth, behavior, or survival. Transmitters (weighing 1.2 g) were implanted subcutaneously in the interscapular region in day-old chicks. In Experiment 1, biological effects on chicks with transmitters implanted were compared with data from a control group. In Experiment 2, the effects of anesthesia only, anesthesia with an implanted transmitter, and implanted transmitter only were compared with a control. We measured responses of weight gain, survival, and pecking behavior in each experiment. In Experiment 1, we found no significant differences in weight …

Northern Iowa Wrestling 1993-94, University Of Northern Iowa

Athletics Media Guides

Contents:

--The University of Northern Iowa - Home of the 1997 NCAA Championships
--1993-94 Media Information --1
--Northern Iowa at a Glance --1
--To the Media --1
--Contents --1
--1993-94 Outlook --2-3
--Coaching Staff --4-5
--Head Coach Don Briggs --4
--The Briggs Records --4
--Don Briggs' Athletes in the Coaching Ranks --4
--Assistant Coach Joel Greenlee --5
--Assistant Coach Chris Bollin --5
--Volunteer Assistant Coach Brad Bruhl --5
--1993-94 Roster --6
--Team Captains --7-8
--Justin Greenlee --7
--Dave Malecek --7
--Andrew Showalter --8
--Nate Hartle --8
--Returning Lettermen --9
--Doug Kjeldgaard --9
--Jason Wedgbury --9
--Squad Members --10-12
--Newcomers --13-14 …

The Chemical Origin Of Life: An Exploration Of Thioesters As Energy In The Prebiotic World, Kimberly Ann Mescall

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

The origin of life has long been a mystery to scientists due to the absence of preservation of molecular structure from millions of years ago. Many hypotheses have been constructed on this topic. This paper contrasts the hypotheses of Dr. Christian De Duve, known best for his Nobel Prize winning work on the cell and the discovery of lysosomes, and Dr. Ronald Fox, a physics professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. De Duve believes that thioesters were precursors to pyrophosphate, which in turn produced adenosine-5'-triphosphate, or ATP, a molecule that is used to supply energy for many of life's …

The Modeling Of Phosphorus Dynamics In A Lake System, Todd N. Swift

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

We have constructed a basic closed stock and flow model of lake phosphorus cycling that includes three stock concentrations: inorganic phosphorus, phosphorus in living organic material, and phosphorus in dead organic material. Stocks are connected by flows that are made stock dependent in a plausible manner. The model exhibits two equilibrium points, one stable and the other unstable, with an interesting crossover between them. Below a certain total phosphorus threshold, stable equilibrium is characterized by all of the phosphorus stock residing in the inorganic form, suggesting the collapse of the biological system. Above the threshold, this is not true. We …

1994 Northern Iowa Baseball, University Of Northern Iowa

Athletics Media Guides

Contents:

--This is Northern Iowa
--Media Information --1
--Contents --1
--Quick Facts --1
--1994 Numerical Roster --2
--1994 Alphabetical Roster --3
--1994 Outlook --4-5
--Personnel at a Glance --6
--A Capsule Look --6
--Position-by-Position --6
--Coaching Staff --7-8
--Head Coach Dave Schrage --7
--Assistant Coach Ken Misfeldt --8
--Assistant Coach Joe Blake --8
--Coaches Records --8
--Missouri Valley Conference --9
--Final 1993 Missouri Valley Baseball Standings --9
--1994 Conference Schedule --9
--Player Profiles --10-18
--Facilities --19
--1993 Statistics --20
--1993 Game-by-Game Results --21
--Year-by-Year Records --22
--Panther Year-by-Year Team Statistics in Division I (since 1982) --22
--All-Time Series Records --23 …

An Examination Of The Relationships Among Learning Style, Attitudes, And Outcomes Of Computer-Assisted Instruction, Daniel Glen Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was based upon a hypothesized AptitudeTreatment Interaction (ATI). More specifically, the research investigated the relationships between student learning style (aptitude) and student outcomes with computer-assisted instruction (treatment). These outcomes included student achievement with computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and student attitude toward CAI.

To examine these relationships, a researcher-developed CAI program on light and color theory was validated and administered to 144 students in an educational media course at the University of Northern Iowa. Participants in the study were first asked to complete the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales (GRSLSS) inventory along with a demographic survey. Next, each participant completed …

Conceptual Representation Of The Newtonian Model Of Motion In University Physics Students, Yannis Hadzigeorgiou

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate how undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa who had taken prior coursework on non-calculus general physics with a unit on mechanics understand the Newtonian model of motion. In general, the study was concerned with reasoning strategies, the preconceptions that give rise to these strategies, and the schema that might be inferred from the preconceptions. In particular, the study focused on the three fundamental notions of the Newtonian model of motion: {a) that uniform straight line motion is equivalent to rest, {b) that motion is relative to an inertial frame of …

The Effect Of Incentives On Employee Motivation For Renewed Participation In Worksite Health Promotion Programs, Donald Eugene Owens

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe (a) the incentives employees value strongly enough to become involved in a worksite fitness program, and (b) the incentives their employers offer to encourage involvement in a worksite fitness program. Specifically, the study was designed to answer the following questions: 1. What incentives would entice employees who had once exercised regularly but have discontinued exercising to become involved in a worksite fitness program? 2. What incentives are currently offered to employees at Principal Financial Group to become involved in the company's fitness program? An extensive review of related literature indicated that when …

The Effect Of Inquiry Method Of Instruction On The Learning Outcomes Of Secondary School Science Students Of Various Countries In Terms Of Achievements, Process Skills And Attitudes Toward Science, Butana E. Sepenyane

Graduate Research Papers

Many students in today's schools are exposed to the traditional method of teaching. They are told by the teacher, supported with material, what they are expected to know {Schneider & Renner, 1980).

Questions, Question Asking, And The Questioning Environment For A Novice Teacher's Classroom Use, Timothy Burrell

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to provide a novice teacher with important, valuable and easily usable information regarding effective questioning, and the provision of an environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions. Two primary models of questioning are presented and the questioning environment has been discussed. Question interactions initiated by the teacher and those initiated by the students have then been considered. In the final chapter of this paper I discuss the information I believe will be most useful specifically to me in my first few years of teaching. The application of this information in my teaching will …

Global Education Attitudes And Practices In Iowa High Schools, Keith L. Stamp

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Global education is a curriculum which is creating considerable debate among educators and lay people. The Iowa Department of Education has mandated that all schools develop a global education program. Clough (1994) reports that "the globalization of American society has greatly increased the incentives for individuals in all parts of the country to become more involved in world affairs" (p. 4) . Therefore, it is important that the attitudes of educators toward global education and the implementation of global education be studied.

The purposes of this study were to identify the attitudes of public high school principals and social studies …

The Influence Of Extrinsic Rewards, Positive Competence Feedback And Competition On The Intrinsic Motivation Of School Students To Participate In Physical Activities, Dmitry Y. Soloviev

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Engaging Students In Mathematical Thought, Kara Ellen Schmadeke

Graduate Research Papers

Many early childhood educators believe that students learn by doing. This belief is Mathematical Thought 2 often translated into having students engage in activities. Play is viewed as fundamental to learning, and children engage in using manipulatives. Students actively construct knowledge through play and by interacting with others and manipulatives. This is based on Piagetian philosophy which emphasizes fixed and invariant developmental stages through which children progress. There is an emphasis on keeping from pushing students before they are ready.

Expo High School Students' Leisure Reading Habits, Vicki Cox Cose

Graduate Research Papers

One hundred twenty-eight students from Expo High School, an alternative school in Waterloo, Iowa, were interviewed to determine whether they enjoy reading, the type of material they prefer to read, and the most dominant factor limiting their recreational reading. An analysis of the data indicated that Expo students do enjoy reading during their leisure time, prefer reading fiction material, and report that time is the factor which most limits their leisure reading. Differences were found between male and female readers in the type of materials read and recommended for purchase by the school library media specialist.

A Study Of The Nature And Delivery Of The Environmental Health Curriculum In Selected Iowa Schools, Grades 9-12, Craig Allen Zoellner

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the nature and extent of environmental health education currently being offered and taught in selected Iowa high schools during grades 9-12. The sample consisted of 136 high schools in Iowa. Schools in this sample were selected based on high school size using random stratified sampling techniques. A questionnaire was constructed to ascertain the nature and extent of environmental health education. Of the 136 questionnaires mailed, 86 were returned. The data were analyzed descriptively by compilation of frequencies and percentages for responses to each question. The results of this study indicated that within …

A Report On The Assessment Procedures Used In The Evaluation Of Student Teaching At The Middle School Level, Joane W. Mckay

Faculty Publications

This conference paper on assessment of the qualities of student teachers in middle schools discusses the concepts of authentic assessment; continuous evaluation; the roles of the cooperating teacher and the university coordinator; and assessment procedures used at the University of Northern Iowa. Eleven categories are presented for use in determining; at mid-term of the student teaching experience; whether a student teacher is meeting the requirements to become an effective teacher. These are: knowledge of content and skills areas; knowledge of learners/learning process; use of instructional planning strategies; use of instructional strategies/teaching styles; use of management and discipline strategies; use of …

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And The Vietnam Veteran: Indentification Of Symptomatology For The Mental Health Professional, Jo Ellen C. Kubik

Graduate Research Papers

The war in Vietnam has left enormous emotional scars on America (Goderez, 1987). One facet of this tragedy is the fact that there are more than 500,000 Vietnam Veterans who are suffering delayed war stress (Goodwin, 1980). These veterans experience bad dreams, insomnia, uncontrollable anxiety, and depression. Often they are tormented with flashbacks. Many are afflicted by drug and/or alcohol addictions. Collectively, these stresses contribute to the fact that the Vietnam veteran's risk of suicide is 23% greater than is true for the general American population (Blair & Hildreth, 1991; Goodwin, 1980; Shore, 1986).

School-Home Partnership To Promote Literacy, Cheryl L. Adam

Graduate Research Papers

Parents are the primary influence on young children's emergent literacy. They provide the first and most important models of involvement in the language processes for their children. Children who observe their parents reading and writing in the home environment come to believe that these activities are important.

The purpose of this paper is to explore ways that parents of first graders can be engaged as partners with the school to nurture their children's emerging literacy. First, a review of professional literature concerning what parents need to know about emerging literacy among young primary-age children and how teachers can assist parents …

Nonverbal Communication In The Work Place As Perceived By Men And Women, Judith Lou Loonan

Graduate Research Papers

In order to understand the issue of nonverbal communication in the workplace as perceived by men and women, the work history of men and women and how they arrived at the present point of communication must be looked at. It must also be established what the meaning of nonverbal communication is. This research will provide a guide to establish these two points. After World War II, and especially within the past 20 years, more and more women have entered the work force. "It is estimated that by the year 2000, the percentage of women will grow to 50% of the …