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Variations In Life Science Investigations

Technology Brings New Life to Life Science

Santa Cruz, CA —
Learning in Motion is pleased to announce the release of Variations in Life Science Investigations CD-ROM. Variations in Life Science Investigations makes effective use of computer technology to offer unique opportunities to students. For example, students examine the body position of an athlete as she walks, runs, and jogs, comparing her body angles and stride length for each physical activity.

Variations in Life Science Investigations is designed to be easily integrated into all life science curricula. The series is based on 12 life science topics judged by experienced life science instructors as difficult to teach. A brief video introduces each topic, providing a synopsis of the life science content and introducing the two investigations in the topic. Throughout the Investigations, students are challenged to think through stimulating problems—problems that require more than just a "yes" or "no" answer.

For example, students analyze data from a university study to determine if nitrogen-fixing bacteria are as effective as traditional chemical-based nitrogen fertilizer in fertilizing soybean plants. Using graphs they construct, students analyze the data and, considering cost, make their recommendations to soybean farmers.

Students look at the effects of using nitrogen-producing bacteria instead of fertilizer.

The Variations in Life Science Investigations CD-ROM complements, but is not dependent on, the Variations in Life Science video series. Investigations within each of the 12 topics correlate to the topics covered in the video series.

Main menu screen of Variations in Life Science Investigations CD-ROM

Variations in Life Science Investigations CD-ROM contains 24 investigations, two investigations for each of the 12 life science topics. The accompanying Teacher’s Guide provides objectives, ideas on how teachers may use the investigations, and hands-on activities for each topic. The stand-alone version, containing the CD-ROM and Teacher’s Guide, is priced at $129. Lab packs and site licenses are available. For more information or a free 30-day preview of Variations in Life Science Investigations CD-ROM or the Variations in Life Science video series, (available only to US and Canadian educational institutions) contact Learning in Motion at (800) 560-5670.

Awards

• 1996 Editor’s Choice Award, Booklist Magazine
• 1998 MultiMedia Schools report card: Five out of five stars

Reviews

Designed to foster scientific problem solving and questioning skills, 24 investigations engage students and cover a wide variety of topics. The exceptional crafting of the activities force the user to think and work on these skills.

—Comments for the 1996 ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice Award list (http://www.ala.org/booklist/)

This program is easy for students to understand and use with minimal teacher supervision or assistance. It can be used as a center learning station where students have time to explore and answer various questions about specific topics. It also can be used as a demonstration, as an introductory unit, or for assessment by the teacher. Groups or individuals could access the information for reports and presentations.

—Comments from the California Instructional Technology Clearinghouse (http://www.clrn.org/home/)

User Comments

Installation was extremely easy and took very little time on a PowerPC...

The laboratory activities related to each lesson are quite innovative, and I have not encountered some of them before. They contain a good amount of detail in the directions for special materials and solutions... Of all the units, I was most impressed by the section on classification, which made full use of the video to offer a simple-to-understand and organized explanation of how scientists classify tigers.

I would gladly recommend this product for use in the middle school life science classroom... The high caliber of the videos, suggested labs, and computer activities easily justify its expense. Highly recommended.

—Kevin Coleman of The Portledge School, NY, reviewing for the January 1998 issue of MultiMedia Schools (http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/default.shtml)

© 2004 Learning in Motion, Inc.