Which is the Best Fuel?

This script describes an activity to determine the 'best' fuel, but also asks students to reflect on the meaning of best in this situation. In particular it asks the student to decide whether best refers to the ‘least amount of fuel’ used for heating a certain amount of water, or whether it refers to the fuel that heats the water ‘the fastest’. The unit is designed to be used as part of the topic on fuels. It can also be a component of a topic on petroleum.

How Happy are You and Your Family with the Electricity Bill?

This module leads to a decision making activity, designed to consolidate learning about consuming energy, and energy saving, taking examples from everyday life and to introduce the concept of power. It involves the reading of an electricity bill and checking that the calculation of the bill is correct. It introduces students to the (kilo)watt as a unit of power and the kilowatt hour as the unit used in the home for energy consumption.

Can Lake Water Be Made Safe?

Lake water is an important source of household water in many countries. But lake water can accumulate water soluble substances used within the environmental and can be home to many unicellular and multicellular inhabitants. This module examines the condition of the lakewater and the life within it. It raises the question as to whether the lake water is safe and if not how safe drinking water can be established. During this study an understanding of the term micro-organism is introduced

Are We Overusing Plastics?

Plastics have invaded our lives to such an extent that it is almost impossible to think of life without them. Since plastics do not decompose as easily as other materials, their excessive use has created a problem of disposal of discarded products like plastics bags and bottles. As a result, plastics are slowly becoming a potential danger to the environment. But there is the problem of the disposal of plastic waste.

Shampoo – is there truth behind the advertisement?

This module is designed to make students aware of the ingredients of commercial shampoos and their role within the product. Students become aware that much attention goes into appearance and smell of the product even though they play little role in the functioning of shampoos. Students become aware of the power of the advertising industry in promoting a product and influencing public choice. They also become aware of how the environmental implications of products such as shampoo can be considered.

Preventing Holes in Teeth – are beliefs justified?

This module explores the reasons behind tooth decay and the role of toothpastes. It explores the value of fluorides in preventing tooth decay and other believes that have been put forward over the ages to prevent the lost of teeth through decay. The module considered whether the beliefs are justified.

Popularity and Relevance of Science Education for Science Literacy