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Introduction: In 1836, Charles Darwin returned to England with finches classified and seemingly showing little resemblance. However, subsequent examination by John Gould revealed 13 closely related species endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Despite initial confusion, and Darwin's overlooking to label these birds by island, some 100 years later they had become evolution's icon. The same could be said of Darwin's education and scientific pursuits, beginning in a rough, trial and error manner, lacking direction, but eventually benefitting from an unexpected opportunity that would lead to his theory of natural selection., Case Description: This case study examines Darwin's way of learning and the reserve of courage and perseverance that he would need to see his treatise on evolution and natural selection published. To do this, themes from studying the "Nature of Science" are used to examine how Darwin's "way of knowing" advanced before and after his voyage upon HMS Beagle. Five themes from the "Nature of Science" were selected to illustrate Darwin's struggles and triumph: creating scientific knowledge is a human endeavor, such knowledge can explain an order and consistency in natural systems, knowledge comes from a scientist's way of knowing, is open to revision, and based on empirical evidence., Discussion and Evaluation: The "Nature of Science" as applied to Charles Darwin is explored through the three above mentioned themes identified by the Next Generation Science Standards. Together, the themes help explain Darwin's way of knowing, from boyhood to manhood. This explanation helps humanize Darwin, allows students to see how he arrived at his theories, how the time taken to do so wore on his health and safety, and the risk Darwin had to weigh from their eventual publication., Conclusions: Each theme ends with a summary and related extension questions to draw students into the case, and facilitate inquiry. They relate Darwin's way of learning from the 1800s and his commitment to see his work published, to the learning environment of students today.

Introduction: Historical biographies facilitate teaching the 'nature of science'. This case study focuses on how Nikolai Vavilov's unrelenting sense of purpose, courage, and charismatic personality was maintained during violent revolutionary change in Russia., Case Description: The rediscovery of Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance provided Vavilov with a scientific foundation for crop improvement, this foundation was later bolstered by Vavilov's personal drive to conserve plant biodiversity. As he advanced theories and pragmatic approaches for genetic improvement and conservation of plants, political leaders in Russian came to reject Mendel's principles and eventually Vavilov's work., Discussion and Evaluation: This rejection occurred because Joseph Stalin was desperate for a quick remedy to the famine and suffering from forced collective agriculture. Vavilov's work continued, modernizing Russian crop research while inspiring other scientists to save seeds stored in the world's first gene bank. Three themes illustrating the nature of science help examine Vavilov's life: explaining natural phenomena, uncompromising human endeavor, and revising scientific knowledge., Conclusions: The case study concludes with four questions to stimulate student inquiry and self-guided research. They also deepen student understanding of Vavilov's personal sacrifices to ensure use and conservation of plant biodiversity.

Increasing numbers of medically complex children are being referred to preschool programs managed by the public school systems. Public school speech-language pathologists have the responsibility of evaluation and intervention in the area of dysphagia. Although the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Scope of Practice includes dysphagia, there is some controversy about whether this more traditional medical intervention belongs in the educational model. In the educational setting, information and techniques must be accurately and safely transmitted to the entire team working with the child. Ongoing communication between the medical community and the school staff is crucial. The increased responsibility of the speechlanguage pathologist brings with it a variety of concerns. These include safety, mandatory cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, awareness of dangerous mealtime practices, specific education in pediatric dysphagia intervention, liability, and financial support.

A short-term longitudinal design and the probabilistic latent class method of analysis were used to study the development of young children's understanding of death. 99 first and second graders were interviewed individually in the fall and spring. The results support the notion that the subconcepts of death--irreversibility, cessation, causality, and inevitability--need to be studied separately and in relation to one another. Children first understand the subconcepts of irreversibility and inevitability. Development of these subconcepts does not seem to be conditional on each other. However, at least one of these subconcepts must be understood before the child understands the subconcepts of cessation or causality. The pattern of development of these subconcepts is different when the referent object is human versus animal. The overall methodology offers promise in understanding the development of these concepts in young children.