"My science students enjoy doing hands-on investigations," writes middle school teacher and content coach Anthony Cody in a column in Teacher Magazine. But boredom sets in with cookbook-like recipe activities. Instead Cody puts students in the driver's seat, letting them pose queries and search for answers, a process of guided inquiry.

Science is, indeed, a "girl thing." Here’s a listing of useful Web sites and research on the most effective practices in after-school programs.

Kids’ Carpentry is a year-round after school program designed especially for boys and girls, kindergarten through the sixth grade. Since 1982 we have been teaching kids the safe use of woodworking hand tools. Children work together and independently on boats, trucks, bird feeders, clocks, doll furniture, airplanes, games and many other projects. In addition to the fun these kids have, they also gain quality experiences in measuring, applied mathematics such as fractions, and hands-on experience with a variety of carpentry tools. By visualizing, planning and building projects, children develop valuable abstract reasoning capabilities and fine motor skills. Children can select from a wide range of project choices supplied by the teacher and are also encouraged to design and build based on their own needs and imaginations. Our Socratic style of teaching empowers the children to become good problem-solvers and independent thinkers!

Is a trip to the zoo a luxury or an important learning opportunity? A new National Research Council report stresses that trips and TV documentaries can significantly contribute to scientific understanding. Such settings and programs may also support academic gains for young people from groups historically underrepresented in science.

In his 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush pledged to "give our nation's children a firm grounding in math and science," through a new American Competitiveness Initiative, which will fund training for science teachers, and ensure school math and science courses are rigorous and engaging. Many of his recommendations echoed those in this 2005 report from the National Academy of Sciences.

The Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA), a special project of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, began assessing performance at the district level in 10 urban districts in 2002 with reading and writing assessments of fourth- and eighth-grade reading and mathematics. During the last two years, seven of the 10 districts posted larger gains than their peers nationwide in fourth-grade reading; eight districts posted larger gains than their peers nationwide in fourth-grade math; and, in eighth-grade, the percentage of students with basic math skills has increased in seven districts more than it has across the nation. In many of the systems, minority students are outperforming their peers elsewhere.

The Math/Science Network, a non-profit organization composed of educators, scientists, mathematicians, parents, students, community leaders, and government and corporate representatives, pursues as its mission the promotion of the continuing development in mathematics and science of all people, with particular emphasis on the needs of women and girls. Our primary goal is to increase the participation, retention, and advancement of girls and women in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology.

Rap-inspired math, spelling and science lessons are fast becoming music to the ears of kids in both urban and suburban settings. Superheroes like Grammar Man and CDs like De-U Records' "Multiplication Hip-Hop" aim to be the Schoolhouse Rock for a new generation. Join Rob Capriccioso as he takes a look behind the music.

Science News for Kids is devoted children ages 9 to 13. The site offers timely items of interest to kids, accompanied by suggestions for hands-on activities, books, articles, Web resources, and other useful materials.