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The article specifies the need for an activity-centered science program for elementary science education in the United States. Apparently, existing general science programs have become a superficial smattering of unarticulated topics, that is, it has become too general. One of the basic advantages of the doing approach or activity-centered program is its variety for individual differences of ability. More significantly, the guided activities permit tangible evidence of difficult abstractions, leading to increased comprehension and physical evidence.

The article cites a study that aims to present and to illustrate a general approach to the study and the improvement of a group of children's scientific concept development in the U.S. The study also intends to describe and analyze what was learned about the scientific concept development of a group of 29 children through a study of their percepts, interpretations, and problem solving. And the children studied were 10 to 12 years of age, and of superior intelligence. Concept development is essential to effective thinking and learning. Because concept development is so intricately related to children's total development, teachers and parents need to know and understand more about it.