This study presents how a professional development program (PD) of K-12 teachers affects participants' use of the earth system approach and their perceptions of using the urban environment for their science teaching and lesson unit development. This study utilized mixed methods to collect and analyze the data. Eleven urban teachers' pre-post lessons (45 lessons) were analyzed quantitatively using a lesson plan analysis tool, modified by the author, and their lesson reflections were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of this study show that the PD program influences the teachers to choose more topics and content knowledge based on the earth system approach and to assess the topics and content knowledge with more appropriate methods. Specifically, the teachers use more urban environmental factors/topics in their post lesson to teach the environmental topics of urban area. However, according to the statistical analysis of pre-and postlesson plan scores, the accuracy of the earth system knowledge that participants used in their lessons did not change significantly (p〈0.05) (Table 4), which means that the PD program did not affect the improvement of the teacher's content knowledge in earth system science. Implications of this study are discussed.

The purpose of the study was to develop computer-based menu planning program for day-care centers maximizing food preference score among children and satisfying such constraints as expense, nutrients, and season. Children's preference about 142 menu items was surveyed among 382 children of day-care centers. A 16-bit personal computer compatible with IBM-PC/AT was used. The data base files were created by dBASE III Plus, and processing programs were created by using FORTRAN language. Children preferred bread or a la carte menu items to cooked rice in main dish category. Deep fat fried or stir-fried menu items were more preferred than kimchi or cooked vegetables in side dish category. Preference scores for menu items were influenced by cooking methods or main ingredients. The contents of the computerized system show that when the program runs, the user should type inputs of cycle, season, and menu pattern, then the computer lists a series of menu satisfying the criteria of constraints. The user can examine and select a set of menu from the menu lists. Menus are generated seasonally. Menu lists are generated weekly and monthly basis with the contents of menu items, preference scores and price. Nutrient reports are also generated on a weekly and monthly basis with the contents of calories, 12 nutrients and price. Recipes for each menu items are also generated.