ABSTRACT
The Girls into Science and Technology (GIST) experience has generated many ideas about making science more 'girl friendly' and this has possibly been the project's most important outcome. Bias in textbooks, and the lack of a motivating social context, are thus two of the criticisms of the way the content of science ignores or bypasses girls' interests. Girl friendly science builds on girls' known interests, so that half the class is not automatically excluded by implication. A feature of 'girl friendly' science is that it should provide visual or physical, but especially first-hand experiences which will help children understand scientific processes, with girls participating at least as much as boys. Another feature of girl friendly science has more to do with teachers' attitudes and beliefs and the atmosphere created in the lab. Many of the features of physical science which girls find unprepossessing are unattractive for boys as well.
