A case is described of the development of a lesson plan for 10 th grade (age range 15-16) chemistry classes on the chemistry of shower gels. The lesson plan follows a socio-critical and problemoriented approach to chemistry teaching. This means that, aside from learning about the basic chemistry of the components making up modern shower gels in the lab, the students should become sensitised to the evaluation of the product, i.e. reflecting upon the use of potentially harmful ingredients. Therefore, the lesson plan also deals with the use of artificial musk fragrances in cosmetic products. The lesson plan was developed within the framework of a Participatory Action Research project. From the accompanying evaluation based on teachers' feedback, written student questionnaires and a study based on students' group discussions, the lesson plan was refined in different cycles of development, testing, evaluation and reflection. In the end, the lesson plan was found to be highly feasible, motivating, and an initiator of intense discussions among pupils. The group discussions indicate that this teaching approach has the potential to promote a more balanced and well thought-out view among at least some of the students when dealing with aspects of consumer behaviour and reports in the media. The overall approach seems to be promising for promoting higher-order cognitive skills, i.e. reflection and evaluation within the framework of science, technology and society.

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<p>Context-based science education suggests that meaningful science teaching should be based on the lifeworld, society, or potential professional future of the pupils. But: Are all corresponding contexts for science education similarly good? This paper presents a curriculum model for using socio-scientific issues as contexts for science education in general and chemistry education in particular. It discusses the implications of this approach and presents an example on chemistry teaching about the issue of tattooing.</p>

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This paper reflects the theory and practice of societal-oriented science education in the past and present of German science teaching. Starting from a quite unique German justification for more thorough societal-oriented science education and some historical reflections a model for socio-scientific issues-based science teaching will be presented. The model was developed and operated in the last ten years in Germany along many cases of curriculum design and classroom-based research. Along selected cases it will be discussed how the curriculum design and action research triggered innovation process contributes to theory development in the field of socio-scientific issues-based science education.

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