近代科学の方法がガリレイによって創立されて以来，自然科学の研究には，実験が重要な役目を果している。
　理科教育においては，現代までに蓄積されてきた科学知識を伝達する課題と，新しい文化を創造するために必要な科学の研究方法を体得せしめる課題とがあり，この二つの課題の解決に，理科実験が重要な役割を果している。
　しかし，一般には，理科実験の意義や価値が徹底していないためか，適切な実験が行われないで，生徒の能カに合わない高度の教材を課したり，時には，G．O．Blough氏が指摘しているように，終始実験書による実験を試みて，単なる作業に終っていることもある。（１）
　本稿では，理科教育に用いられる理科実験を，自然科学の研究に用いられる研究実験と比較して，実験の目的と，実験内容や意義の異る点を明確にし，理科教育の目的に合致した指導の方法について，その一端を述べ，これにより，生徒の能カに応じた興味ある適切な実験が実施され，科学的思考カの育成を期待するものである。
1. The experiments performed in science education differ in their aims from experiments perfomed in the study of natural science. Consequently, in carrying out the respective experiments, their contents and methods are not the same.
In this study, we have compared these two cases of experiments and tried to clarify the significance of science experiments, at the same time, investigating the characteristic and the role of the experiment and its formation when they are performed by the students.
2. Through the perfommance of science experiments we are able to impose upon the students scientific information. Also, at the same time, to develop a study method for natural science. However, we must define and clarify the fundamental meaning of "scientific information" and "scientific method". We have outlined and explained some of the potentialities developed in the students through the performance of these experiments.
3. The students must have a mature understanding of the purposes of the experiment when the teacher guide the classroom for science experiments. The plan to have experiment having been formed, they sould be performed the experiment according to the plan, and directed the principles and the laws in nature, and then applied it for the further problems to be solved.In this way they are able to help the develop the student's knowledge and science methods for the future problems to be solved. We have analyzed the necessary elements for these experiments under two separate "catate categories," expenments performed by students". and "demonstrations performed by the teacher". They are studied carefully with the objectives in mind as to their effectiveness on the students.
4. We have studied under each category, the experiments in science education, and how they are evaluated in their various potentialities.We list several themes concerning the experiments, for further research oh the part of the science teacher to carrying out of the experiments effectively.