In this month’s column, the experts address the following questions: If you are in a car traveling at the speed of light, what would you observe if you turned on the headlights? and Given that absolute zero is the lower limit to temperature, a theoretical point at which particles would have zero velocity, could there be a hottest temperature, where particles would be limited by the speed of light, generally regarded as the “speed limit” of the universe?
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The Building Migratory Bridges (BMB) program—a collaboration between the Marvelwood School and Audubon Sharon in Connecticut and Conservation Research Education Action (CREA), a U.S. not-for-profit in Panama—uses neotropical migratory bird research in the United States and Panama to demonstrate how negative environmental impacts in one country can have harmful consequences in others. This article discusses the BMB program in terms of student-learning and community-service opportunities it presents. It further suggests that more hands-on science programs that analyze root causes of critical global issues are needed if students are to comprehend and tackle world environmental challenges.
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Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce, recycle, or eliminate the use of generation of hazardous substances. The fundamental idea of green chemistry is that the designer of a chemical is responsible for considering what will happen to the world after the product is introduced. Nike product chemist Andy Chen uses green chemistry to develop materials for apparel, equipment, and footwear that are healthy for workers, consumers, and the environment.
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Looking back, we were a nation at risk in the early 1980s, and, looking around, we still are. As the pace of global change and technological innovation increase, preparing our students for their adult lives is like hitting a moving target. We are not sure what is coming, and this is yet another reason to shift science teaching to inquiry. Inquiry prepares students with the tough mental habits of mind they need to change and adapt to the world that stretches out before them in the decades of this century. Inquiry is a paradigm shift that science teachers need to make because it is essential preparation for our students. Their future jobs depend on it. Our current and future economy depends on it as we face a rising storm of global competition.
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Beyond preparing our students for imminent economic realities, we should prepare them to think globally. American economic competitiveness in a global economy is a significant challenge that will be addressed at least in our schools. But the greatest challenge of all may be to instill in our students the desire to address global inequity and help create a world that is truly flat for all of its people.
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Access to refrigeration is something we take for granted in the United States. However, for many countries refrigeration is not an option for keeping food fresh. In 1995, a teacher in Nigeria named Mohammend Bah Abba developed and began to popularize a low-cost alternative to electric refrigerators called the zeer pot. Several of the authors’ chemistry students, who are also taking ceramics, became intrigued with zeer pots and wanted to study them for their end-of-the-year inquiry projects. This article discusses the students’ investigations of zeer pots, and the use of evaporation as a cooling technique.
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Historical stories of scientists provide an excellent opportunity to help students see that science is indeed a human endeavor and demonstrate the interrelationships among science, technology, and society. A number of engaging historical accounts illustrate characteristics of the nature of science. The story of Lise Meitner leads students through the processes of how one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of this century occurred. Her role in nuclear research and her proposal of the nuclear-fission theory can be used to illustrate many of the characteristics of the nature of science.
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International comparisons help us explore the assumptions made about U.S. schools, students, and pedagogy. That is why the author decided to spend five months in the Czech Republic teaching science education courses at Palacky and Ostrava Universities and learning about the Czech education system. As a result, the new context challenged his notions about science education in the United States. The intent of this article is to raise questions to encourage discussion and analysis, not to advocate the superiority of any nation’s education system or methods.
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The study of electricity in general science or physics is fascinating for students. Unfortunately, a number of electrical dangers exist in the laboratory that are applicable to all types of science including biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth science. Varying degrees of exposure can lead to paralysis, unconsciousness, or even death. This column outlines the basic electrical dangers in an effort to show how the study and use of electricity can be fun and safe.
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This article is an introduction to the international assessments Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and a review of results from 2003. International comparisons, especially in the media, have elevated interest in science education and stimulated discussions about teaching practices that will contribute to college preparation and workforce skills for the 21st century. Several insights and reflections on international assessments are also discussed.
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George Roberts has been teaching ninth-grade Earth science in Gardston, Iowa, for 10 years. This year, as chair of the Gardston High School’s science department, he agreed to have all the English Language Learner (ELL) students assigned to his classes. George’s goal was to learn more about the needs of these students and arrive at a set of techniques he could share with the rest of his science team. Understanding the rural community of origin of his Mexican ELL students can help George learn more about his students and teach them better. This article reports on a visit some of the authors made to the shared hometown of George’s students in hopes of uncovering aspects of the students’ former lives that stand to impact their experience in his classroom.
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As complex and theoretical as constructivist principles sounds, classroom application often boils down to two precepts. First, learning is an active process—it does not happen passively. Learners need to mentally process new ideas to assimilate or accommodate them into cognitive structures. Second, transitioning misconceptions toward scientifically accepted ideas involves recognizing deficiencies in the current way a student thinks combined with presentation of an alternative that works better. One way to better understand these principles is to apply them to common teaching situations. Some examples are presented in this month’s column.
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Native ant species do not exist on the island of Maui, the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands. However, one ant, the little fire ant (LFA or Wasmannia auropunctata) has recently appeared in the region, being discovered on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1999. As a result, the LFA is a serious impending threat to Pacific biodiversity. The invasion of LFAs provides an ideal story problem for a series of lessons designed in the Japanese lesson study (JLS) style. Using this approach, students use problem-solving techniques and work collaboratively as they study LFAs and learn about environmental unity, evolution, and integrated pest management.
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