Using Today's In the News to build Science Literacy

"Five Million Test-Tube Babies Born Worldwide  The birth of Louise Brown, the world's first so-called test-tube baby, made headlines around the globe in 1978. The use of in vitro fertilization (IVF), an assisted reproductive technique in which the egg is fertilizedoutside the womb and then implanted in the uterus, was considered controversial at the time, but in the decades since, it has been widely accepted and has helped millions of infertile couples to conceive. To date, experts estimate that five million test-tube babies have been born. About 350,000 enter the world every year.More ... Discuss"   Source:  In the News.   Accessed July 5, 2012.

The quote above is from In the News included at the left.  Because the left-hand column In the News section changes every day, the quote for today is included here so the correct In the News item stays with the post.

Parents can use newspaper and web articles on current science topics to strengthen their children's science literacy:

• Build vocabulary
• fertilization
• in vitro
• in vivo
• reproduction
• reproductive
• egg
• ovum
• conception
• conceive
• fertile
• infertile
• test-tube
• womb
• uterus
• reproductive system
• meiosis
• Capture student interest
• Use the picture
• Relate to a family that is trying IVF 
• Link to topics in the curriculum
• meiosis
• somatic versus sex cells
• life cycles
• Discuss family values
• Talk about possible families, adoption, IVF, abortion, sharing your values
• Build the habit of staying current in science and technology
• Make, "keeping up with the times," a habit.

Enjoy the news with your family.  Build science literacy as you do.  Your child may develop an interest in further studying one of the news topics and be gifted to bring new science news to us in the future.  At a minimum, it is likely that keeping up with science as it develops will enhance employability and youthfulness.  Yes, enjoy the news with your family.

(c)2012 J S Shipman .  All rights reserved.  All posts on this blog are copyrighted.