Middle School (~ages 11-13) and High School(~ages 14-18)Teachers

Educators, grades 6-12 Register NOW for the
SPRING 2010 "PlantingScience" session!!

Click here for more information.
Source: botany.org. Accessed 12-24-09

Evaluating Sources as a Part of Science Literacy

Today information is readily available. But, how does a student evaluate the literature available? "Hype" and sales pitches are easy to read, but, do they provide accurate information? Some do. Some do not. How do you know?

There is much controversy over human chorionic gonadotropin, better known to the general public as HCG. How can we use science literacy skills to evaluate this compound? If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know we typically start with general information and progress through Reach Reading TM to the refereed journal articles, which are peer reviewed.

Obesity is a problem. HCG is a product touted to contribute to lasting weight loss(Here's one website, but, there are many: http://www.yourhcg.com). Is that a factual concept? We know money is made from people trying various products or surgery to lose weight. How can one use science literacy to determine which information to believe? I am not saying use this example, HCG, for students. Pick something of interest to them. For example, if they have a pet cat, they might be interested in pet food advertisements and research that has been done on pet nutrition.

Do a search engine search for HCG (or a student- or teacher- selected topic). Pick a few articles. Evaluate them. How difficult is the vocabulary? Are the claims backed up with fact? Take some notes on points that interest you and remember to note the information to site the sources (left hand column of the blog has some style manual links if you need assistance with that).

Now, using some words or phrases that you find in the general literature to help you find information in the technical literature...the laboratory reports. Remember. the laboratory reports follow a format that is international in nature and are peer-reviewed (evaluated by other scientists in the same field):

• Introduction (background information, and hypothesis to be tested),
• Materials and Methods (procedures)
• Results (data)
• Discussion and Conclusions (discussion of the data, suggested public policy, suggested future experiments and requests for funding...)
• Literature Cited (gives complete source information)

These "laboratory reports" will be easy to recognize if you follow the same format for your own classroom laboratory experiments (granted, simplified as per student ability).

Here are some examples of peer-reviewed ("refereed") journal articles on HCG:

1. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) in the Treatment of Obesity: A Critical Assessment of the Simeons Method by Frank L. Greenway, MD and George A. Bray, MD. West J Med. 1977 December. Vol. 127. No. 6. Pp. 461-463. PMCID:PMC1237915 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC1237915/

2. Effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin on weight loss, hunger, and feeling of well-being by W. L. Asher M.D.¹ and Harold W. Harper M.D.¹ From the American Society of Bariatric Physicians Research Council, 333 West Hampden Avenue, Englewood, Colorado 80110. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol 26. Pp211-218. (c) 1973 by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/2/211

These two articles have opposing conclusions, so, to formulate my own opinion on this topic, I would have to find more research. Knowing myself, I'd probably do an exhaustive search. The idea is not for students to take my opinion, nor for them to take their teacher's opinion, but, rather for them to learn to form their own opinions and be able to back those opinions up with information from refereed journals.

Check who paid for the research. Does the article support or attack or remain neutral on the points of interest to you? Were the research methods sound? (This type of analysis must be done at the students level...but even pre-school children get the concept of control versus experimental, even if they may not know all the vocabulary.) Is the vocabulary tougher? If we want to know something, we learn the vocabulary. (I have seen students in elementary and high school science classes use the refereed journal articles and stay much more engaged in science class as a result. But, even if the articles are too hard to read, the students get the idea that research exists and if they have a need to know, they will find and learn to read the articles. Students have come back years later to thank me for introducing them to the journal articles. Two more notes: 1- Journal articles exist in all fields...in case you are an artist, or a history buff... 2- People that win the national science fairs typically read a few refereed journal articles.)

Sometimes you might come across related articles that are a bit off topic, yet peek interest in further study, such as research ...

on HCG and breast cancer risk (or lack of risk).
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/4/5/437.full.pdf; Accessed 10-26-09.

Find some refereed research articles on your selected topic(s).

Plan to write a persuasive essay based on your findings.

Most of all, have fun. I think of this as, "mental recreation."

Edit, Nov. 4, 2009:
Not convinced that refereed journal article reading is an important part of science literacy?
Want one parent's viewpoint on reading journal articles, which concurrently explains basic biology and genetic engineering? Try reading The Unhealthy Truth: How our Food is making us Sick and What We can do about It, by Robyn O'Brien [and] Rachel Kranz (Broadway Books (Random House), New York. 2009). Read more.


(c)2009 J S Shipman All rights reserved. Portions (c)1985-2009 J S Shipman. Used with permission of the author.

Science Teacher Education and Curriculum Development: Questions for Reflection

Reflection directions: Read through the questions and then write a reflection about what you think. Feel free to post ideas in the comments.

Do you have input for teacher education and curriculum development? You might if you are an employer needing employees with math and science skills. You might if you are a parent of a young child. You might if you are a researcher with knowledge of new scientific developments. You might if you are already teaching science at any level. You might if you are a student.

To have a science that educates us for sustainability, many of your experiences contribute to developing and implementing a leading curriculum for science.

Skilled scientists and/or global citizen, we all need science education. To have it reflect the situations of the world and support diverse needs, science education continually needs to be updated. Higher-order thinking skills, critical thinking skills, are necessary to learn what we need to know to be effective global citizens building sustainability.

Science is not easy for everyone. How can the knowledge we need be transmitted? How can people stay current as times change?There is so much to know and more data available every day. How do we not get overwhelmed? How do we use the new technologies to improve science education? How do we account for diversity of experiences, linguistics, and cultures in curriculum design? How do we expand our curriculum and instruction forum to increase multiculturalism?

How can the programs developed engage the learners? How do we imagine better science education programs? How do we evaluate/assess science learned? How do we help individuals, male and female, old or young or in-between, of any culture or race or mixed races, to recognize their potential to do science...to contribute positively to the global community?

How do we use science education to foster the desire to learn continually? How do we encourage use of science knowledge to improve the world?

The Public Library of Science

For information on the Public Library of Science, click here.

Please add your comments and reviews.

There is an article in one of the journals on. "the general paucity in the literature of negative data." (Source: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050201, accessed 11-13-07).

Remember that, "no," to a hypothesis still gives valuable information. This point is important to convey to science fair judges, participants in science fairs, the general public who ultimately fund what could be un-biased research, and to scientists and journal editors.

Dr. J

(c)2008 J S Shipman

Some teacher-directed links suggested by the British Mycological Society

• Cells Worksheet from the British Mycological Society
  
• Inspiring learning for All from the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council
• Department for Children, Schools and Families
  
• 
• http://www.exploringscience.co.uk/ (I couldn't link here. You might try pasting the link into your browser, or, the cache if this link doesn't work. I'll work on it.)

For information on the British Mycological Society, click here.

Teaching Science? Where does your school stand?

Here's a video done by children for adults:

So, what can you do about it?
Teachers, please note, you can teach science and math at the same time, or, science and literature at the same time., or, science and history at the same time. You can teach science on the playground or when you go for a walk.

There are grants you can get to get equipment for your school.

Parents, please note, you can have an after school homework club where a group of kids are supervised by one or two different parents every day. You can check your child's homework. You can volunteer at school. You can take your children to museums, botanic gardens, zoological gardens and observatories. You can go for a walk at a national park. You can volunteer at school. You can talk with your chil and his or her teacher(s).

Youth, you can study. You can find something you are interested in and study science standards through that subject area.

You can all write to your polititions.

You can use resources in the left hand column of this blog.

Teachers can come to the International Conference!

Teachers are welcome to attend the Botanical Society of America Conferences.

Teachers get a special (affordable) rate for the conference. Perhaps your school will sponsor you. Information on dates of the next two conferences is shown below. however, you can get much more detail at the BSA website: http://www.botany.org/conferences/

BOTANY 2008 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 26 - 30, 2008, Joint meeting with the Canadian Botanical Association-L'Association Botanique du Canada, American Fern Society and American Society of Plant Taxonomists

Note that the H.O.T. Skills Wheel Workshop will be held on Sunday at the conference. There are still a few openings if you would like to attend.

Botany 2009 - Snowbird, Utah, July 25 - 30, Joint meeting with the Mycological Society of America, ABLS, AFS, and ASPT

Computers, Proteins, Enzymes, Cheese

Computers, Proteins, Enzymes, Cheese
Watch this video, if you please.



Compare and contrast this video to the one posted yesterday. You might want to use a Venn diagram and write an essay on the comparison and contrast.

Check this out: International Botany News!!!

The website: www.plantscafe.net is now online
(some bits and pieces are still under development, but, most of this great website is up and running now).

Science: K-6, Same Lessons, Many Reading Levels

Has anyone tried these lesson plans and can comment?

Sometimes it is fun to start science with a story.

The Tortoise and the Hares run from Sydney to Melbourne
ia a story you will treasure.

Now, let's link it to science and use it as an example of how you could develop a science fair project.

The story has a literature side and a sports side. You might be a literary or sports fan, but, you have to do science. How can you use your interests to your benefit? Can you think of some possible ways?

Does the story help you think up a "do-able" experiment?

Here are some hints:
control vs experimental
rules for animal experiments
physiology
turtles
tortoises
speed of different animals
data
repeatability
aerobic exercise and blood oxygen content
blood oxygen in people of all ages
sports medicine
exercise and health
when being slow wins, health=wise
results
drawings, photos, charts
...
Add your own brainstorm and then write an experimental design. Post any questions.

(c)2008 J. S. Shipman. All rights reserved

Web Guides for Teachers Link to try and comment ...

http://www.webguidesforteachers.com/default4.htm