Science Is a Study of Earth: a Resource Guide for Science Curriculum Restructure
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 391 638 SE 056 396 AUTHOR Mayer, Victor J., Ed.; Fortner, Rosanne W., Ed. TITLE Science Is A Study of Earth: A Resource Guide for Science Curriculum Restructure. INSTITUTION . Ohio State Univ., Columbus. School of Natural Resources.; University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. SPONS AGENCY National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. PUB DATE Apr 95 NOTE 252p.; Large poster accompanying original document not included in ERIC copy. AVAILABLE FROMThe Ohio State University, School of Nacural Resources, ECEI Program, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210. PUB TYPE Guides General (050) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Curriculum Development; Educational Change; *Educational Strategies; Elementary Secondary Education; *Environmental Education; Science Activities; Science and Society; Science Course Improvement Projects; Science Curriculum; Workshops ABSTRACT Earth Systems Education (ESE)is an effort to establish within U.S. schools more effective programs designed to increase public understanding of the Earth System that surrounds and sustains us all. ESE focuses on establishing an understanding of the processes that operate within our environment and uses the science thinking and problem-solving processes that are of most use in studying and solving the many social problems that confront the world today. This document is a product of a special summer workshop of participants from the Program for Leadership in Earth Systems Education (PLESE). Sections include:(1) "Exploring Earth Systems Education";(2) "The National Context for Science Education Reform"; (3) "5uccessful Strategies for Using Earth Systems Education in Science Curriculum Restructure"; (4) "A Guide to ESE Curriculum Restructure and Implementation"; (5) "Teaching Approaches in an Earth Systems Classroom"; (6) "Resources for Implementing Earth Systems Education";(7) "Conducting Earth Systems Education Workshops"; (8) "Scoping Out an Earth Systems Curriculum"; and (9) "Sample Activities and Units." (JRH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original dccument. * *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS Ofhce of Educabonel Research and improvarnent M TERI HAS B EN GRANTED BY EDucATIoNALREsouRcEsINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document heti been reproduced IS 1\0Z evolved from the porton or organization SCI NCE nahng it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Ouality Points of view or opr mons stated in this dock,- TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ment do not necessarily represent official INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).- IS A OERI CiOnition or policy STUDY OF EARTH A Resource Guide for Science Curriculum Restructure qt.:to Mt. Rainier, Washington Earth Systems Education The Ohio State University University of Northern Colorado 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE SCIENCE IS A STUDY OF EARTH A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR SCIENCE CURRICULUM RESTRUCTURE Developed by Staff and Participants of the Program for Leadership in Earth Systems Education The Ohio State University and The University of Northern Colorado Victor J. Mayer and Rosanne W. Fortner, Editors Under a grant from the National Science Foundation, Division of Teacher Enhancement Victor J. Mayer, Principal Investigator Rosanne W. Fortner and William Hoyt, Co-principal Investigators April 1995 sch it( ioli ult I.\RillSN',I I\I'. EDI ( I I()\ CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS GUIDE AND TO THE PROGRAM FOR LEADERSHIP IN EARTH SYSTEMS EDUCATION Coordinating Centen Western Regional Center: *Victor J. Mayer, Director *William Hoyt, Director Mildred Graham Department of Educational Studies Department of Earth Science College of Education The Ohio State University University of Northern Colorado Georgia State University Greeley, CO Atlanta, GA *Dan Jax, Associate Director Bexley Junior High School *Ray Tschillard, Associate Director Jane N. Crowder Bexley, OH Department of Earth Science Issaquah Public Schools University of Northern Colorado Issaquah, WA William C. Steele, Staff Laboratory School Marysville Middle School Greeley, CO Edwin Shay Marysville, OH Worthington City Schools Lisa Pitot, Staff Worthington, OH Jiang Maan Broadhurst, Staff Gilpin County School District Tainan National Teachers Blackhawk, CO Gerald Krockover University Department of Earth and Tainan, Taiwan William Schmoker, Staff Atmospheric Science Centennial Middle School Purdue University Joyce Meredith, Staff Boulder, CO West Lafayette, IN West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Caryn Morin, Staff Arie Korporaal University of Northern Los Angeles County Office of Carol Landis, Staff Colorado Education The Ohio State University Greeley, CO Downy, CA Tung-Guang Hsueh, Staff Project Evaluators: Advisory Committee: The Ohio State University Iris Weiss John Carpenter, Chair Eastern Regional Center: Horizon Research, Inc. Professor of Geology Chapel Hill, NC University of South Carolina *Rosanne W. Fortner, Director Columbia, SC School of Natural Resources Sally Boyd The Ohio State University Horizon Research, Inc. Bonnie Brunkhorst Chapel Hill, NC National Science Teachers *Ronald E. Armstrong, Associate Association Director Planning Committee: California State University South Glens Falls Junior High School San Bernadino, CA South Glens Falls, NY Shirley Brown Clinton Middle School G. Brent Dalrymple Richard Pontius, Staff Columbus, OH American Geophysical Union U.S. SUNY Plattsburgh Geological Survey Plattsburgh, NY Susan Humphris Menlo Park, CA Sea Education Association Ron Pilatowski, Staff Woods Hole, MA James Rutherford Thomas Worthington High American Association for the School K. Lee Shropshire Advancement of Science Worthington , OH Department of Earth Science Washington, DC University of Northern Colorado Lorien Marshall, Staff Greeley, CO Marilyn Suiter The Ohio State University Association for Women Geoscientists Lloyd H. Barrow American Geological Institute College of Education Washington, DC University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO Frank Watt-Ireton Ed Shay Participants: National Earth Science Teachers Worthington City Schools Association Worthington, OH The major contributors to the American Geophysical Union Project for Leadership in Earth Washington, DC K. Lee Shropshire Systems Education (PLESE) and Department of Earth Science this publication were the 178 Kenneth Wilson University of Northern Colorado elementary, middle school and Department of Physics Greeley, CO high school teachers and the 99 The Ohio State University school administrators and college Marilyn Suiter representatives on the participant E-An Zen American Geological Institute teams. Names and addresses of Geological Society of America Washington, DC leaders of the participants teams The University of Maryland can be found in Section Four College Park, MD Frank Watt-Ireton entitled Resources for Earth Systems American Geophysical Union Education. Futures Committee: Washington, DC Ronald Armstrong Others: South Glens Falls Junior High School Charlene Czerniak South Glens Falls, NY College of Education University of Toledo Nancy Bailey Toledo, OH Kraxberger Middle School Gladstone, OR Frank Day Webutuck Elementary Lloyd Barrow School College of Education Amenia, NY University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO Mark Maley Thomas Worthington Shirley Brown High School Clinton Middle School Worthington, OH Columbus, OH Lyn Samp David Crosby Dedham Public Park Street Middle School Schools Grove City, OH Dedham, MA Jane N. Crowder Carla Steele Issaquah Public Schools Marysville Exempted Issaquah, WA School District Marysville, OH Ed Geary Geological Society of America Boulder, CO Susan Humphris Rosanne Fortner, Director of tne PLESE Eastern Center, at the RIDGE Project ESE display, a part of the Coalition for Earth Science Education Woods Hole, MA booth at the 1994 National Science Teachm Association meeting. Gayle Ryley Butler Elementary School *Project Directors and Associate Directors were exofficio members of the Ft. Lupton, CO Planning Committee and the Futures Committee Photography in the Guide, unless otherwise indicated, is by Vic Mayer. Desktop publishing by Pat Patterson Ut . RI S(11 IL(I GI WII ()IL \ ILI II SN II\I', EDI ( )110\ EARTH SYSTEMS EDUCATION PREFACE Earth Systems Education (ESE) is an effort to establish, within the nation's schools, more effective programs designed to increase public understanding of the Earth System that surrounds and sustains us all. ESE has grown out of the massive effort of science curriculum restructuring that has engaged many scientists and science educators over the past decade. It is a response to the changing needs of a country that has become the only world powerone that is experiencing the environmental and social ills stemming from its focus on a cold war and before that, a succession of World Wars. As our country's situation in the world has changed, so must the science that has assisted it in preparing for wars. ESE is the only wide-scale science education program that is directing its attention to this new world in which the United States and its fellow countries find themselves. It focuses on the subject of all science, planet Earth, placing it at the center of the new science curriculum. Basic science concepts necessary for the understanding of natural processes are taught through a study of the Earth subsystems in which they operate. The concept of "density," for example, can be taught through a study of weather systems