Florida Citizens for Science

Learning something new every day …

Making Santa sweat

If Ol’ Saint Nick was around 55 million years ago, he would have been a bit toasty at his north pole headquarters.

And speaking of warm …

So, scientists present information that warmer ocean temperatures are possibly causing stronger hurricanes. Governor Bush listened and cautiously “encouraged them” to do continue researching. Florida governor hopeful Crist, however, was a bit more impressed. It should be noted, though, that the article rounded up scientists from both sides of the strengthened hurricane debate to state their cases.

I hope your Memorial Day was a good one. Did you take some time today to honor our fallen countrymen and women on this day of picnics and home improvement store sales? Semper Fi to all my fellow Marines out there.

I finally got around to creating a Learning Something New category. About time, eh?

Counting eyes, but not teeth

Apparently, our Florida trademark, alligators, are healthy and thriving out there in the swamps … and looking to reclaim some of their land judging by the gator attacks in the news lately. What new thing did I learn from this article? A gator’s brain is the size of a human thumb. So, I guess there is no reasoning with one.

Honors Summer Institute to hone mental muscles

They’ll map their own DNA and do CSI-style forensic fingerprinting on a half-eaten bagel.

And students such as 16-year-old Rashida Polk will learn about such cutting-edge science not only in the laboratory, but in college classrooms at Florida Atlantic University’s first summer science institute, hosted in conjunction with Scripps Florida.

Polk signed up for a bioethics class during FAU’s three-week program, which is open to high school students entering their junior and senior years.

Science teachers getting basic training in the evolution wars

In classrooms across the country, science teachers are increasingly finding themselves on the front lines of the decades-long evolution wars, pitting accepted scientific explanations against biblical-based challengers. So when some 15,000 science teachers convened for their annual conference recently, many attended workshops designed to help them deal with the issue.

Lots of good, educational links are available from that Panda’s Thumb post. Check it out when you have a moment.

Things are looking ugly in the Florida science classroom according to both a national test and the FCAT.

Only half of Florida’s eighth-graders had even basic science skills 10 years ago, and a new nationwide test indicates they have not improved.

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In Jefferson County just east of Tallahassee, only 6 percent of eighth-graders met minimum standards on the exam, given as part of the annual Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

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Students in much of America scored poorly on the test administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, but the performance of Florida eighth-graders lagged six points below the national average.

Among their shortcomings, the Florida students couldn’t gather information from graphs and diagrams, didn’t understand concepts involving the solar system and did not have a grasp of cause-and-effect relationships.

And here’s a particularly relevant quote that strikes right at the heart of the matter:

“It’s stuff they should know,” said Victor Hatfield, a science teacher at Union Park Middle in Orange County, who served on a committee that set passing levels on the test. “But many students do not see science as relevant to their lives.”

I know my two kids are struggling to see why understanding algebra or chemistry should matter to them. Ma and Pa explain to the teen and pre-teen that it is very important to understanding the world, building up a foundation of knowledge for the future. That fails to impress them. What does it matter to me now? I’m not going to be a chemist!

So, yes, they don’t see the majority of science, especially any parts that don’t explode or look gross, as relevant.

Denise Walczak teaches sixth-grade science at Kissimmee’s Neptune Middle School, where 70 percent of eighth-graders flunked the FCAT science test. She attributed that to the high number of transient students and to the nature of the subject.

“In science, we have to incorporate all the disciplines: reading and writing, mathematics, and even social studies. If a child is weak in one area; it’s going to reflect,” she said.

FCAT science results will figure into school grades next year. But educators say the poor scores for 2006 underline the larger concern that the United States is not producing the scientists it needs to stay competitive in an increasingly technical world.

The Nation’s Report Card website offers quite a bit of insight into the tests they administered. You can even see sample questions and how kids did on them. Here’s one sample from the 12th grade test:

A newspaper article reported that a fossil was found that was 200,000 years old according to generally accepted radioactive dating procedures. A letter to the editor of the newspaper disputed the accuracy of the age determination because the fossil was found closer to the Earth’s surface than were previously discovered fossils of the same age.

Which of the following would be an appropriate argument against the letter writer’s claim?

A) Older rock layers commonly lie deeper underground than younger ones.

B) Older rock layers may be pushed closer to the surface by geologic processes.

C) The age of a rock layer can often help in determining the age of the fossils it contains.

D) Fossils form only under certain conditions.

Only 49% of students got the correct answer, which is B.

In a localized story, the county where I live was among the best in the state in science. That encouraging news is deflated, though, by this tidbit:

The science results come as Lake County Superintendent Anna Cowin is proceeding with a proposed overhaul of the science curriculum for middle-school and high-school campuses but has yet to present her changes to the School Board or secure the board’s approval as required by state law. Schools were notified of the proposed revisions in February.

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“I would like to know what they have done,” Conner said. “Apparently there are some changes, but we can’t seem to get an explanation from the superintendent’s office as to what they may or may not be.”

Cowin did not respond to e-mails and phone calls Wednesday seeking comment on the science achievement of district students or the proposed changes in the curriculum.

What changes are in store? And why keep it all in the dark? Cowin is a controversial personality in Lake County. She’s portrayed in the media as very confrontational with the school board. Editorials are constantly questioning her decisions and strange way of conducting business. A quick Google search for her turns up some very right-leaning views during her political career. I hope this isn’t a sign of anti-science tendencies. We’ll see.

Obviously, this science curriculum overhaul bears close watching.

And on a side note, a good discussion about the National Test is over at the Uncertain Principles blog at Science Blogs.

Commitee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) published an interview with National Center for Science Education director Eugenie Scott. I was mildly shocked by Scott’s stating that by a strict scientific definition of the word “theory,” Intelligent Design could be a theory. I can grudgingly see the point; however, it seems to me that any crackpot idea could then be labeled a theory, thus watering down the definition to the point where it’s nearly the same as the common definition of a hunch or guess. Sure, Scott says theories can be wrong, but I don’t think even calling ID a wrong theory is justifiable. There has to be a line drawn between truly developing an explanation of facts and playing Jedi mind tricks.

I do like how Scott publicaly wonders why Florida’s Michael Ruse engages in debates with the creationists. No sugar coating that, eh?

And you know I can’t resist posting her quote about American science education. I’m just so predictable.

BB: We hear a lot about children in this country falling behind their counterparts in other countries. How does this controversy play into the overall educational picture?

ES: Certainly, if the United States is going to maintain its technological superiority, we have to have good science education. We don’t have as good science education as we’d like; it’s very patchy. Some schools do a wonderful job; others do a terrible job; many do a mediocre job. The systematic avoidance of the teaching of evolution is a real ‘canary in the coal mine’ for indicating the politicization of education. If we are choosing our science based on political considerations, we are under and miseducating our students. We will not maintain that international technological and scientific superiority.

Something stinks about this

I’ve posted about Florida’s bigfoot before. (No new sightings reported … big shock there.) The skunk ape’s true believers aren’t so easily shaken, though. This exceedingly rare beast is in need of government protection, according to this article.

Making the blind see

Apparently there are chickens out there hatched blind due to a genetic defect. Neuroscientists were able to make them see through the magic of science. This could be beneficial to humans who have similar problems at birth. And illustrative of true science is this quote: “I thought I saw signs that the chick was responding visually to the environment, but I didn’t want to believe it. Scientists always doubt what they see — it’s intrinsic to how we operate.”

To infinity and beyond

Voyager 2 is about to leave the building … or the solar system I should say. Now we know something about the shape of the solar system boundary. Yup, something new every day.

Could Shamu roll over and fetch?

This article tells the ancient tale of the whale’s humble beginnings. You just gotta love a little video game referencing mixed in with science. And here’s another statement I’m proud to say that scientists typically aren’t afraid to admit: “Cohn said scientists will never know for sure how ancient whales behaved or what their eating habits were.”

Here is a longer version of the article I posted about yesterday.

Some highlights:

FSU law professor Steve Gey said a pending lawsuit in Georgia may fall in favor of ID - which will leave the score 1-1 and possibly lead to a Supreme Court ruling. On what Gey called the “most politicized Supreme Court in my lifetime,” the right to teach intelligent design as science could be upheld.

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(One spectator Wednesday muttered: “Are they going to show the flaws in English and let children decide if they should learn the language?”)

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Stronger standards are needed, given the abysmal state of science understanding among U.S. citizens. Moderator Deborah Blum, a University of Wisconsin journalism professor, said polls show half of Americans cannot identify how long it takes for the earth to orbit the sun (a year), think humans lived with dinosaurs (never) and think lasers are compressed sound waves (nope, light waves).

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Biologist Joseph Travis, dean of the FSU College of Arts and Sciences, said scientists need to become more visible in promoting the importance of science, instead of conceding the public stage to proponents of intelligent design.

Here’s a short opinion piece about the recent forum, “Keeping Science and Religion Separate in Schools: The Vigil After Dover.” It’s positive and encouraging. A note at the end states that there might be more to the article in the print edition. Is anyone in that area who can secure a copy?

There is one item in the piece that I have to partially disagree with, though.

“Until we evolutionists reach out to understand what motivates people on the other side, we’re going to lose,” said fiery FSU philosopher Michael Ruse. “And we bloody well deserve to.”

I agree with the general concept of understanding what motivates people on the “other side.” However, I disagree with Ruse’s apparent belief that we don’t already know what that motivation is. It’s clearly outlined in the Wedge Document. And those on the “other side” who aren’t aware of the Wedge Document are just buying a carefully crafted PR campaign without applying any critical thought, or they are, well, just plain gullible.

Loki flys again!

And here I always thought Loki was comic book hero Thor’s nemesis. (Groan … sorry about the weak tie-in there.) What’s interesting about this story is that hands-on is the way to go when learning. What better way to learn about launching rockets than to, well, launch rockets? That has GOTTA be cool!

It can buy a lot of Oreos!

The headline for this article asks what $1,693 can buy. Put that money in the hands of dedicated, creative science teacher Kristen Milford and you have invested in childhood learning experiences that could pay huge dividends years down the road. I just don’t understand why beans don’t grow in vanilla sandwich cookies. There is tons of nutrition in there … right? Maybe they weren’t using Oreos … yeah, that must be it.

Giving a Hoot

Nope, Hoot wasn’t just a movie. Ironically, some owls held up the construction of a high school science and technology center in real life.

No, boys are from Uranus

Here’s some food for thought about gender gaps in learning reading and science.

Tutankhamun re-membered (I can’t possibly improve on that headline.)

I try to keep this blog family-friendly, but sometimes the big news in science veers off in unforseen directions. I just report what I find, folks. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Forum to tackle intelligent design

Nearly 150 years after Charles Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” was published, a federal judge ruled against Pennsylvania’s Dover Area School Board allowing intelligent design to be taught as an alternative to evolution.

The ripple effect on science classes? That subject will be explored Wednesday night at a forum on the Florida State University campus that brings together national and local experts.

Why is this forum important? Well …

However, some biology teachers are so uncomfortable with evolution or the controversy surrounding it that they continue to avoid the subject all together.

“Especially in suburbs or small towns, teachers are still very intimidated about teaching evolution,” observed panelist Eugenie Scott, National Center for Science Education executive director. “When parents or school boards look cross-eyed at evolution, the tendency for teachers is just to skip those chapters.

“This is like teaching chemistry and skipping (the) periodic table,” she said. “Evolution is the idea that living things had common ancestors, and common ancestry of living things is what explains why biological phenomena are the way they are.”

Maybe because I’m actively looking for science-related articles all the time I find a steady stream of these types of stories: It Really Is Rocket Science

Many of the NASA engineers and scientists who gave birth to the space shuttle are getting ready to leave. About 40 percent of NASA’s workforce is older than 50, and only 4 percent is younger than 30. NASA is having difficulty recruiting young, skilled replacements.

The looming shortage of “rocket scientists” at NASA is symptomatic of a much larger problem facing America. The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the Twenty-First Century says about two-thirds of America’s math and science teachers will retire in the next several years.

And the hard truth is that young Americans are not being motivated or challenged to go into the sciences, engineering or math. Neither No Child Left Behind nor state initiatives, such as Florida’s A-Plus Education plan, are especially geared toward inducing more young people to go into those disciplines.

The world is increasingly science and technology driven. And yet, according to frequent articles such as this one, the U.S. is slipping behind rather than rising to the challenge. Why is that?

In this here blog I try to spotlight the positive things being done for science education in the classroom and the exciting things real working scientists do in Florida and around the world. Florida Citizens for Science members do take seriously the attacks of those advocating anti-science. We’re constantly on the lookout for those with an agenda who want to weaken science in favor of narrow ideological beliefs. But obsession with the negative can keep a person up at night. We’re just as much about the positive: where science has been and the awesome places it’s taking us in the future. Where is anti-science headed? Nowhere. I prefer to pour my energy into something with promise, discovery and excitement as guaranteed prizes. Help us promote science education and science careers.