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TEACHING EARTH SCIENCES ● Volume 30 ● Number 1, 2005 News and Views A Passion for Earth Science in a school in Slough Module 11 of Edexcel’s GCSE science specification is on “movement and change” in the Earth. With help from the Creative Partnerships and a group of 15- year olds, Francesca Tekarian and Michael Condron, showed how a model can be used to enthuse the class with a passion in Earth science. The simulator (which demonstrates the effect of converging tectonic plates on the landscape at the Earth’s surface) is made of coloured sand layers, plastic shelves, a geared wheel, a handle and a fish tank. In developing the simulator, the team wanted to ask “for what reason and at what moment did you fall in love with Earth science”, and then try to help teachers create such moments for their students. Teachers noted that for children, who are used to computer games and special effects, the slow moving of the layers of sand was “absolutely gripping”. From “Putting the passion Back” by Victoria Neumark, Times Educational Supplement, TES Teacher, page 14, November 26, 2004 Is Geography the worst-taught subject According to inspectors in an Office for Standards in Education, geography is the worst-taught subject in primary schools. The subject is in decline and “has become neglected and marginalised” in primary schools. In secondary schools, pupils are turned off by a curriculum crammed with content rather than designed to stimulate their interest in the world around them. David Bell, Chief Inspector, said “Water shortages, famine, migrations of people, disputes over oil, globalisation and debt are all major issues with which our Chemistry in Crisis With university departments closing and fewer students taking the subject at A- level, chemistry is in turmoil. Since 1996, 28 universities have stopped offering chemistry degrees. When it comes to teaching, chemistry is unavoidably expensive. Numbers doing A-level chemistry since 2001 have dropped (although AS-levels are holding up). “It is not a problem confined to chemistry or to Britain” says Professor Holman. Numbers doing physical sciences are falling across Europe, the US and Japan. Only in China and India is there healthy competition for places. From ‘Acid Test’ by Donald MacLeod and Polly Curtis, Education Guardian, pages 2-3, December 7, 2004. Earth sciences have similar problems. Ed Miniature Men world is grappling and this is the geography of today. A Department for Education and Skills (DfES) spokesman siad the Government is determined to revive the subject and will appoint a chief adviser for it in March. Dr David Lambert, Geography Association chief executive, said “the Government is providing £100,000 next year to develop the subject in primary schools”. From ‘Geography all at Sea in Primaries’ by Jon Slater, Times Educational Supplement, page 14, November 26, 2004 Skeletons of humans only 3-foot tall have been found in limestone caves on the island of Flores, several hundred miles east of Bali. The new species, named Homo floresiensis are related to the Neanderthals and lived about 18,000 years ago. From article by Brown et al, Nature, October 28, 2004 The Isle of Wight – Dinosaur Isle This year Dinosaur Isle will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the naming of Tyrannosaurus rex. There will be special events during February half-term. Life-size reconstructions and moving dinosaurs, interactive displays including rubbings, sand pits and dinosaur smells. For more details contact Dinosaur Isle, Sandown, Isle of Wight on 01983 404344 or www.dinosaur-isle.uk.com A G&T helps your pupils get to University From next year, pupils applying to university will now be required to confirm whether or not they are members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth when filling in their UCAS university application forms. More than 37,000 pupils are registered with the academy, based at Warwick University. From ‘Gifted club eases path to university’ by Adi Bloom, Times Educational Supplement, page 3, December 3, 2004 Russia ratifies the Kyoto treaty President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, signed legislation approving the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, an international accord to control global emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Neither the United States nor Australia has signed the treaty. From Reuters, November 5, 2004 Strong tides and earthquakes Seismologist have correlated shallow earthquakes with the occurrence of the strongest tides, exerted by the pull of Earth’s moon. Researchers say that the results are key to understanding how earthquakes might be triggered by small increases of stress from outside forces. From Science Express, October 22, 2004 by Cochran et al. www.esta-uk.org 26
TEACHING EARTH SCIENCES ● Volume 30 ● Number 1, 2005 The Irish Elk lived on The now-extinct Irish elk, which lived at the same time as the sabre-toothed tigers and mastodons, generally stood over 10 feet tall. Previous dates from European Irish elk fossils indicated that they became extinct as a result of the most recent ice age. However, new evidence shows that although they may have disappeared from Britain by 20,000 years ago, they returned during the Pleistocene, about 12,000 years ago. Dates published in Nature (Oct 7, 2004), show they lived in forests that remained in the Ural Mountains after the onset of the last big ice age and at least until 7,700 years ago. From ‘New Dates for Old Deer Bones’, Geotimes, pages 8 - 9, December 2004, by Naomi Lubick Volcanoes could solve fuel crisis Vast reserves of oil and gas could be bottled up deep below the Earth’s surface, which could keep the world supplied with energy long after the conventional oil and gas fields have been exhausted. US scientists simulated conditions that exist down to 45 km under the Earth’s surface and found that methane formed. Dr Russell Hemley from the Carnegie Institution of Washington said “These experiments point to the possibility of an inorganic source of hydrocarbons at great depth in the Earth – hydrocarbons that come from reactions between water and rock and not the decomposition of living organisms” From article by Sabi Phagura, Metro, September 14, 2004 New Curriculum for citizens and scientists Twenty First Century Science is currently being piloted in over 70 schools, one of the most popular pilot studies into educational resources ever carried out. Oxford University Press is producing the resources for this new GCSE, which has been developed by the University of York Science Education Group, the Nuffield Curriculum Centre and OCR. There is an Earth science component, which helps to make it relevant to the pupils and to their future. For more information see www.21stcenturyscience.org Ed Technicians make school science work Technicians form a valuable part of the partnership in delivering science in schools. ASE (The Association for Science Education) has an active technicians’ membership. With funding from the DfES, ASE, in close cooperation with the Royal Society and CLEAPSS, have set out a career structure for Technicians. A leaflet explaining the structure has been sent to all maintained secondary schools. The leaflet is available from ASE Headquarters (tel 01707 283000) or on the website www.ase.org.uk/careerstructure.php. From ASE Home Counties Region November 2004 Newsletter Science UPD8 (Science Update) Science UPD8 is a joint initiative from ASE and the Centre for Science Education, Sheffield Hallam University, with core support from NESTA and GlaxoSmithKline. Initial support was from Planet Science and IBM, with other organisations supporting the development of specific resources. Keep in touch with what is happening in the media, use it as a teaching tool, a resource for science in the school. See www.ase.org.uk Scienceonestop On 1st September, the first day that the site went live, over 47,000 pages were downloaded. The site has four areas, for the four age groups: 3-7, 7-11, 11-14 and 14- 19 with resources, ideas and contact details for teaching science. Other areas covered include: special needs, gifted and talented, CPD courses and revision and course guides. The Earth science feature aims to give confidence to those who struggle with ‘the rocks bit’. Many science teachers are aware that they lack the background to feel confident in their delivery of this subject. This is particularly apparent at key stage 4, where concepts such as plate tectonics are taught. These features include the contact details of the relevant organisations and associations, or no-fee workshops, ideas for lessons and lesson plans along with all sorts of useful resources explaining this subject in straightforward jargon-free terms. See www.scienceonestop.com From ‘scienceonestop’ by Rebecca Dixon-Watmough, Education in Science, pages 25-26, Number 210, November 2004 (ASE) The Earth science section, written by Peter Kennett (ESTA and ESEU) gives clear links to ESTA, ESEU, JESEIand other Earth science resources, courses and websites. Well done, Peter. Ed 27 www.esta-uk.org
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