A Reverence for the Truth

The essence of science education is a clear working understanding of the scientific method of solving problems along with the belief in a system that strives for over-whelming consensus leading to objective truth.  This the kind of truth that stands the test of time whether you believe in it or not.

Climate change and associated environmental ramifications is one such example of an objective truth. Climate change is grounded in physics and chemistry and its evidence-based vindication rests upon the belief and reverence for truth that science brings forth in our modern world.

To deny science is to turn your back on the renaissance of logical rational thought based upon evidence and solidified with societal consensus.  Science becomes the means by which to communicate in a word besieged with misinformation, bigotry, illogical thinking and denial of basic facts related to the universe.

In the public-school, students as young as 5 years old and up to adulthood embrace the pursuit of knowledge that becomes, for them, their fundamental belief system.  Science, in its purest form, challenges these voyagers to push the envelope of understanding as far as possible; this is the possibilities even with limitations in students’ abilities to performing investigation processes, a classroom proliferation of diverse abilities to think cognitively and the existence of various levels of personal inspiration and motivation to seek knowledge.

Welcome to the American classroom.

Under guided mentoring of  experienced public-school educators, there is no better place for children to expand positive influences upon their lives and upon the lives of people around them. This pursuit of truth in science becomes an incubator for the development of students' cognitive abilities and self-efficacy. Both of these abilities are powerful tools needed to reach self-actualization in a person's life. Learning environments, in our schools, foster both innovative thinking and problem solving abilities within our children to effectively change the world.

In the long-term the pursuit of science impacts upon the ability of people to form rational thoughts, to justify meanings and beliefs on problems and solutions and to champion causes that affect their lives and the lives of people throughout society.  In the short-term the study of science helps to breed inquiry, greater understanding and an increased appreciation for life on this planet. 

We will not progress as a society unless we embrace, with reverence, the objective truths brought to us by science.  Technology, scientific knowledge and understanding have pushed back the envelop of famine, plague and wars that has mercilessly dogged humankind from the day we emerged from caves and began to walk this planet.  To develop our humanity, we must keep vigilant the struggle and the pursuit of greater scientific inquiry, increased applications to technology and destined shared elevated standards of living for all people.

An Existential Threat

advocating for climate change curriculum

in the science classroom

Climate change is an existential threat to the survival of our society as we know it.  With such extreme consequences on the line, why is it that humankind cannot effectively rally together (politically, socially and economically) and abate this threat?

To address problems associated with this threatening situation caused by carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting global warming, unifying, contentious and forceful actions need to be employed throughout society to stifle the encroaching catastrophe.

In the United States, political, environmental and scientific organizations and institutions, across our country, are coming together to create a unified front opposing a "business as usual" attitude when dealing with issues related to climate change. 

Science educators in high schools across America can unite in coordinated efforts to bring climate change curriculum into subject matters of chemistry, physics and biology.  It can also be argued that climate science could stand alone as a discipline in high school science education.  Students could spend a full year studying and researching problems and solutions related to climate change and the onslaught of serious environmental and biological catastrophic concerns for life on this planet.

Energy conservation, alternative energy sources, soil chemistry, hydroponics and aquaponics food growth systems and a host of plans to help structure communities to be more resilient into the 21st century are examples of emphasis in climate change curriculum.  This preparation could produce plans to achieve zero-emission communities,  promoting local organic farming and generating electrical energy locally through utilizing solar panels and wind turbines.

Water quality, food quality and the preservation of ecosystems, that support a diversity of plant and animal life within communities, will be the primary emphasis within climate change curriculum initiatives designed to motivate and engage learning in the science classroom.

Project-based science, as a proven pedagogy employed by educators to spur intrinsic motivation of student to learn, is the perfect medium through which deep and engaged learning and understanding by students can be achieved.  These outcomes  are based on student-project-performance and have real-world implications to help society survive into the future.

It is critical today that people become involved and work with possibilities that can be employed to help save the planet. Otherwise, feelings of ineptness and loss of  empathy, in efforts to solve these climate altering problems, will continue to prevail throughout our society.   

Example of the introduction to a climate change curriculum intitiative:

The Climate Change Project

To repair humanity’s relationship with nature

The Climate Change Project is an educational initiative that addresses the problem caused by the steady relentless heating of the atmosphere of the planet because of human-society produced carbon dioxide pollution.

Utilizing knowledge and understanding of the chemistry and physics of climate change is an essential first step to bring forth solutions necessary to make our community more sustainable and more resilient into the future.

Students involved in this project become immersed in a project-based and design thinking effort to address problems such as energy conservation, clean energy production, growing food locally and living a lifestyle that is less environmentally destructive

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Students referencing both the Streamwood 2018 Comprehensive Development Plan and The Climate Realty Project 100% Emissions Campaign will develop innovative prototypes and action-plans contributing to increasing the sustainability and resilience of our community into the 21^st century.

After utilizing resources to address and analyze problems associated with climate change and using guidelines to implement real solutions to mitigate this problem, teams of students will work to design prototypes and create plans-of-action that yield solutions to solving climate change issues.

Nobel Effort:

“Working with people to help them do a job better, learn more effectively, or acquire good values takes time, thought, effort and courage…reconfigure schools and the workplace so that people are more likely to want to show up.”  Alfie Kohn lecture in human behavior and education opinion essay New York Times 10-27-18.