Science Notes - Astronomy as a Hobby : Packet Available from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

A new nontechnical information packet on becoming involved with astronomy as a hobby has just been published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Science Notes - Review: \u3ci\u3eEarth\u3c/i\u3e

Kalmbach Publishing Co., the publisher of Astronomy magazine, has released the first issues of its new publication, Earth. This company has established a solid reputation for publishing the popular journal Astronomy. While the new publication is directed toward a general audience, its level of coverage and breadth of topics will make it a useful resource for earth-science teachers

Science Notes - Book News : \u3ci\u3eThe Comet Handbook\u3c/i\u3e

The return of Halley\u27s Comet is already generating public interest, and writers and producers of Halley memorabilia are gearing up. Written material is basically divided into articles in popular journals, handbooks for viewing the comet, and more definitive works such as Calder\u27s The Comet is Coming

Science Notes - Support Program for Instructional Competency in Astronomy

Astronomy education lacks a unified, national support program. The nation\u27s 1,200-1,600 high school astronomy teachers are generally isolated from their peers. As many as 7,000 other teachers would like to develop astronomy courses but cannot find suitable materials. Approximately 20 percent of a typical earth science course is astronomy, and studies show earth science teachers generally have weak astronomy backgrounds. Astronomy resources for elementary grades exist, but, as in earth science, teacher preparation is often insufficient. To remedy these problems a plan, called Project SPICA, has been developed by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA)

Survey of In-Service Needs of Iowa Science Teachers

National concerns about science education have suggested a number of factors which are contributing to what is now being called a crisis. One such factor is that colleges and universities are producing fewer certified science teachers, even as many science teachers are leaving the classroom to pursue other employment. A second factor is that the average age of the science teacher is increasing and many teachers have not continued to update their training. A third factor; which may be a result of the first two, is that the number of secondary students taking science and the number of courses they are taking is on the decline

Earth Science Teacher Excellent and Otherwise: Is There a Difference?

Teaching effectiveness is a much debated topic. Yager and Lunetta (1984) have suggested that the lack of teacher effectiveness is a part of the current crisis in science education. Hawley, et al. (1984) makes it clear that teachers are important determiners of student achievement, and Medley (1979) concurs, saying The effect of schooling on the individual pupil depends to a considerable extent on how his teacher is. But how can teacher effectiveness be determined? Historically, teacher effectiveness has been judged to be a product of a variety of factors including personality types, teaching methods, classroom climate and teacher competencies. Others have suggested using measurements of student mastery of selected concepts as an index of teacher effectiveness

Coming Astronomical Events

This fall skies will be dominated by the planet Jupiter. During October and November Jupiter will be rising near sunset and will be visible nearly all night. An interesting activity for beginning students of astronomy is to identify Jupiter\u27s four brightest moons

Review - The Architecture of Molecules

The combination of Dr. Pauling\u27s clearly brilliant and succinct prose, plus the brilliantly clear artistry of Mr. Hayward produces an introduction to the architecture of molecules which should grace every high school classroom where chemistry is taught

Open Letter to Science Teachers: Society in the Science Classroom

In a speech given to a group of scientists and science educators last spring, Paul deHart Hurd repeated a remark made earlier by Bentley Glass that a serious mistake has been made in the development of our national curricula in not stressing the social implications of science . Indeed this is true. You will search in vain for a reference to atomic weapons in the index of the Chem Study text. You will find no listing for hydrogen fusion weapons in the index of the PSSC text. DDT goes unlisted in the CBA index. You will find no reference to the effect of phosphates on algae growths in the BSCS texts

Aerosols and the Atmosphere

In recent months concern has been expressed about the effect of certain aerosol sprays on the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere. This is a current environmental issue and it seems an appropriate topic for discussion in the high school science classroom. Like many environmental issues, the aerosol issue is not as clearly defined as is sometimes presented in the general media, and it should therefore be approached with an open mind by both teachers and students