Sep 25 2009
Thoughts on Curriculum
I have been adjusting to the new 9th grade curriculum, Geophysical science. If this seems odd coming from an eighth grade science teacher, remember the challenge program is accelerated in science in eighth grade. I taught Earth Science for several years and truly grew to love it. What better place to teach Earth Science than Grand Junction? But I am not in love with geophysical. I understand the reasoning for the change, I was part of the committee that chose the text. Our students needed more physical science and this text has a lot of physical science. District teachers have worked to add earth science topics in, but the scale is still tipped to physical science. I cannot help but think that we are losing something in teaching less earth science, but I know we need to teach the physical science.
But here is the deal, my grandfather came to Grand Junction in the 50’s to look for uranium. My other grandfather came during the depression and found work building dams as a cat skinner and later as a ditch rider and dam keeper. I really think that right now, as we are losing jobs based on natural resources like oil and gas, we should be training our citizens about what the resources are, where they come from and how we use them.
One response so far
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What about having an ‘earth science club’ ? There might be enough interest in this community to attract parents to help. Matthew (7th grade) did a year-long study about natural resources/ environmental studies with his G/T class in elementary school, but they just scratched the surface (pun intended!)
-Ruth Ness