The Purpose of it All

Originally intending to milk my science blog to the fullest, I decided to research what I thought would be the most economic question I could think of: What resources are out there to help supplement teaching science in my classroom? After choosing this subject, I soon became aware of the gi-nourmous task I had put on myself. There is so much out there to be Googled. By the first post I had already edited my question, trying to focus the point of my search. I decided that I only wanted interesting, current and accurate sources. Today, I backpedal even farther.

In a recent conversation with a more knowledgeable peer ( the MKP) about what to teach fifth graders about planets, it was suggested that I have students act out the rotation of the planets around the sun. "But, to what purpose?" I asked. The MKP answered, "What is the purpose of any thing we learn in school? Do you use Algebra in everyday life?" Well..., I sort of do. I have to work out story problems when I run errands and figure how to economize my time. The use of reading and writing, well,that's obvious, even though there are millions who pass through the system without these skills. What about geometry, remember the point on the axis? The Pythagorean theorem I might use, if I were a carpenter (highly unlikely at this stage). Diagram a sentence, anyone?

When the subject is science, I might really want to ask what is the point? Most schools in the Des Moines districts have already given their answer to this question by cutting out most, if not all time for science in the classroom. Certainly educators can't try to train small children to be physicists or microbiologists (there have been many posts on this blog about if and what is even appropriate to teach about science in the younger grades). Teachers can't be messing around with cotton balls and baking soda when students can't even read at grade level, right? Yet, I feel and know that science relates to every subject and beyond.

I went back and to notes from earlier general education classes I have taken and looked for what might have been said about the overall purpose of school. I wasn't positive we had even talked about it at all. I couldn't find much but a few dates or events that influenced what public education is today. Online however, I found this list:

• To prepare children for citizenship
• To cultivate a skilled workforce
• To teach cultural literacy
• To prepare students for college
• To help students become critical thinkers
• To help students compete in a global marketplace

(Retrieved October 15th, 2010 from Iptv's The Story of American Public Education )

I think science can easily be defended for covering each of these purposes, if the subject is taught in the right way. I have found that whenever I write any lesson plan for any subject I come to a difficult pivotal moment, where I ask myself whether the actions I've chosen to help my students learn are purposeful and will help them achieve the right kind of understanding of the material. When I feel that I have nailed it, I almost always turn out an "authentic" lesson; a lesson where kids get to experience something that will relate to their everyday life, and they make that connection to their world on their own. So I am going to add another descriptive to my grandiose question about the right resources to use in the science classroom. Sources will be interesting, current, accurate, and authentic.

I suppose before I get to more sources, I may need to define "authentic" further.

Any ideas or suggestions?