Every edition of Green Teacher comes with a number of open-access articles in addition to those that are restricted to members.  The February 2020 edition [ Vol 122 ] contained the following two articles:

Changing the Face of Science — Shattering Stereotypes and Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM.  By Kyle Walsh

This begins:

The question is simple: “What does a scientist look like?” In a perfect world, the answer should be, “Anyone can be a scientist; they can look like you or me.” Why is it, then, that research shows most people think that scientists are eccentric old white men with disheveled hair and lab coats? This stereotypical image (and misconception) has the power to dramatically influence attitudes toward science, often deterring young people from pursuing a science career and forming their own science identity.
The first visual imagery of scientists can be traced back to the late eighteenth century when artists and authors were creating images of mythic beings, mad scientists, and alchemists who dabbled in sorcery or black magic. While those images have faded with time, their impact has not. To understand this issue, researchers have been studying the perception of the scientist image for decades and have noted several stereotypes. …
Next Generation Biospheres — Classroom investigations into climate change.  By Jimmy Karlan and Hannah Root
This begins:

“What do you think would happen if we put a large number of crickets into your biosphere today?” After carefully constructing and sealing their biospheres and then monitoring them closely for three weeks, the 7th- and 8th-graders were bursting with predictions and questions. “They would have babies and then their babies would have babies and they would use up all of the resources!” “They would eat all of the plants, which would stop oxygen from being produced, and they would all die!” “They would breathe out so much carbon dioxide, which the plants would like for a little bit, but maybe it would be too much?” This group of thoughtful students at the Surry Village Charter School in Keene, New Hampshire, USA completed the Biosphere Challenge this fall as part of the lead author’s full-year program called Wild Treasures: Climate Change.1 The biospheres that students built are working models of the world around us, with active natural processes and cycles happening in the small confines of 10-gallon terrariums. Arranged along two sunny classroom windows, they are playgrounds where students explore concepts like systems, cycles, and resiliency. The Biosphere Challenge is an iterative cycle that begins with the introduction of a new challenge, and then leads students to test out their ideas, monitor the results, and learn from the outcomes. Over the course of a month and a half, the students build on their ideas week-to-week and come away with a concrete understanding of how our Earth’s systems work and the consequences that can happen when they get out of balance.  …

Category: Blog

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