HR: 09:30h
AN: U11C-07    [Abstracts]
TI: Achieving Excellence in K-12 Earth Science Education: The Critical Role of Geoscientists.
AU: * Low, R
EM: rlow@ucar.edu
AF: UCAR, Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80302 United States
AU: Reap, M
EM: MReap@winona.edu
AF: Winona State University, Dept. of Education, Winona, MN 55987 United States
AU: Slattery, W
EM: william.slattery@wright.edu
AF: Wright State University, Dept of Geology, Dayton, OH 45435 United States
AU: Slattery, W
EM: william.slattery@wright.edu
AF: Chaska High School, 545 Pioneer Trail, Chaska, MN 55318 United States
AU: Crannell, J
EM: crannellj@chaska.net
AF: Chaska High School, 545 Pioneer Trail, Chaska, MN 55318 United States
AB: Minnesota has a reputation for excellence in K-12 science education. When the Minnesota Legislature required new academic standards in science, the state became an attractive venue for advocates of creationism and intelligent design who were intent on parallel teaching of evolution and what they refer to as "the" alternative. This paper describes the strategies used by a well-organized movement to include ID in the science standards and provides a case study/example of the so-called Wedge Strategy from the perspective of scientists who served as members of the MN science standards committee. The paper discusses the critial role scientists played in the development of exemplary and rigorous Earth science standards now legislated in MN and concludes with recommendations for the geoscience community derived from the experiences of geoscientists and educators who served as "reluctant warriors" in the battle for standards-based geoscience education in MN and Ohio.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 6615 Legislation and regulations (6324)
DE: 6620 Science policy (0485)
SC: Union [U]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005