STEM/STEAM/Science
NGSS, COVID-19, and the Trolley Problem
For the past few weeks, politicians and the media around the world have been arguing over whether or not the civil liberties of the many should be infringed upon to save the lives of the few, which people should be saved when supplies are limited, and at what cost. The Guardian, The Harvard Crimson, The…
Read MoreRead MoreThe Science of the Australian Wildfires
Although wildfires in Australia have been burning for six months, there are still another three months before the fire season is over. And so far, this fire season has been particularly bad. By some estimates the fires have consumed an area of almost 100,000 square km; to put this in perspective, this is an area…
Read MoreRead MoreFrom STEM to STEAM to STREAM: Should We Be Adding More Subjects to STEM?
STEM In the late ’90s and early 2000s, multiple studies showed that students in the United States were falling behind in the sciences and math, while students in other countries excelled. A 2006 study by PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) ranked U.S. student performance in math and science 21st out of the 30…
Read MoreRead MoreScience and the Arts: If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Join ’Em
Short history of art vs. science Art and science have been at something like “odds” ever since the Romantic period in European culture. The debate between the two centered on which of these human endeavors deserved pre-eminence in the cultural hierarchy. Which revealed the most important truths about human existence? On one side were the…
Read MoreRead MorePlastics, Recycling, and the NGSS
Surrounded By Plastics In the last hour, how many plastic items have you touched? And of those, how many do you think will eventually be recycled? According to National Geographic, 91% of plastic items produced worldwide since 1950 have not been recycled, with un-recycled plastics either ending up in the oceans or landfills or being…
Read MoreRead MoreUpdate on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) continue to impact the science curriculum and how science is taught. The adoption and implementation of NGSS by states provide opportunities to learning companies in content development. Adoption of Next Generation State Standards (NGSS) The map shows the states that have adopted NGSS or have revised their science standards…
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