The Earth Science Week Update
EARTH SCIENCE WEEK UPDATE
American Geosciences Institute
Vol. 5, No. 3: June 2007
IN THIS ISSUE…
* New Website to Take Pulse of Earth Science
* Order Earth Science Week Toolkit Now
* Earth Science TV Series Premieres July 23
* IPY Education Resources Continue Roll-Out
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New Website to Take Pulse
Of Earth Science Education
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AGI is reinstituting a data-collection initiative as part of Earth
Science Week’s effort to monitor “the pulse of Earth science.”
A website providing detailed information on the status of geoscience
education, as well as guidance on advocating for Earth science at the
state and local levels, is planned to debut before or during Earth Science
Week 2007 (Oct. 14-20).
Preliminary findings reveal a “pulse” that many geoscience
educators consider weak:
* Although every state but Iowa includes Earth science standards in
middle and high school science education standards, currently, this
priority seldom carries through to curriculum requirements or high school
exit exams.
* North Carolina is the only state that requires an Earth science course
for graduation. Only 11 states offer Earth science as an elective within
overall science requirements; for example, if three credits in science
are needed for graduation, and if biology and chemistry are required,
then Earth science can be counted as the third credit.
* In a trend of increasing accountability, 25 states now require students
to pass high school exit exams for graduation. However, only 13 of those
states feature science components in exams, and only five of those include
Earth science in test questions.
The information presented is based on available data collected from
numerous sources. Viewers are invited to help update information by
contacting AGI at info@earthsciweek.org.
For more information on the upcoming website, check http://www.earthsciweek.org
regularly.
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Earth Science Week Toolkits
Available for Order Now
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Earth Science Week Toolkits will be released starting in late July.
To ensure that you are among the first to receive these exciting educational
resources, order yours today.
The Earth Science Week 2007 Toolkit includes:
* A 12-month school-year activity calendar, suitable for hanging
* The new Earth Science Week poster, including an activity
* A CD of geoscience fact sheets and other materials from USGS
* An Earth science CD-ROM, postcards, and more from NASA
* Education materials, cloud chart, and careers info from NOAA
* A CD on GIS technology and activities from ESRI
* A microfossils poster from JOI Learning
* A remote-sensing flyer from AmericaView
* Items from National Park Service, Smithsonian, IRIS
* And more materials for classroom and home use
In addition, copies of Earth Science Week Toolkits from some previous
years are available for order. See the website for details.
Library Rate shipping and handling in the U.S. is included. After kits
become available, allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Faster shipping services
are available at additional cost (phone 703-379-2480 for details). Orders
outside of the United States will incur additional shipping charges.
For special shipping, bulk orders, and more information, visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/materials/index.html.
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Earth Science TV Series
Premieres on July 23
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The four-part television series “Faces of Earth” debuts its
first episode, “Assembling America,” at 9pm (ET/PT) July 23,
on The Science Channel. View the press release at http://www.agiweb.org/news/FacesofEarth.pdf.
“Faces of Earth,” produced by AGI and Evergreen Films in
collaboration with The Science Channel, Discovery Communications, Inc.,
explores how Earth is constantly remade by the forces of nature. The
series reveals the natural world around us through the perspectives
of geoscientists, using computer-generated imagery to show how humans
are both a force of nature and a product of our world.
The series employs state-of-the-art animations, aerial photography,
and science in exploring Earth’s past, present and future geologic
story. To learn more about “Faces of Earth” and watch trailers,
go to http://www.facesofearth.tv.
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IPY Education Resources
Continue Roll-Out
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If you are an Earth science educator aiming to involve students in
International Polar Year (IPY), check out the official website at http://www.ipy.org.
Here you’ll find a treasure trove of information about polar science
and global impacts for educators, formal and informal, as well as learners,
including students and citizens.
The current IPY, spanning from March 2007 to March 2009, builds on
a 125-year legacy. And while it officially concludes after two full
field seasons in each polar region, the momentum of this IPY will continue
for years to come. With more than 200 diverse international projects
involving tens of thousands of sciences from over 60 nations, this IPY
is arguably the largest, intensive scientific study of the Earth system
ever conducted. Each IPY project - whether tracking caribou in the Arctic,
tracking sea ice changes in the polar oceans, examining the health of
Arctic peoples, or looking at the dynamics of carbon in the climate
system - is international in scope.
Through the IPY website and related efforts, researchers are sharing
their experiences, describing how they collect data, and explaining
why their research is important. For example, a "virtual balloon
launch" including 250 schools, science centers, and geoscience
enthusiasts kicked off IPY on March 1. More such events will be held
on solstices and equinoxes, offering opportunities to become immersed
in this international collaboration.
IPY is one of the major geoscience events being highlighted by Earth
Science Week 2007. Visit the Earth Science Week Resources page online
at http://www.earthsciweek.org/themebasedresources/index.html
for more information.
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The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 geoscientific
and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists,
geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides
information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests
in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education,
and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences
play in society's use of resources and interaction with the environment.
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