HUNBlog

"Pollution On Earth"

  

    Since the beginning of time and throughout the years people have increased the pollution on Earth. Without any questions or doubt human have really notice that the pollution has been affecting the Earth extremely dreadful. Animals, plants, air, water, and land has been impacted the most because we human don’t stop the production of manufactures. Every second we want more of something that contain usage of plastic, paper, glass, oil, metal, cotton, medicine, food, and etc. As we increase our needs of these things we are making the factories, harvest trackers, boats, science experiments, 18wheelers, airplanes, and more to work every day burning gas, chemical, plowing, capturing of animals to happen.

    If we continue polluting the Earth we are going to be living on our trash because there is going to be so many junk yards around that eventually the whole landscape of Earth is going to be cover with the trash and we are not going to have a chose to build homes over it. If we don’t start watching how much we use of things, recycle, and burn gas we are end up to die because we are going to be killing everything as we are starting this process. As the water moves along the river, ocean, lake, and creek died sea animals start to rise and float because of the chemical in the water.  With the slowing start of that we start to kill our food, then since the water is effected with chemical we have to work double hard in making sure the drinking water is safe to use. Also with the watch of trying to stop pollution we can save all plants and endanger species that could be used for varies things, like save human lives. A lot of medicine comes from plants and sometime very unique plants can save one’s life. And if the pollution kills those plants because they are not getting the photosynthesis, carbon dioxide, and clean water they won’t grow at all.

    We humans need to change the increase of pollution because we are just killing ourselves and the future species and generation that will really be affect it today’s society don’t start the change. Today action really does affect tomorrow’s action.

Fragmentation of Houston's Wetlands

   

 

    Wetlands hold a diverse population of species in it's ecosystem.  From shellfish to furry rodents.  They also ease flooding and can help in erosion control of the coasts.  Unfortunately there has been a decline in Houston's wetlands.  There are different factors that are creating the decline, one of which is fragmentation.  Fragmentation is when you break up a habitat into smaller and smaller areas and then other habitats get built around it that are not the same type of habitat.  In Houston, this is having a major effect on the whole wetlands, animals, and plant species.  For example as we are building our habitats around these wetlands and slowly fragmenting them to make room for ourselves we are creating a loss of biodiversity in the wetlands and a decline in some of the creatures who call the Houston wetlands home.

The Houston Toad is a species for example that has been endangered since 1970 and is slowly losing it's natural habitat.  The toad needs the still and flowing water for breeding and it's survival.  Through our fragmentation of the wetlands for urbanization and agriculture of the area we are losing the Houston toad.  Introduction of dense grasses in exchange from the natural grasses also creates a problem for the toad and causes a decline in their ability to mate or move around freely.

There are some ways we can help.  There are several organizations and government grants that assist in helping with experiments, awareness, and rebuilding the wetlands.  It's up to us to make a difference and stop the decline of the Houston wetlands.

 

 

References:

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/EIH/publications/annual_reports/ar_1995/cameron95

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/htoad/

Composting

        So I am walking down the chip aisle in the grocery store and I reach for my favorite bag of chips; SunChips. I grab the bag and it is unusually louder than normal. “What is this?”, I asked myself.  As I read the bag (without try to be too loud), I discover that they are trying to use 100% compostable bags for their packaging. They have made their chips healthier for us, why not make it healthier for the planet? I think that this is a great idea and they have always been committed to improving the world around us. I did some research on this new bag and it is a great way to reduce waste.

        What does this mean? Compostable means that it can be decomposed in a composting system within one composting cycle. With the proper mix of leaves, food wastes, and manures, you are left with a humus mixture which has a soil like earthy smell. What is left are minerals and nutrients that can help condition soil and nourish plants. Composting helps eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, helps promote higher yields of agricultural crops, and is cost effective. 

        Since they started using the compostable material packaging, the company has received positive feedback regarding their attempts to improve the planet. The company is currently working to improving the compostable packaging that is less noisy. I think that what SunChips is doing is a good step to help our planet and I am looking forward to see the new and improved packaging.

 

Young Scientists

How early is too early to introduce the scientific method to students? This semester I participated in a pilot program with other student teachers and had to work with pre-k, kindergarten and first grade students on a science project. The theme for the project was microbiology and the students had to use the scientific method to carry out the project. I was really nervous because I did not think this task was possible. Kindergarteners developing a hypothesis? Pre-k students learning about organisms? To my surprise the project was a success. The students were very interested in science at this very young age. They were extremely curious about learning about things they could not see like microbes. They learned about the different types of bacteria and even cultivated it in agar plates themselves. The enjoyed doing the observation of the bacteria on the petri dishes and recorded their results on their journal and logs. The projects were hands-on and they learned the process of analyzing and researching to perform their experiments. I had thought at first that this experiment was too advanced and the vocabulary was going to be difficult for 5-6 year olds but it became a natural language when we worked on the project. This experience has opened up my eyes to what students are capable of learning at a young age.

Is time precious?

Recent studies have gone underway with regards to an early alert system for earthquakes. Imagine...the ground begins to shake, everyting is crashing down around you, buildings and houses collapsing. Why? An earthquake has happened. Every year, earthquakes destroy many homes and buildings and in some cases entire cities collapse as a result. Many are killed, mamed...if only there was an early warning system in effect that gives you enough time to take cover, protect yourself and loved ones. It is even scarier because we cannot accurately predict when the next earthquake will occur. But acording to a system of detectors in Los Angeles, we might be able to warn that an earthquake is coming. Even if it only comesa few seconds before the actual hit, we can then at least have a few seconds to get out of a potentially dangerous situation. So how would a few seconds really save? DO you think it will really make any difference in this new early warning system?

Is STEM synonymous with science?

We see the acronym STEM all over the place these days, from HUNSTEM to CSTEM to the STEM Education Coalition, and on and on. It has become a common term when referring to science and math education. STEM, of course, stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; but it seems to have become synonymous with science education.

We've always been a bit confused about what science means exactly in science education. We seem to use the word to refer to the list of topics that are science related more so than to the process of solving problems scientifically. Of course, if we are teaching for science literacy, we would want to emphasize science process and the use of scientific knowledge as a tool for inquiry rather than the end goal. Science is a process used to solve unique types of problems.

This is why problem-based, or project-based lessons are so important in science education, but we often lose track of the types of problems that are truly "scientific". Science is only one problem-solving strategy that uses scientific knowledge. Engineers solve problems differently. So do physicians and mathematicians, and inventors, and computer programmers. They all use perfectly legitimate problem-solving strategies, but they are not the same method scientists use. Engineers may use trial and error to arrive at the best design, but these are not controlled experiments testing hypotheses. Physicians would not want to form a hypothesis about your illness and then run controlled experiments to determine if thier diagnosis is correct before prescribing medication to treat your symptoms. Both of these professions utilize scientific knowledge but do not solve problems "scientifically." We wouldn't want them to.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are combined in STEM education so that we can emphasize the interrelationships between these endeavors. They are intertwined historically, and in practice. We need to understand how they work together synergistically, and how the integration of these strategies lead to innovation.  But, we shouldn't lose sight of how they are distinctly valuable independently. Mathematics and technology provide tools for doing science. Advances in science often lead to new technolgy and new applications for engineering and medicine. Mathematical modelling is especially valuable to the practice of science, but it is in the distinctions between the mathematical model and the results of experiments with natural phenomena that we find the value of the model. Technology allows us to do experiments we couldn't have performed in the past, and it is often the needs of scientific inquiry that drives technological advancement, but we must never lose focus on the limitations of technology in data collection and analysis.

I am writing this blog to proclaim the distinct value of each type of problem solving covered by STEM. Each part of the whole is invaluable. We are best served, however, when we fully understand how each part operates in order to contribute to society. We should not confuse STEM simply with science or vice versa because to do so minimizes the distinctions between each strategy encompassed by the acronym.

You may want to consider this as you teach "science".

Schools should also focus on sustainability.

Schools should also focus on sustainability.

I believe our planet’s future relies on the children. If we are to make this a better place, we need to prepare the future adults. Children need to learn about the causes that contribute to our planet’s deterioration.

Not many children know about sustainability issues. In fact, many in ignorance contribute to this problem by throwing away plastic bottles, letting water faucets open, and hurting animals. Schools need to create programs that can educate students about these issues. Children in elementary can learn the importance of taking care of resources like water and energy. In addition, teachers can do activities that encourage children to conserve these resources. Furthermore, schools can become recycle centers that collect items (like plastic bottles) that children bring from their homes to school.  Older children can even adopt a park or a beach to pick up garbage. Also, children can learn to appreciate food by growing a garden in school. Trips to the zoo can focus on animals that are becoming extinct and the factors that are contributing to their disappearance.

If sustainability issues are taught in schools our future in this planet can be a better one. Let’s not wait until is too late to do something about it.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/schools/teachers/

Minerva Flores

Educating Society on Recycling

In order to sustain our planet we need to recycle.  I am not the most avid recycler, but the current science course I am in has increased my concern for our planet.  With the abuse we impose, I am concerned about how long Earth’s environment can provide us with the clean air and water we need for survival.  After being educated I am more conscious of the need to recycle.  Educating people on why they should recycle is vital in order to change behaviors, habits, and attitudes pertaining to conserving our planet.  One of the excuses people use for not recycling is that it is inconvenient, but the benefits of recycling are worth being inconvenienced.  Recycling preserve our environment by not releasing harmful gasses from decomposed waste into the environment, which keeps our air clean and healthy to breath.  When we recycle paper products, trees are conserved leaving more trees in the environment to purify the air.  The materials that do not decompose wash into our rivers, lakes, and oceans polluting our water.  By recycling these materials, we preserve our drinking water supplies.  Recycling saves land space because less waste is brought to the landfills.  In my classroom, educating children on recycling will be a priority.  The benefits of recycling will be discussed and modeled throughout the school year.  Children need to be taught to recycle so they can help preserve our planet’s environment now and when they become adults.

Tammy Rollin

Technology in Science Education

The technology that is being supplied to schools these days are outstanding, beneficial, and educational. A problem we are seeing in science education is that technology is moving faster than the teachers using it can. Science teaching is such a complex, dynamic profession that it is difficult for a teacher to stay up-to-date. “For a teacher to grow professionally and become better as a teacher of science, a special, continuous effort is required” (Showalter, 1984, p. 21). Science teachers have to improve every year just like all other teachers, but they also need to improve more so on technology uses because student’s learning can expand drastically if technology is used correctly in the classroom. According to, Glencoe.com there are technological tools like talking whiteboards, interactive websites, and different media applications that students do not get to benefit from because their teachers either do not know about them or do not know how to use them. I believe if a school district does not already have required technology programs set up for their teachers, they need to have them. Teachers should be required to take a class twice a year (once in the fall and once in the spring).

 I also believe that the lack of technology used in actual classrooms led to the problem of not enough people expanding their futures into the science and technology fields. According to Michael S. Teitelbaum of issues.com, “The demand for more science-trained workers appears to be real. In 2005, 15 prominent business associations led by the Business Roundtable called for whatever measures are necessary to achieve no less than a 100% increase in the number of U.S. graduates in these fields within a decade.”  If students were more familiar with the technology, topics, and equipment used in the science field their interest for a future may begin to lead to a science based job. I believe that children go into popular jobs because throughout their educational careers jobs like teaching, cop, firefighter, lawyer, doctor, engineer, etc, if children were introduced to the technology and skills involved in the science fields then I believe they would be more inclined to following a scientific future.

Technology is a huge part of every aspect of education and life, but the technology that is used in science grows every day. Science teachers need to be special people and need to be able to keep up with the changing of methods, theories, and technology. If students were more comfortable and introduced to more technology I believe our society would not run into the problem of not enough science employees.

Science Education

I believe that one of the major issues in science education today is the missing element of discovery. Science has a much smaller impact on a student when the majority of the lesson comes from lecture, textbooks and worksheets. “What I hear I forget. What I see I remember. What I do I understand” (Confucius).

Our students are held at such a high standard that has made education shift from open learning experiences to pounding information into their heads in a manner that none of us would enjoy. The great thing about knowledge is the many different ways it can be encountered. Due to the fact that school funding is based upon student performance and test scores we are no longer providing our children with the education they truly deserve. It seems are main goal is to make sure that our students simply ‘ace’ the big test. Instead of providing our students with the experiences and skills they need to succeed in life we are placing a huge responsibility on their shoulders that doesn’t belong there.

It is high time that we return our focus to real, hands-on learning in all areas of education. This includes science education where I believe hands-on learning may be the most important. To be successful in science it is important for students to make discoveries on their own. There is a need for teachers to provide more opportunities that allow students to create and conduct experiments. This would give students the chance to make important discoveries in science that are of interest to them. Providing more discovery opportunities will result in a better science education for our students.