October 2010 TST

Te Texas Science Teacher Volume 39, Number 2 October 2010 1
Teaching About Nature

Resources for Engaging theTuned-Out Students of the Digital Age
Ofcial Publication of the Science Teachers Association of Texas
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Texas Science Teacher
The
Volume 39, Number 2 October 2010
Treat Science Right and It Could Help Save
the World
An Editorial by Nobel Prize Winner Harold Kroto
Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring
How We Can Break the Cycle of Science Teacher Attrition
A New Pandemic
Where Are All of the Middle School Math and Science Teachers?
Twenty Ways to Teach Vocabulary
Try Tese Exercises to Make Vocabulary Stick
The Texas Science Teacher
Volume 39, Number 2 October 2010
Te Texas Science Teacher, ofcial journal of the Science Teachers Association of Texas, is published semiannually in April
and October. Enumeration of each volume begins with the April issue.
Editorial contents are copyrighted. All material appearing in Te Texas Science Teacher (including editorials, articles, letters,
etc.) refects the views of the author(s) and/or advertisers, and does not necessarily refect the views of the Science Teachers
Association of Texas (STAT) or its Board of Directors. Announcements and advertisements for products published in this
journal do not imply endorsement by the Science Teachers Association of Texas. STAT reserves the right to refuse any
announcement or advertisement that appears to be in confict with the mission or positions of the
Science Teachers Association of Texas.
Permission is granted by STAT for libraries and other users to make single reproductions of Te Texas Science Teacher for
their personal, noncommercial, or internal use. Authors are granted unlimited noncommercial use. Tis permission does
not extend to any commercial, advertising, promotional, or any other work, including new collective work, which may
reasonably be considered to generate a proft.
For more information regarding permissions, contact the Editor: jpalmer59@gmail.com
Cover Photo:
Reverse-lense macro photograph of a leaf.
Image Credit:
Public domain photo.
Contents:
A New Pandemic
by Andrea Foster and William Jasper
3
Cover Story: Teaching About Nature
by Ashley Campbell and Angela Spaulding
9
Twenty Ways to Teach Vocabulary
by Jessica Hoskins and Kimberly Vannest
15
Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring
by Terry Talley 22
Treat Science Right and It Could Help Save the
World
by Harold Kroto
35
31
A New Pandemic
A New Pandemic: Who Will Teach Middle School Science and
Mathematics in Texas?
by Andrea Foster and William Jasper
Introduction:
A Science and Mathematics Teacher
Preparation Pandemic
Many of us can recall the 2009
infuenza pandemics threat to the health
and safety of our global community. This
pandemic was characterized by two main
features. First, the virus was a new strain
that has never before infected people.
Second, it was on a global scale and was
often deadly. This paper is about a pan-
demic-like disease that is currently spread-
ing and threatens the future Texas science
and mathematics education community like
a pernicious virus. The symptom of this
disease presents itself frst in the form of a
signifcant shortage of the quality and num-
ber of certifed 4-8 science and mathematics
teachers. Secondly, if the trend continues,
this will pose a certain and potentially dan-
gerous threat to the overall health of science
and mathematics education in the middle
grades in Texas and will have far-reaching
effects on science literacy for all.
Texas has recently raised the stan-
dards and added a layer of complexity to the
2010 Science and Mathematics TEKS. This
complexity manifests itself in the form of
greater rigor as indicated by an increased
emphasis on higher order thinking skills
and less emphasis on discrete knowledge.
The new 2010 science standards are more
challenging and relevant to everyday life
with real-world applications for middle grade
students. Since these standards are so new,
most teacher preparation programs have yet
to make necessary changes to accommodate
increased rigor and the demands for a rigor-
ous framework. In this current and future
pandemic, unless expectations are raised in
teacher preparation programs, there will not
be enough well-prepared science teachers
for the middle grades, and, even if teachers
are assigned to these classrooms, they will
not possess the detailed content knowledge
in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics
required to turn kids on to science.
This paper draws attention to the
cause and symptoms of the new science
and mathematics teacher preparation pan-
demic as well as outlines the implications
for future science and mathematics teacher
preparation in Texas. We also provide some
possible responses and potential cures for
the pandemic -- specifcally recruitment
plans, model teacher preparation programs
and how-to-address strategies for science
faculty support and buy-in.
Symptoms, Possible Causes and
Implications
The shortage of certifed teachers in
mathematics and science in Texas class-
rooms is a major concern that mirrors na-
tional trends. A recent study of secondary
science and mathematics teachers in Texas
(Fuller, 2009) concluded that 1) secondary
science and mathematics are subject areas
with the most critical shortages, 2) although
production of secondary mathematics and
science teachers has increased since 2001,
the shortage has shown a drastic increase
over the last fve years (80% for high school
science) and is projected to continue to
increase, 3) the distribution of qualifed
science and mathematics teachers across
schools is inequitable, with the least quali-
fed teachers located in high need schools.
These dramatic increases in teacher short-
ages have stimulated the design of new
state-mandated certifcation programs and
streamlined university efforts to recruit and
prepare highly-qualifed teachers.
Lessons on Caring (contd.)
Twenty Ways to Teach Vocbulary (contd.)
A New Pandemic (contd.)
In Texas, the EC-4 grade level certi-
fcation was recently eliminated, and this
was replaced by the new EC-6 certifca-
tion. Although this seems to help provide
highly qualifed teachers for grades 5 and
6 in accordance with the No Child Left Be-
hind (NCLB) Act, we looked at ten online
degree plans for the EC-6 certifcation at
Texas universities and found an overem-
phasis on freshman courses in the content
areas. Most teacher preparation programs
did not add additional content area train-
ing (in mathematics, science, social studies,
and reading/language arts) even though the
grades 5 and 6 content is more demanding
than the EC-4 level. Perhaps this was main-
ly because degree plans were limited by the
state in the total amount of college hours for
a program. So, realistically, grade level cer-
tifcation was raised to sixth grade but the
content levels were not raised in most pro-
grams, and new elementary teachers do not
have suffcient content knowledge to teach
the higher-level science concepts.
Some universities may no longer of-
fer 4-8 programs due to low enrollment. In
addition, conversations with key science
educators at Texas universities indicate
enrollment numbers are down and 4-8
programs may not be offered in the future
this is what happened at our university.
With fewer students choosing to special-
ize in middle school science teaching (4-8),
coupled with the loss of program offerings
for these grades, who will teach 7th and 8th
grade science? Some educators feel that
the 8-12 certifcation programs will provide
suffcient teachers for grade 8. However, it
is our experience that 8-12 teachers avoid
middle schools like the plague, and choose
the higher emotional development seen in
high school students. Several years from
now, there will be an even more severe
shortage of science teachers for 7th and 8th
grades than exists today. What do princi-
pals do when they have to fnd someone to
teach science in these grades? Often they
are forced to select the most qualifed teach-
er and require (or at least encourage) her to
take the certifcation test so that they can be
highly qualifed. As educators who prepare
teachers, it is our opinion that passing a test
does not provide the deep content knowledge
in multiple felds in science. Educators who
prepare teachers frown on this approach,
realizing that passing a test does not pro-
vide the deep content knowledge needed in
multiple felds of science and mathematics.
Yes, they can prepare lectures and pass out
worksheets. But how can they create excit-
ing, challenging lessons to engage students
when they do not fully understand the sci-
ence concepts themselves?
Responses & Potential Cures
Faculty members at postsecondary
institutions face an unprecedented oppor-
tunity to have a signifcant impact on K-12
education reform through their efforts to
recruit and prepare prospective teachers.
An aging teaching work force, projected
student enrollment increases, and attrition
among new teachers mean that K-12 schools
K-12 schools across
the country will
need to hire at least
280,000 new math
and science
teachers by 2015.
across the country will need to hire at least
280,000 new mathematics and science
teachers by 2015 (Business Higher Educa-
tion Forum, 2005). Teachers who possess
both pedagogical skills and knowledge of sci-
ence are vital to students attaining science
literacy. A teachers professional develop-
ment should be a life-long process. However,
the undergraduate experience serves as the
permanent foundation for that undertaking.
It is during this critical period that teachers
acquire the knowledge, experience the as-
sessment methods and, in general, engage
in their frst teaching experiences. All of
these will have a profound infuence on their
subsequent effectiveness as teachers.
The National Science Education Stan-
dards (National Research Council, 1996b,
page 2) outline what students need to
know, understand, and be able to do to
be scientifcally literate at different grade
levels. Benchmarks for Science Literacy
(American Association for the Advancement
of Science, 1993) has similar goals, and
includes mathematics and technology in its
subject matter. Because the Standards rep-
resents a substantial change in how science
is usually taught in the United States, post-
secondary science and education depart-
ments have many challenges to meet if new
teachers are to be adequately prepared and
appropriately certifed when they begin their
teaching careers. In our state, the new 2010
Science Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS) were recently approved, and
these curriculum objectives raise the bar on
scientifc knowledge for public school stu-
dents. Consequently, science teachers need
deeper understanding of scientifc concepts
to effectively implement these objectives in
their classrooms.
Model Science/Mathematics Teacher
Preparation Program at BLANK
UNIVERSITY
For every year over the past 12 years,
BLANK UNIVERSITY has produced 40-60
well-qualifed middle school mathemat-
ics teachers. Most of these middle school
teachers were recruited from the elementary
teacher pool. Mathematics educators in the
College of Arts and Sciences teach the math-
ematics foundation courses that all elemen-
tary and middle school teachers take as a
part of their preparation program. During
these foundation courses, promising stu-
dents who do well and who show enthusi-
asm toward mathematics are recruited to be
middle school mathematics teachers. Then
these prospective teachers take a sequence
of seven more rigorous mathematics courses
that are specifcally designed for and only
count toward the middle school mathemat-
ics teacher program. These are mathematics
content courses, but they also include some
pedagogy on the teaching of these math-
ematics concepts.
Unfortunately, no such program cur-
rently exists at our university (and neither
at most other universities in Texas) for re-
cruiting and preparing middle school science
teachers. In reality, science educators do
not normally see prospective middle school
science teachers until they are almost fn-
ished with their teacher preparation pro-
gram, and are obviously already committed
to their chosen degree plan (usually the
EC-6 generalist program). Thus, there is no
effective mechanism to help in the recruiting
of prospective science teachers.
BLANK UNIVERSITY is phasing out
their 4-8 science certifcation program be-
cause of low student interest in middle
school science and a lack of a systematic
recruitment plan. This past year, there were
only fve students seeking middle school
science certifcation. Although we now offer
a combined mathematics/science middle
school teacher certifcation program, stu-
dents take lower level science courses that
are not tailored to prospective science teach-
ers. BLANK UNIVERSITY will produce a few
teachers for middle school science class-
rooms from this option, but the numbers
will be insuffcient to meet classroom needs,
and these teachers will not have deep con-
ceptual understanding in science.

Science teacher education is embed-
ded in a college or university program con-
sisting of general education courses, science
courses, professional education course work
and practical experiences. Although the
benefcial, multiplicative effect of improv-
ing teacher preparation is enormous, many
postsecondary science faculty members
have paid little attention to the impact of
their courses on future teachers and have
not been engaged in national reform efforts.
Broadly defned, the term teacher educa-
tor includes not just members of faculties
in the College of Education but any faculty
member from whom future teachers take
courses. Thus, a critical step in increasing
awareness by science faculty members of
their role as science teacher educators is to
raise their interest and commitment toward
the preparation of future science teachers.

So how do you cultivate the interest of
science content professors in preparing fu-
ture teachers of science? This is a challenge
at most universities, as science professors
are measured more by their research efforts
in their feld. We began with lively discus-
sions among science department chairs
and science educators, and continued team
building over an 18-month period. Our goal
was to develop a strong middle school sci-
ence teacher preparation program, modeled
after the highly successful one for math-
ematics teachers at our university. One ini-
tial obstacle to overcome was the reliance on
existing upper level science courses (in the
content areas of Chemistry, Biology, Physics,
and Geology) that had up to 12 hours of pre-
requisite lower level courses each courses
that would not ft into teacher preparation
degree plans with a total of approximately
120 hours of coursework.
Nasco Science Division
Texas Science Teacher
Oct 2010
TST1010
TST1010
Gradually, these department chairs
realized that special upper level courses
needed to be created that would count only
for middle school science teacher certifca-
tion classes. These courses would address
rich content but also would include activi-
ties, projects, and assignments that would
enhance teacher skills too. To aid in recruit-
ing middle school teachers, two exciting,
inquiry-based science courses were created
to turn students on to science. Also, the
selection of effective, forward-thinking teach-
ers for the science course sections dedicated
to prospective middle school teachers is
important in this effort. Dynamic, enthusi-
astic professors would certainly help recruit
talented students to the teaching profession.
A Prescription for Teacher Preparation
Programs
So what can Texas educators do to
help eradicate this potentially dangerous
middle school science and mathematics
teacher pandemic? Is there a prescription
we can derive that will ensure the quality
preparation of talented and dedicated Texas
middle school science and mathematics
teachers? Yes, there is. This prescription
requires the strengthening of the relation-
ships between College of Arts & Science
(COAS) and College of Education (COE)
faculty so that new and challenging upper
division science and mathematics courses
for teachers candidates can be created.
These courses must align with the latest
versions of the TEKS and, in additon, the
Career and College Readiness Standards
(CCRS) for science and mathematics. These
courses must also be taught by exciting and
innovative science faculty who use a variety
of pedagogical strategies that are benefcial
for those who will be teaching middle school.
The prescription for science teacher prepara-
tion programs also includes a frm recruit-
ment plan that begins early in a potential
teachers coursework. At Blank University,
the COAS and COE faculty in science and
mathematics have worked to revive and
strengthen the 4-8 Science degree plan with
fve new courses aligned to the 2010 Science
TEKS and CCRS for science. It is our hope
that along with a viable recruitment plan,
that we will, once again, start producing
the some of the best middle school science
teachers in the state of Texas and we would
invite our sister institutions to do the same.

Dr. Andrea S. Foster is an Assistant
Professor of Science Education at
Sam Houston State University and
the elementary education coordina-
tor of feld programs. She has 29
years of K-16 teaching experience as
a science and art educator and her
research interests include science
education reform practices as well as
curriculum and assessment in the
elementary and middle grades.

Dr. William A. Jasper is an Associ-
ate Professor of Mathematics Educa-
tion at Sam Houston State Univer-
sity. He has been a mathematics
educator for 19 years at both the
university and public school lev-
els. His primary research interests
include mentoring teachers, teach-
ing mathematics with technology
and manipulatives, and improving
mathematical performance of English
Language Learners.
References
American Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy.
Oxford University Press.
Business Higher Education Forum. (2005). A Commitment to Americas future: Responding to the crisis in
Mathematics and Science education.
Retrieved August 2010, http://www.bhef.com/publications/documents/commitment_handbook.pdf
Fuller, E. (2009). Secondary mathematics and science teachers in Texas: Supply, demand, and quality.
Retrieved August, 2010 from http://tbec.org/images/general/stemteachers.pdf.
National Research Council (1996). The national science education standards. National Academy of Science.
State Board for Educator Certifcation, (2009). Educator/Teacher Production Counts. Retrieved August 2010
from http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/Reports/prodrpts/rpt_edu_tchr_prod_counts.asp.
State Board for Educator Certifcation, (2009). Texas Career and College Readiness Standards. Educational
Policy Improvement Center. http://www.epiconline.org/texas/
Texas Education Agency, (2010). Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science. Texas Administrative Code
Chapter 112.
Retrieved August 2010 from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/index.html.
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Teaching About Nature: Fostering an Attitude of Conservation in
Future Generations
by Ashley Campbell and Angela Spaulding
Children today lead more struc-
tured and media-oriented lives than previ-
ous generations (Charles & Louv, 2009), and
spend an increased amount of time indoors.
Computer games, Wii consoles, Nintendo
DS systems, and television all vie for the
attention of young people. The fast-paced
world in which we live offers children limited
time for free play outdoors. Even if there is
time, the notion of stranger danger makes
parents reluctant to let their children roam
through the neighborhood to experience na-
ture (Louv, 2005). Last Child in the Woods,
the book by Richard Louv which documents
these points, has sparked a movement to get
children outdoors. Unfortunately, the reality
is that in the home setting today, many chil-
dren still do not get outdoors and experience
these wonders (Kellert, 2005). However,
what can be done to encourage this sense of
wonder in all children at school?

Teachers are faced with pressures to
cover material to meet demands of state-
wide standards and assessments. While
there is a defnite need for students to mas-
ter written knowledge and skills, we must
not underestimate the importance of chil-
dren having real-world experiences that
transcend the pages of a textbook. We must
consider the long-lasting value of experienc-
es with nature (Kellert, 2005; Louv, 2005).
Will students gain more from simply reading
about habitats or actually visiting an out-
door habitat? As David Schmidly, natural-
ist and university president noted (2005),
Many children are fascinated by plants and
animals, and if nurtured by adults, this can
become a lifelong joy or even a career path.
Untended, it usually atrophies as a child
grows older. Meanwhile, the demise of natu-
ral history goes unnoticed, increasing the
likelihood that future generations of school-
children will spend even more time indoors,
clicking away on their plastic mice, happily
viewing images of the very plants and ani-
mals they could be fnding in the woods,
streams, and meadows they no longer visit
(p. 454-455).
The key to providing these experiences
is not adding another piece of curriculum for
teachers to include; rather, it is a matter of
carefully integrating pieces already present
in the standards. According to the National
Science Education Standards (NSES, 1996),
During the elementary grades, children
build understanding of biological concepts
through direct experience with living things,
their life cycles, and their habitats. These
experiences emerge from the sense of won-
der and natural interests of children (p.
128). In grades 5-8, the NSES point to the
need for students to broaden their under-
standing from the way one species lives in
its environment to populations and commu-
nities of species and the ways they interact
with each other and their environment (p.
155). In grades 9-12, the NSES continues
to include the interdependence of organ-
isms. In addition, the 2010-2011 edition
of the Science Texas Essential Knowledge
and Skills (TEKS) include many aspects of
the natural world from Kindergarten High
School Biology and Environmental Science.
Some examples of related standards include
the differentiation of living versus non-living
things, the interdependence of organisms
in the living world, life cycles of plants and
If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least
one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the
world we live in. -Rachel Carson
Teaching About Nature (contd.)
animals, taxonomic classifcations of
organisms, levels of organization within an
ecosystem, the of use of dichotomous keys,
and characteristics of taxonomic groups.
Based on state and national
standards, there are many opportunities to
integrate hands-on experiences with nature
at various grade levels. Identifying places
to take children in the local community is a
key factor. Most local communities have city
parks or school gardens. Larger communi-
ties also may offer botanical gardens, nature
centers, wildlife refuges or state parks. The
Texas Parks and Wildlife System offers many
opportunities through more than 100 differ-
ent sites across the state covering 600,000
acres (Texas State Park Guide, 2009).
If students have no knowledge of the
plant and animals in their area, what would
motivate them to protect or conserve those
species? Education about local habitats
is critical in the conservation of diversity.
Referring to E.O Wilsons work, McGlynn
(2008) states that a familiarity with organ-
isms in their own environments is prerequi-
site for an integrative understanding of biol-
ogy required for solving our most pressing
research problems (p. 109). How familiar
are your students with plants and animals
in your local area? Survey students to fnd
out what they know about the local fora and
fauna, and then fnd ways to expand their
knowledge. Prior to visiting a local area,
showcase a native plant and/or animal each
week leading up to the trip. Excellent re-
sources on nature opportunities and ideas
are included in Table 1 below.
Dr. Ashley J. Campbell is
an Assistant Professor of
Education at West Texas
A&M University, where she
teaches Science Methods,
Integrated Science and
Math Methods, and Educa-
tional Psychology. She has
taught biology, physics,
and physical science for
Tomball ISD and Lubbock-
Cooper ISD. She holds
a B.S. and M.S. in Biol-
ogy, and an Ed.D. in Cur-
riculum & Instruction from
Texas Tech University.
Dr. Angela Spaulding is
Dean of Graduate School,
Chief Research Offcer, and
Research Compliance Of-
fcer at West Texas A&M
University. Dr. Spaulding
was selected as a member
of the Millennium Leader-
ship Initiative Protg Class
of 2008, sponsored by the
American Association of
State Colleges and Univer-
sities. She has more than
90 professional publica-
tions and presentations to
her credit and numerous
funded/awarded grants on
which she has served as
Principal or Co-Principal
Investigator.
Table 1.
Nature Resources
Children and Nature
Network (C&NN)
This network was co-founded by Richard Louv, Cheryl Charles
and other leaders. The mission of the C&NN is to give every child
in every community a wide range of opportunities to experience
nature directly, reconnecting our children with natures joys and
lessons, its profound physical and mental bounty. http://www.
childrenandnature.org/
Journey North This resource provides opportunities for teachers to engage stu-
dents in a global study of wildlife migration. Through the resources
at Journey North, students can: share their own feld observa-
tions with fellow students across North Americantrack the com-
ing of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterfies,
robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales, bald eagles
and other birds and mammals; the budding of plants; changing
sunlight, and other natural events. www.learner.org/jnorth/
National
Environmental
Education
Foundation
(NEEF)
In an integrated health and nature approach, NEEF has created a
Children and Nature Initiative which seeks to improve childrens
health through a process of reconnecting children to nature. Ac-
cording to NEEF, children who have opportunity to explore nature,
increase their physical activity, reduce stress, and promote relief for
attention disorders. www.neefusa.org/health/children_nature.htm
National Gardening
Associations forum
for teachers, Kids
and Classrooms
This forum helps classroom teachers explore how using plants and
gardens can enrich learning. www.kidsgardening.com
National Wildlife
Federation (NWF)
This mission of the NWF is to protect wildlife for our childrens
future. This site includes a nice variety of resources including a
wildlife directory, ways to make a difference, timely news and infor-
mation, a site for kids, and much more. www.nwf.org
Nature Find Nature Find is a site that will fnd specifc nature sites and events
in your area. Simply enter your zip code or city and state, and it
will provide you a list of sites with contact information. www.na-
turefnd.com
Texas Parks and
Wildlife
The Texas Parks and Wildlife site provides specifc information
about the state parks across Texas. Additional links include infor-
mation about their publications, outdoor learning, grants, a site for
kids, etc.www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
Texas Parks and
Wildlife Magazine
This site features Keep Texas Wild Teacher Resources. In ad-
dition, the site features video footage to complement the monthly
magazine. Other links of interest to teachers include nature, bird
watching, and photography. www.tpwmagazine.com
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency,
Teaching Center
This source provide a diverse collection of activities and lesson
plans that will support and assist you in discovering your outdoor
classroom. From the Teaching Center database, you will fnd a
wide array of resources to include learning how healthy wildlife is
integral to healthy ecosystems; locating and adopting a local wa-
tershed; and understanding how to grow, care for, and learn from
habitat on a school campus. Furthermore, you will fnd informa-
tion on how to apply for federal and nonfederal funding to support
your nature projects and goals, such as the EPA Environmental
Education Grant Program for teachers. www.epa.gov/teachers/con-
servation.htm
While learning about conservation is vital to preserving our nations future resources,
participating in and supporting environmental clean-up projects is important to resolv-
ing current needs. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are 35 National
Wildlife Refuges at risk from the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill, These precious national
resources are home to dozens of threatened and endangered species, including West Indian
manatees, whooping cranes, Mississippi sandhill cranes, wood storks and four species of
sea turtles (Refuges at Risk, para 1). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set up a spe-
cial volunteer hotline for individuals who would like to participate in the recovery effort (see
http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/index.html). Similarly, through the National Wildlife
Federation (NWF), you and your students can volunteer to help spot wildlife in distress with
a Gulf Coast Surveillance Team or help with the cleanup efforts through the Coalition to
Restore Coastal Louisiana (National Wildlife Federation, 2010).
The importance of conservation effort and knowledge is essential to the survival of the
worlds resources both our environmental and economical resources, as they are directly
connected. As our nation refects and responds to the BP oil spill, we collectively wonder
what the impact will be on current and future generations. According to Robert Dilensch-
neider (2010), the oil spill may do long-lasting damage to the fsh, wildlife and wetlands of
the Gulf region... devastate the fshing and shrimping industries of the Gulf States...limit or
even shut down ship traffc...{and} recreation and tourism will be blighted (para 3). And,
if not careful, the massive amounts of dispersants used to clean up the spill may also have
long-term environmental impacts (Barbee, et al. 2010).
The words of Mayra Mannes More in Anger are as profound today as they were in
1958. She reminds us all why we must foster an attitude and activism toward conservation
in both current and future generations. She states:
The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in
exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future.

References
Barbee, G., Castille, G., Rogers, W. (2010). Potential environmental impact on Louisiana Coastal areas of the
BP oil spill and the use of dispersants. West Texas A&M University. Unpublished dossier.
Charles, C. and Louv, R. (2009, September). Childrens nature defcit: What we know and dont know. Re
trieved from http://www.childrenandnature.org/downloads/CNNEvidenceoftheDefcit.pdf
Dilenschneider, R. (2010). Implications of the BP oil spill. Directorship: Boardroom Intelligence. Retrieved
from http://www.directorship.com/dilenschneider-bp-oil-spill/
Kellert, S.R. (2005). Nature and childhood development. In Building for Life: Designing and Understanding
the Human-Nature Connection. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-
Defcit Disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin.

McGlynn, T.P. Feb. (2008). Natural history education for students heading into
the century of biology. The American Biology Teacher, 70(2), 109-111.
National Research Council (NRC). (1996). National Science Education Standards. Washington, D.C.: National
Academy Press. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
National Wildlife Federation (NWF), (2010). How NWF is helping wildlife impacted by the BP oil spill.
Retrieved from:
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Threats-to-Wildlife/Oil-Spill/On-the-Ground.aspx
Schmidly, D. J. (2005). What it means to be a naturalist and the future of natural history at American univer
sities. Journal of Mammalogy 86(3), 449-456.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (2009). Texas State Park Guide.
Retrieved from www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4000_0000aa.pdf
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWS Oil Spill Response.
Retrieved from http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/index.html
Project E: Expanding Energy Education Workshops
At Ocean Star Museumin Galveston 20th Street at Harborside Drive
Presents
Knowledge Box Grades 6-12 Playing with Petroleum Grades K-5
2010-2011 WORKSHOP DATES
Participants will receive free admission to the Museum, a complimentary guided tour along with a light breakfast, lunch, and the Project E: Expanding Energy Education
Teacher Guide (a $35.00 Value). We require a $35.00 refundable deposit to discourage NO-SHOWS. Registration deposits will be cheerfully refunded to registrants that
attend the workshop and those that cancel three days prior to the workshop date. Workshops begin at 9:00am and end at 4:00pm. Each participant will also receive 6 CPE
hours and will be able to check out the Knowledge Box or Playing with Petroleum Kit up to 30 days to utilize in their classrooms at no charge. ( Free pick-up and delivery
within the Houston area.) The first time a 2011 workshop attendee checks out a Knowledge Box or PWP Kit, he/she will receive a $25.00 incentive bonus
upon the OECs receipt of a completed survey.
Ask about workshops outside of the Houston/Galveston area.
Mail checks to:
Offshore Energy Center
200 N. Dairy Ashford, Suite 4119
Houston, Texas 77079
(281) 544-2435 Fax: (281) 544-2441
For more information about the workshops, visit our website: www oceanstaroec.com
or contact Doris Tomas, Education Director, dtomas@oceanstaroec.com
presents
The Mobile Offshore Learning Unit (MOLU)
The Mobile Offshore Learning Unit (MOLU) is
a $1.2 million dollar engaging traveling exhibit.
It features six self contained learning centers with
curriculum-based, hands-on activities about energy
and the technologies and sciences involved with
the oil and gas industry. The curriculum for each
of the 24 activities is based on national and Texas
state standards (TEKS). Although the MOLU is
geared for 5th grade students, it is also appropriate
for other age groups. The MOLU is sponsored by
Devon, Dominion, ExxonMobil, Halliburton,
Marathon Oil Company, and Schlumberger.
Teachers will need to accomplish
the following prior to the visit:
Administer pre-test
Have students view 2 complimentary DVDs,
OECs The Offshore Story
and API's Fuel-less
Have students complete a
Career Interest Profile form
Following the visit, teachers are asked to:
Review and correct answers in the
MOLU Pass booklet with students
Administer post-test
Score pre/post tests and mail to OEC
Complete online teacher evaluation form
A pre-visit package containing all
necessary materials will be sent to the
school prior to the MOLU visit.
For more information about the MOLU
and to download a MOLU Request Form,
please visit www.oceanstaroec.com
Dont forget to visit the Offshore Energy Centers booth 219 at CAST!!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
MOLU_PE3 StateliteAd 8-10:Layout 1 8/30/10 1:06 PM Page 1
Twenty Ways to Teach Vocbulary
by Jessica Hoskins and Kimberly Vannest
Vocabulary and vocabulary enrich-
ment are the most signifcant predictors of
reading comprehension, literacy, and school
achievement, particularly for English Lan-
guage Learners and at-risk populations (Bla-
chowicz, Fisher, Ogle, & Watts-Taffe, 2006;
Brassell, 2009; Harmon & Hedrick, 2001).
Although teachers often describe vocabulary
as an integral part of instruction (Cassidy
& Cassidy 2005) only 2-6% of instructional
time is spent on vocabulary instruction in
core academic classes (Blanton & Moor-
man,1990; Kamil, 2004; Scott, Jamieson-
Noel, & Asselin, 2003).
Effective instruction includes a va-
riety of research-based strategies to draw
upon (Brassell, p. 1, 2009). Teaching vo-
cabulary enhances reading comprehension
skills, motivates students to read content
area text, and leads to higher levels of aca-
demic achievement. Highly effective teachers
train their students to use contextual infor-
mation to decode word meaning and encour-
age engagement with words on a deeper
level, such with semantic analysis and
categorization techniques (Flynt & Bronzo,
2008). Comprehensive vocabulary programs
are best when they (1) facilitate wide read-
ing, (2) teach individual words, (3) provide
word-learning strategies, and (4) foster word
consciousness (Graves & Watts Taffe, pp.
143-144). While the importance of vocabu-
lary instruction cannot be denied, teachers
in the classroom may feel that the strategies
they use become repetitious throughout the
course of the school year. According to Bras-
sell (2009, p.1) If teachers want to make
their vocabulary lessons stick, teachers
have to create rich and engaging activities
that attract the enthusiasm of their stu-
dent. The following is a list of twenty di-
verse suggestions to incorporate vocabulary
terms in the classroom as a frst step toward
creating the comprehensive vocabulary
programs as articulated by Graves & Watts-
Taffe (2002).

Twenty Ways to Use Vocabulary in the
Classroom:
1.) Word of the Day: The Word of the
Day (WOD) technique involves asking stu-
dents to monitor the usage of a particular
vocabulary word identifed in advance by the
teacher throughout a lesson, day, or even
week or unit of instruction. When a student
hears the WOD mentioned by the teacher,
he or she places a tally mark in a designated
WOD box on assignments or handouts. The
WOD reinforces the learning of vocabulary
through both repetition and the re-engage-
ment of attention as students are constantly
reminded to refocus by the presence of the
WOD and the physical action of marking
a tally in the WOD box (Vesely & Grynder,
2009).
2.) Word Wall: A word wall can be used
to teach learners how to read and spell new
vocabulary terms by placing them on a
prominent wall in the classroom. Teachers
can often fnd versions of the word wall for
sale in teacher supply stores; alternatively,
a key advantage to the word wall is the ease
of construction and limited time investment
needed to create one. Words can be typed or
handwritten on cards placed in slots (gener-
ally in commercially available word walls)
or simply written on a large sheet of poster
paper attached to a classroom wall or bul-
letin board. Both teachers and students can
participate in the creation of a word wall
(Gruber, 1999).
3.) Word Journals: Vocabulary Word
Journals are a popular strategy used by
teachers to enhance instruction through
repetition, relating the term to previously
learned information, and incorporating vi-
sual images. Students are instructed to keep
a Word Journal and note unfamiliar words
as they read, often with a teacher imposed
quota as a guideline. For additional expo-
sure to vocabulary, students can exchange
journals and make comments to each other
about additional knowledge of the words
meaning and usage.
4.) Word Parts: Teaching word parts, also
known as morphology, consists of instruc-
tion in morphemes, most commonly the suf-
fxes (-ed, -s), prefxes (ante-, re-), and roots
of words. Students who have knowledge of
morphemes such as root words and pre-
fxes are in a better position to break down
novel, complex vocabulary presented in texts
as many terms are simply conglomerations
of simpler word parts (Nagy & Anderson,
1984).
5.) Word Sort: A Word Sort involves ask-
ing students to sort vocabulary words into
categories based on common characteris-
tics, relationships, or other given criteria.
Often teachers provide the guidelines for the
sort (known as a closed sort), but a varia-
tion involves asking students to create their
own categories in order to demonstrate both
mastery of vocabulary terms and critical
thinking skills (open sort) (Gunning, 2003;
Brassell, 2009).
6.) Crossword Puzzle: The creation of a
crossword puzzle to teach vocabulary in the
classroom has the added beneft of introduc-
ing a game into instruction to accommodate
diverse learners and gain the attention of
those who fnd it diffcult to maintain focus
on more typical forms of instruction. Cross-
word puzzles can be created through free or
commercially available online programs.
7.) Vocab-O-Grams: In a Vocab-O-Gram,
also known as a Predict-O-Gram teach-
ers pre-select new vocabulary words prior to
reading a selection with the class or individ-
ually; students place the vocabulary words
in categories such as Setting, Characters,
Problem/Goal, Action, Resolution and
a catchall category of Mystery Words. The
goal of Vocab-O-Grams is to give students
practice both in making predictions and ap-
plying vocabulary to passages of text (Bla-
chowicz & Fisher, 2002; Brassell, 2009).
Teacher Professional Development
Summer intensives
Make & Take Workshops
Interdisciplinary Science Curriculum
Critical appraisal & science processes
Guided & independent inquiry
Health science content
Teacher Resources
Slide shows, fash animation
Color and blackline masters
See you at CAST, Booth # 437
Funded by:
National Institutes of Health
National Center for
Research Resources
National Institute on
Drug Abuse
San Antonio Life Sciences
Institute
Max and Minnie Tomerlin
Voelcker Fund
http://teachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu
TEACHER ENRICHMENT INITIATIVES
8.) Visualization & Drawing: An impor-
tant enhancement of vocabulary instruction
involves creating a visual image of the term
through association with a picture or draw-
ing; students can create their own pictures,
drawings, collages, pictographs or other
symbolic representation or this can be pro-
vided by the teacher (Marzano, 2009).
9.) Knowledge Rating: The Knowledge
Rating Scale designed by Vacca & Vacca
(2005) entails asking students to answer
questions regarding existing knowledge
about keyword vocabulary identifed by the
teacher as crucial for understanding unit
content. In a graphic organizer, students are
asked to place each term under the column
headings of Dont know at all, Have seen
or heard-dont know what it means, I think
I know what it means, and I know the
meaning (Vacca & Vacca, 2005).
10.) Semantic Maps: Semantic Mapping
is a categorical approach to teaching new
vocabulary through the use of a graphic or-
ganizer. The teacher selects the new word or
concept to be taught, placing it in the center
of a large sheet of paper, transparency, or
chalk/black board. Then the class brain-
storms immediate words associated with the
term that come to mind (Johnson, Heimlich,
& Pittelman, 1986).
11.) Synonyms and Antonyms: Teaching
synonyms and antonyms can be a powerful
method for conveying meaning about what
a term means and doesnt mean by compar-
ing it to other words in the learners prior
knowledge. Synonyms and antonyms can be
generated as individuals, in groups, or with
the aid of a thesaurus or word processor.
12.) Vocabulary Self-Collection: In Vocab-
ulary Self-Collection, students take control
of the learning process by identifying the
vocabulary terms that they do not know and
think are important for mastery. Students
can then discuss the word, possible alterna-
tive defnitions or uses, and identify a formal
defnition. The goal of Vocabulary Self Col-
lection is to encourage independent student
learning of self generated vocabulary words
in a natural, normal manner (Brassell,
2009).
13.) Semantic Feature Analysis: Seman-
tic Feature Analysis consists of teaching
vocabulary meaning through a chart that
demonstrates the relationship between con-
cepts. Teachers preselect the vocabulary
terms and list them in the frst column of
the chart, with subordinate categories flling
the frst row of the chart. Students can then
indicate the presence or absence of a rela-
tionship between the term and the category
by placing a positive symbol (+) to indicate a
relationship, negative symbol (-) to indicate
no relationship, or question mark (?) if more
information is needed (Anders & Bos, 1986).

14.) The Frayer Model: The Frayer Model
was designed to teach more complex vocab-
ulary words directly and explicitly through
a series of seven steps: 1.) state the word
and its characteristics; 2.) purge unrelated
characteristics (say what the term is not); 3.)
list examples; 4.) list nonexamples; 5-7.) list
subordinate, superordinate, and coordinat-
ing words (Frayer, Frederick, & Klausmeier,
1969).
15.) Concept Circles: Students may miss
the relationship between vocabulary terms
and concepts if the terms are presented in
isolation, such as in lists or drills. Concept
Circles attempt to link vocabulary to content
area concepts in order to increase motiva-
tion to read content area texts as well as
enhance comprehension and learning. One
variation consists of a circle divided into four
quadrants with vocabulary terms that are
related according to an overarching con-
cept; students must identify the concept and
how each word is related under the concept
(Vacca & Vacca, 2001).
16.) Vocabulary Read Aloud: Reading
content aloud can be a powerful tool for
introducing vocabulary terms to learners.
Teachers can expose their students to new
vocabulary through incidental, embedded,
or focused instruction during a Read Aloud.
(Kindle, 2009). Read Aloud can increase
vocabulary knowledge by drawing students
attention to Tier 2 words, or those that are
often used by competent language users;
this can have a powerful effect on language
functioning (Beck et al, 2002, p. 8).
17.) Word Square: The Word Square Model
is best suited for vocabulary terms that
students are familiar with at least vaguely,
but may not be familiar with them in a given
content area. Porter & Herczog (2009) de-
scribe in detail the construction of a Word
Square in which a square is divided into four
equal parts, with the vocabulary term in the
top left-hand box, a picture of the term in
the top right-hand box, a picture of what the
word is not in the bottom right-hand box,
and the defnition in the bottom left-hand
box.
18.) Vocabulary Cards: The use of vocabu-
lary cards in classrooms is likely to be a
familiar approach to veteran teachers. Vo-
cabulary cards can be constructed with
3x5 index cards; there are several varia-
tions to this exercise as far as what material
to include on the front and back of the card,
ranging from the detailed card consisting of
fve to six pieces of information per side to
a simpler format of a word on one side and
a picture or defnition on the other (Heinze,
2006; Porter & Herczog, 2009).
19.) Vocabulary Chart: The vocabulary
chart is a strategy that is particularly useful
when learning new terms in a content area
rather than a narrative format. In this exer-
cise, students are provided with a teacher-
generated chart (for example, see Porter &
Herczog, 2009) with the instructions to note
each new word as they read the text. Col-
umns can include the word itself, the page
and sentence where the word was read, an
evaluation of the students knowledge of the
word (do not know the word, heard it,
know it well, etc), and a prompt to write
down immediate associations of what came
to mind when the word was read.
20.) KWL Chart: The KWL Chart is named
with acronyms for What we Know, what we
Want to know, and what we Learned. This
exercise is completed through the creation
of either individual or group charts with the
word(s) listed in row form and three columns
with the KWL headings. Teachers can desig-
nate the words to be used or rely on student
selection of key vocabulary terms. The frst
column, What we Know, is completed with
prior knowledge related to the term, perhaps
content taught in previous grade levels or
other content areas. The second column,
What we Want to know consists of infor-
mation that the student may be confused
about or require more in depth understand-
ing; the last column, What we Learned
allows the student to process connections
between the content taught and prior knowl-
edge of the term (Ogle, 1986).
Conclusion
There is no one vocabulary strategy that will work for all students, in all content areas, all
of the time. Differentiation is at the heart of any good teaching strategy, as some methods
will be more effective with some learners than others or in one content area over another.
Marzano (2009) recommends that school districts and teachers alike fnd empirically based
vocabulary instructional strategies and then conduct their own assessments, informally as
well as formally to determine their effcacy within their own classrooms for their students,
grade level, and content area. We think these 20 ways are an excellent place to start.

References
Aardema, V., & Dillon, L.&D. (1975). Why mosquitoes buzz in peoples ears. New York: Puffn Pied Piper.
Aase, H., & Sagvolden, T. (2006). Infrequent, but not frequent, reinforcers produce more variable responding
and defcient sustained attention in young children with attention defcit/hyperactivity
disorder(ADHD). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(5), 457-471.
Anders, P. L. & Bos, C. S. (1986). Semantic feature analysis: An interactive strategy for vocabulary
development and text comprehension. Journal of Beading, 29(7), 610-616.
Anonymous (2007). 5 vocab games kids love. Instructor, 116(6), 66-67.
Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New
York: Guilford.
Blachowicz, C., & Fisher, P.J. (2002). Teaching vocabulary in all classrooms (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Blachowicz, C.L.Z., Peter, J.L, Fisher, D.O., & Watts-Taffe, S. (2006). Vocabulary: Questions from the
classroom. Reading Research Quarterly, 41(4), 524-539.
Blanton, W., & Moorman, G. (1990). The presentation of reading lessons. Reading Research and Instruction,
29(3), 35-55.
Brassell, D. (2009). Dare to differentiate: Vocabulary strategies for all students. New England Reading
Association Journal, 44 (2), 1-6.
Cassidy, J., & Cassidy, D. (2005). Whats hot, whats not for 2006. Reading Today, 23(1), 8-9.

Crovitz,D., & Miller, J.A. (2008). Register and charge: Using synonym maps to explore connotation.
English Journal, 97(4). 49-55.
Flanigan, K., & Greenwood, S.C. (2007). Effective content vocabulary instruction in the middle: Matching
students, purposes, words, and strategies. International Reading Association, 51(3), 226-238.
Frayer, D. A., Frederick, W. C & Klausmeier, H. J. (1969). A schema for testing the level of concept mastery
(Working Paper No. 16). Madison: University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Research and Development Cen
ter for Cognitive Learning.
Flynt, Sutton E., & Bronzo, W.G. (2008). Developing academic language: Got words? The Reading Teacher,
61(6), 500-502.
Graves, M.F., & Watts-Taffe, S. (2002). The place of word consciousness in a research-based vocabulary
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Gruber, B. (1999). Boost learning with word walls. Teaching PreK-8, 30(1), 64-65.
Gunning, T.G. (2003). Creating reading instruction for all children (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Harmon, J.M., & Hedrick, W.B. (2001). Zooming in and zooming out for better vocabulary learning. The
Middle School Journal,32(5), 22-29.
Heinze, J. (2006). Turn up the juice!. Instructor 115(7), 57-59.
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Jessica L. Hoskins is a former special education
teacher who taught students with Emotional
and Behavioral Disorders in North Carolina
before continuing her studies in the Counseling
Psychology doctoral program at Texas A&M
University.
Kimberly J. Vannest is an Associate Professor in the
Special Education Department of Texas A&M Univer-
sity; her research interests include single case research,
progress monitoring, and interventions for students
with emotional & behavioral disorders.
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Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Vacca, R. T., & Vacca, J. L. (2005). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum.
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vocabulary development. Intervention in School and Clinic, 44(5), 282-287.
Beginning Teacher Induction and Mentoring:
BTIM
by Terry Talley
Mentoring Science Teachers in the
Galveston County Regional Collaborative
The beginning of the school year
is flled with excitement and anticipation
which can be felt by both the administra-
tors and the faculty alike. Each year as I
look through the science department, I feel a
sense of pride knowing we are there for each
other. We share our strengths and work
together to bolster our weaknesses - always
saving most of the support for our most
recent additions. A mental roll call goes off
in my mind, Who retired, who moved, who
is returning, and who is joining our ranks
to fll the vacancies? This year I mourn the
loss of the veteran teachers. They are my
teaching friends and colleagues, my academ-
ic and social support system. We offer each
other advice and wisdom concerning our les-
sons, our students, our administration and
even our families.
One specifc fall comes to mind as I
am thinking about new science teachers and
the mentoring required for them to blend
into our department. It was the fall when the
frst alternatively certifed science teacher
came into our ranks. I knew our pre-service
training and student-teaching experiences
would not be the same, but we shared the
same common passion for teaching science
to children. As department chair and ap-
pointed mentor, I was committed to spend-
ing as much time as I possible supporting
our new addition with lesson plans and
materials, but in the end I had to admit, my
time was limited and I was lacking the most
essential piece in a mentoring relationship
coaching.
With my own classes to teach, depart-
ment duties, and campus leadership roles,
I did not have the opportunity be what she
really needed - a mentor/coach. She needed
someone to occasionally be with her in her
classroom as she was trying new strategies
and resources, to provide feedback and work
through perfecting her craft. She needed me
to act as a bridge to span the gulf between
the craft knowledge I held as an experienced
teacher and the void of the novice teacher
who does not have the experience to select
the proper tools for the academic and man-
agement challenges.
Teaching is possibly the only profes-
sion which tries to give the impression that
all who enter the classroom know all in-
structional best practices and can handle
any situation starting on day one. It is only
after several years of trial and error that the
novice teacher learns to appreciate the col-
laborative gestures of her peers and learns
to ask for ideas when she does not have the
knowledge, skills or resources needed. I
admitted I needed to learn how to mentor
and stop being the instructor. I needed more
than the three-hour workshop offered by my
district. I wanted to be an effective men-
tor, but I knew to do it effectively, mentor-
ing would require more time than I had as
a teacher and campus leader. I also needed
a collaborative skill set that would beneft
both of us.
Beginning Teacher Induction (contd.)
The opportunity to learn more about
mentoring and coaching arrived soon af-
ter my retirement this past year. The Texas
Regional Collaborative (TRC) offered a grant
funded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
to establish Beginning Teacher Induction
and Mentoring Programs (BTIM) through the
Regional Collaboratives. The grant provided
training through Mentoring Texas in using
research based practices. The grant began
in October 2009 and will follow new science
teachers through their frst two years in the
classroom, with the grant period ending in
April 2011. Although the BTIM programs
throughout Texas have different settings and
address novice teachers from various pro-
grams, the underlying premise is the same
providing academic coaching and supportive
relationships. This model, most importantly,
includes providing a professional/collegial
relationship which will assist in welcoming
and bolstering a self-doubting and often iso-
lated neophyte into the world of teaching.
Teacher Shortage and Underlying Factors
It was once believed that the short-
age of qualifed teachers was due to teacher
retirements and an increase in the student
population, but based on the research of
Ingersoll (2001) this shortage may be due to
other factors causing teachers to leave the
profession preretirement such as; job dissat-
isfaction and lack of administrative support.
Rather than addressing the factors revealed
through the data analysis, the dominant pol-
icy in response to increasing the supply of
teachers was a wide range of recruitment in-
centives such as, Teach for America, which
provides alternative licensing programs and
fnancial incentives to ease entry into teach-
ing. (2001) However, even with an increas-
ing number of recruits, a high percentage
of newly hired teachers are also exiting the
profession. High teacher turnover among
beginning teachers, based on the research
sited in Ingersolls article (2001), are of
concern not only because they may be an
outcome indicating underlying problems in
how well schools function, but also because
they can be disruptive, in and of themselves,
for the quality of the school community and
performance.
Based on the current employment
fgures, there is a need to recruit and re-
tain teachers who are certifed in the sci-
ence classrooms of Texas and based on the
research fndings of Ingersoll and Thomas,
provide the administrative support needed to
overcome the dissatisfaction driving begin-
ning teachers from their frst teaching as-
signments. The goal of the BTIM program is
to keep and support highly qualifed science
teachers through their second year of teach-
ing and beyond. It is intended to help them
over the hurdle of their frst year and on into
their second year.
It is then again in the ffth year of
teaching, Ingersoll states, that statistics
show the loss of many teachers for a variety
of other reasons, such as family concerns,
student discipline problems, limited faculty
input into school decision-making, and to a
lesser extent low salaries. (2001) To address
40-50
percent of
beginning
teachers
leave in a
few short
years...
the most profound and manageable reason,
which is lack of administrative support, the
focus of the BTIM mentoring and coaching
program is the provision of a support net-
work of mentor teachers and peers. Through
this network is the infusion of best practices
into the science community. The support
(as advocated by the administration) for the
beginning teacher is in the form of mentors
and professional development for both the
administration and the mentee, and a learn-
ing beneft for the students in the teachers
charge.
Another consideration that the BTIM
program addresses is the way in which stu-
dents academic momentum can be stymied.
According to the ACT report, Rigor at Risk
(2007), when assigning teachers to courses
that they are not professionally qualifed
to teach or not yet experienced enough to
teach well has an effect on student learn-
ing. The study suggests, that there is evi-
dence that these teachers are most often
assigned to those students who are furthest
behind and who consequently need the most
help. The ACT report goes on to state that
their research revealed a direct relation-
ship between teacher quality and students
degree of college readiness as determined by
an index based on their ACT scores and high
school grade point averages.(2007)
It is the fundamental purpose of
coaching and professional development in
the BTIM Mentoring Program that in this
academic partnership, all teachers gain
content knowledge and build on experiences
toward the application of instructional skills.
These gains beneft the entire science edu-
cation community through the retention of
qualifed teachers and successful students
maintaining their momentum of higher lev-
els of academic performance.
When analyzing data from the School
and Staffng Survey and the associated
Teacher Follow up Survey (SASS/TFS) con-
ducted by the National Center for Education
Statistics collected from beginning teachers
exiting the profession, Ingersoll and Smith
(2003) found 40-50 percent of beginning
teachers leave in a few short years. Of that
percentage about 39 percent said they left
to pursue a better job or another career,
and about 29 percent said that dissatisfac-
tion with teaching as a career or with their
specifc job was the main reason. Ingersoll
further stated dissatisfaction with school
working conditions behind their decision
to quit were: student discipline problems,
lack of support from school administration,
poor student motivation, and lack of teacher
infuence over school wide and classroom
decision making.
Ingersoll and Smith (2003) concluded
from their research that increasing support
from school administrators for new teach-
ers, for example, might range from provid-
ing enough classroom supplies to providing
mentors. Mentors are especially crucial. Life
for beginning teachers has traditionally been
described as a sink-or-swim proposition. In-
deed, data from SASS/TFS shows that men-
toring does make a difference.
Rationale for BTIM Program Mentor/
Coaches based on the 2003 meta-analysis
research of the Rand Corporation, Teach-
ers in the felds of science and mathemat-
ics were more likely to leave teaching than
teachers in other felds. The Rand Study
also stated that the research on in-service
policies that affect teacher retention stated;
schools that provided mentoring and
induction programs, particularly those re-
lated to collegial support, had lower rates
of turnover among beginning teachers; that
schools that provided teachers with more
autonomy and administrative support had
lower levels of teacher attrition and migra-
tion; and that schools with fewer disciplin-
ary problems or those that gave teachers
discretion over setting disciplinary policies
had lower levels of teacher attrition and dis-
satisfaction (Rand, 2003)
The Rand research (2003) went on
to state, schools with high percentages of
minority students are diffcult to staff, and
that teachers tend to leave these schools
when more attractive opportunities present
themselves. It is also evident, however, that
factors that can be altered through policy
can have an impact on the decisions of in-
dividuals to enter teaching and on teachers
decisions to migrate to other schools or quit
teaching. The Rand research (2003) also
offers information on the effectiveness of a
number of different options in the areas of
compensation, pre-service policies, and in-
service policies, although rigorous research
evaluating the latter two types of policies is
relatively scarce.
The data used in the Rand study are
from the nationally representative 1999
2000 Schools and Staffng Survey. The re-
sults indicate that beginning teachers who
were provided with mentors from the same
subject feld and who participated in collec-
tive induction activities, such as planning
and collaboration with other teachers, were
less likely to move to other schools and less
likely to leave the teaching occupation after
their frst year of teaching. (2003)
The training provided by the Texas Regional
Collaborative is based on the research of the
Professional Development Group in Birming-
ham, Alabama. For the training, two books
by Paula Rutherford were provided; Why
Didnt I Learn This in College: Teaching and
Learning in the 21st Century (2009) and The
21st Century Mentors Handbook: Creating
a Culture for Learning (2005). In establish-
ing a rationale for the BTIM program a quote
from the forward of Rutherfords 2009 book
gives the TRC-BTIM training a lightning
clear focus. The quote below is from Frank
McDonalds, A Study of Induction Programs
for Beginning Teachers:
It is a truism among teachers and
especially teacher educators that
within the frst six months of the
frst experience of teaching, the
teacher will have adopted his
or her basic teaching style. Ex-
perience indicates that once a
teachers basic teaching style has
stabilized, it remains in that form
until some other event causes a
change, and at the present time,
there are not many such events
producing change. If the style
adapted is a highly effective one
and is the source of stimulation to
continuous growth, there would
be no problem. But if teachers
abandon their ideals and become
cynical, see management at any
price as essential, constrict the
range of instruction alternatives
they will try or use; if they become
mediocre teachers or minimally
competent, then the effect of the
transition period on this is a ma-
jor concern and a problem that
needs direct attention.
(McDonald, 1980)
Of the [frst] 25
[BTIM] participants,
all have remained in
the teaching
profession.
Grant Guidelines
Following the guidelines and the re-
quirements of Texas Education Agency
and the Texas Regional Collaborative (TRC)
Grant, mentors are to provide to the men-
tee, weekly contact or four contact times a
month as the campus and mentees sched-
ules allow. Funds were not spent on re-
sources specifcally for teacher use in the
classroom with students, but more for the
modeling of instruction within professional
development and through the Professional
Learning Community. Materials were avail-
able for loan if appropriate for a teachers
grade level or program.
The TRC guidelines also required doc-
umentation of the types and times of each of
the interactions between mentors and men-
tees by completing a log of teacher contact
time. Documentation is also kept of mentor
interactions with the administrators working
with the new and second year science teach-
ers.
The Components of the BTIM Program:
A Three-Tiered Approach
The frst component is providing for
professional discourse in a structured set-
ting with specifc outcomes and goals in
mind. The frst structure incorporated into
the BTIM was our Professional Learning
Community (PLC). Meeting monthly as a
community of learners, the BTIM teachers
gathered to learn more, refect on successes
and struggles, as well as share resources
centered on a common learning theme. Fur-
ther discourse was encouraged and facilitat-
ed through the TOLC (Texas Online Learning
Community) site for professional discourse
and posting of resource for sharing.

The monthly half-day Professional
Learning Community (PLC) sessions were
planned for an off campus location to cho-
reograph a more relaxed setting. Substitute
teachers were provided through grant funds.
The PLC included a brown-bag lunch which
teachers brought with them. The mentors
in the BTIM program provided desserts,
snacks, water and chocolates to sustain
the teachers throughout the afternoon. The
PLC met from 12:30 pm 3:30 pm utilizing
structures which provided for teacher refec-
tion, collaborative problem solving, discus-
sions about their craft, and the development
of more sophisticated approaches to their
classroom instruction.
Each PLC was formatted in the 5 E
model of instruction utilizing highly engag-
ing activities to provide an opportunity to
call up prior knowledge, build confdence
in what is about to be discussed, as well as
keep the time moving at a brisk pace. Each
PLC began with a structured opportunity
to talk through issues specifc to their as-
signments and positions, such as classroom
management, parental concerns, and work-
load. Although never completely resolved,
the peer discussions added to a sense of
community and a lack of isolation. Monthly
instructional discussions centered on a
strategy that appeared in the literature as a
need for induction year teachers, were re-
quested, or were noted as needed based on
classroom observations. These topics
included:
Using the Walls as Instructional Tools
Misconceptions that Interfere with Learn-
ing Science
Questions, Wait Time and Classroom Dis-
cussions
Inquiry, Labs, Data Tables, Graphs and
Charts
Science Literacy and Notebooks
Using Models in Science and Moving
Learning from Concrete to Abstract
Follow-up discussions on the Texas
Regional Collaborative TOLC site was estab-
lished for the GCRC-BTIM www.theTRC.org
for after-hours collaboration and sharing of
resources among the teachers in the
program.
Campus and Classroom Interactions
The second component, Campus and
Classroom Interactions includes observa-
tions both scheduled and unscheduled,
coaching, providing resources, as well as
offering assistance by model teaching, co-
teaching, lesson planning and listening. The
important part of listening is to listen with
an open mind and a sympathetic ear; hold-
ing advice and to be able to respond with
reassurance to the angst of a new teacher
breaking into the world of teaching and onto
a campus with a well established social or-
der.
Classroom Walk-Through Vis-
its (CWT) based on the model by Carolyn
Downey in her book, The Three-Minute
Classroom Walk-Through: Changing School
Supervisory Practice One Teacher at a Time,
(2004) where the mentor visits a classroom
for a short period of time, sitting down in the
back of the classroom to observe how the
students were responding to the teachers
planned lesson for the day. Often, students
would share what they are learning or in-
volve the observer in a lab they were doing.
During these observations the mentor/coach
would look for artifacts of learning, student
work, student engagement with the lesson,
journaling, work and words on the walls,
posters students constructed as well as
models about the room.
Data Collection Observations are
also campus interaction which encompass-
es an entire science class period. These
monthly scheduled observations include
the collection of data concerning student
engagement throughout a lesson as well as
the interactions between the teacher and
students in the room. Unlike PDAS Observa-
tions, no evaluation was intended or provid-
ed. The data gathered were at the request
of the teacher and requested to validate the
effectiveness of a strategy or management
technique being explored. An interesting as-
pect of this type of observation is that teach-
ers are disappointed they do not occur more
frequently based on the feedback received
from our BTIM participants.
Coaching Sessions are 30 minutes
in length and are scheduled monthly during
a teachers planning period the week after
a scheduled observation. The focus of the
observation is to share the data collected
during the scheduled observation concern-
ing student engagement and teacher inter-
actions with students. The session ends
with the determination of which data is to be
gathered during the next -scheduled obser-
vation. The date and time for the observa-
tion is placed on the calendar.
Planning, assisting and modeling
lessons occur during a one-hour visit. The
mentee decides which activity the mentor
is to do. The mentor may be asked to assist
with a lab, or model a lesson so the mentee
can watch the fow or pacing. Within the
same session, student and materials man-
agement could occur. Many mentees re-
quest assistance in planning a future lesson
or a unit of study which incorporates re-
sources and ideas the mentor has provided
in previous sessions or she may be asked to
assist in locating resources that are appro-
priate or assist in differentiating a lesson as
a Response to Intervention (RTI) for a special
needs student or for meeting the English
Language Profciency Standards (ELPS) for
an English Language Learner.
Professional Development for Content
Knowledge
The third component is Professional
Content Learning. Often frst and second
year science teachers come to the classroom
with a general understanding of their grade
level content, but gain self-confdence from
an opportunity to learn more specifc and
detailed content prior to instruction. Well-
researched and standards-based science
content is easily accessed through Online
NSTA provided to all BTIM participants. By
being provided passwords and simple direc-
tions during one of the PLC meetings, the
mentees were able to access all of NSTA
Online Learning Links. Participants were re-
quired to take a pre-test for prior knowledge
in one specifc module then were given free
access to the resources for a year. For re-
search purposes, the participants will take a
post-test over the same module to measure
the difference in their content knowledge as
acquired from the modules completed.
Sustained learning opportunities are
offered through many opportunities such as
the BTIM three-day Best Practices in Science
Mini-Conference which provides an in depth
study of the BSCS 5 E Lesson Model (BSCS,
2006) and an infusion of high-yield strate-
gies as discussed by Marzano, Pickering and
Pollock in their meta-analysis: Classroom
Instruction that Works (2001), and student-
based technology such as force and motion
probes and computer simulations.
Another sustained learning program
for the BTIM participants is free access to
the summer professional development of-
fered by the Galveston County Regional Col-
laborative (GCRC) through the UTMB Offce
of Education Outreach and the Southeast
Regional T-STEM (SRT-STEM) Center. The
GCRC sponsored a three-day Introduction
to Inquiry Institute based on the training
from the Exploratorium Museums Institute
for Inquiry. The SRT-STEM offered a two-
day Lego Robotics Academy, and many other
T-STEM Bio-Technology opportunities. The
summer professional development is focus-
ing on lesson design, problem-based learn-
ing, technology integration and pedagogy.
These summer sessions are attended by
members of the Galveston County Regional
Collaborative who are at all levels of their
teaching careers, many with over 15 years
of teaching experience. Among the GCRC
participants, there is a willingness to work
side-by-side as mentors with BTIM members
in collaborative groups to gain the science
knowledge and skills required for the new
2009 TEKS implementation. Through these
connections, networks are established which
may last through the school year and per-
haps for the length of a teaching career.
Responses from the Mentee Survey
As we are about to begin the second year of the two-year grant, our BTIM participants
are struggling with the affects of economic times. The impact of the recent oil industry slow
down as well as the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ike has displaced and moved many
of our frst and second year teachers. Of the 25 beginning participants, all have remained
in the teaching profession. As the research projected, several have moved to other districts,
one is being transferred to another school within the district, several have changed teach-
ing assignments, but unfortunately several are affected by a Reduction in Force (RIF) due
to shrinking number of students served by the school district. With each change come the
stresses associated with being a new teacher again in a new community. Fortunately, our
mentees have a year of experience and craft knowledge to go with them into this new en-
vironment. It will be a challenge for them to learn the culture of their new school, but the
BTIM program will be there to support them and to facilitate the PLC to meet these needs
through support and collaboration.
In seeking feedback from the BTIM teachers concerning the impact of their involve-
ment in the frst year of the GCRC-BTIM program the participants were asked to respond
to an online survey. Of the 25 enrolled in the frst year of the program, 16 responded to the
survey. The numbers in parentheses with each response represents the number assigned to
each teacher to maintain anonymity.
The Most Benefcial Parts of BTIM
When asked: Which aspects of the BTIM program have the greatest beneft to you as
a participant in the program and why?, of the 16 responses to this open ended question,
the most volunteered responses were modeling best practices, providing resources, and col-
laboration among those in the group. Results are in Figure 1.
Figure 1:

2
2
8
4
7
6
7
2
2
2
3
2
2
5E
New TEKS
Collaboration
Notebooking
Resources
Test Support
Best Practices
Graphic Organizers
Questioning
Modeling Instructional Strategies
Planning Lessons
Feedback
Role Models
Benefits of BTIM Sited by 16 Respondents
An elementary teacher responds the BTIM program provides concrete information
pertaining to the Science TEKS and provides hands-on learning that enhances my educa-
tional growth. (2) A fourth grade science teacher states It allows the participants to collab-
orate with others who are not in their school or district. (4) A sixth grade teacher replies,
The resources for hands-on activities are most benefcial for notebooking. Modeling in-
structional best practices are most helpful in helping me utilize materials most effectively.
(5) A high school chemistry teacher replies, Getting together with other new science teach-
ers to talk about everything associated with the job. I also found the research about all the
topics essential. The feedback from a walk through is very helpful as well. (9)
PLC Topics
When responding to the question, Which of the topics discussed at the PLCs was
of the most beneft and why?, of the 16 respondents, many selected two or more. About
30% felt the Graphic Organizers in a Scientifc Investigation and Questions, Cues and Ad-
vanced Organizers to be of the most beneft. 25% of the participants also found beneft in
the PLCs addressing TAKS Testing strategies, Misconceptions that Interfere with Learning
Science, and Walking the Walls. The results are seen in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2:
A third grade self-contained teacher replied, Misconceptions that Interfere with
Learning Science [Week 2] was the most benefcial PLC. I believe that if a child has learned
information that is incorrect then that child doesnt have an adequate foundation on which
to build. Students should be taught science at their level of understanding on each grade
level; therefore scaffolding can be done in an alignment per grade level; for the science
knowledge levels to build on. (2)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Walking the Walls
Misconceptions
5 E Model of Instruction
Questions
Graphic Organizers
Types of Investigations
TAKS Strategies
Which PLC Topic Was Most Beneficial?
An eighth grade teacher who was hired in December and joined our BTIM at semester
replies, I loved What Goes on the Walls? [Week 1] because other people in our group gave
me lots of great ideas I was able to put into my classroom the next day. (9) A high school
biology teacher responds, Graphic Organizers in Scientifc Lab Investigations [Week 5] gave
me more information and skills with which to give the students room to be curious in a lab
type setting. (7)
Least Benefcial Aspect of BTIM
When asked to briefy describe which aspect of the BTIM program participants felt
were least helpful to a new teacher and why?, of the 16 participants who responded to this
open ended question, the most-offered responses by 30% of the respondents was not meet-
ing by grade level and 25% did not like the time out of class. See Figure 3.

Figure 3:
A third grade teacher provided this response, In order to acquire the information
to use in a classroom setting, a teacher must take time out to receive adequate training,
therefore time out of the classroom is a vital part of professional growth. (2)
An eighth grade teacher provided these comments, Meeting participants of all grade
levels. I felt that maybe the meetings would have been more benefcial if they could have
been tailored a bit more to specifc grade levels, elementary, middle and secondary. Seems
impossible, but you did ask. (8)
Another eighth grade teacher stated, The only downfall and really it is not a downfall
is the time away from the classroom. It is not because we are out of the classroom but it is
the time needed to have things ready for the students. Coming to the BTIM was invaluable
so the time away was good. (16)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time out of Class
TAKS Remediation
Research behind BP
Did not meet by grade level
Started mid year
Online Discussions
Which Aspect of the BTIM Was Least Beneficial?
What else is needed in BTIM?
When asked what additional information or programs should be added to the BTIM
Program for next year to be more effective?, of the 16 respondents, there were a variety of
useful suggestions. The most frequent responses for 20% of the respondents were class-
room management and having an in school mentor available to them. About 10% requested
more technology integration ideas. See Figure 4 below.
Figure 4:
A high school chemistry teacher stated, If at all possible, this program would be
more benefcial for new teachers if they could get started during the summer. I think it
would be good to incorporate time for them to look up websites you know would be good
resources for science teachers so they could compile some things for their classes. (6)
A seventh grade science teacher respond to this question by stating, Most of my
frustrations as a new teacher stem from classroom management, lesson planning and or-
ganization. (13) A high school biology teacher stated that we should, Pair novice teachers
with experienced teachers (both groups will have opportunities to learn new strategies). (4)
Online Resources Provided
Survey participants were asked which of the online resources provided did you fnd
to be most benefcial and why? The overwhelming majority stated the TAKS Study Manip-
ulatives and the NSTA Learning Links were of great value. See Figure 5 below.


0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Class Mangement
Discuss TEKS earlier
Contact list of members
Inschool Mentor too
Start in the summer
More technology
More online resources
ESL, 504 and SpEd ideas
Peer teaching
Lesson planning
What Should Be Added Next Year?
Figure 5:
A third grade general education teacher replied, NSTA Learning Links, in review-
ing the materials covered per grade level theres a wealth of resources that can be used in
the classroom setting. (2) A seventh grade science teacher replied, TOLC Discussion Site,
because it makes a variety of resources available. (13) An eighth grade science teacher
stated, The NSTA Learning Links are invaluable. I was able to do several lessons that were
a big help in the classroom. I will do more this summer. (16)
Conclusions based on our First Year in BTIM
As indicated in the research by Ingersoll and Smith (2001, 2003) and the Rand Cor-
poration (2003) there is a need for administrative support for beginning year science teach-
ers. Administrative support was gained through the letters of support provided by the
school districts the GRC-BTIM is serving within Galveston County. We received the support
and encouragement of the administration as we requested permission to visit teachers in
their classrooms, provide resources, request teachers be released from their classes for PLC
meeting dates, as well as provide additional professional development as part of our Pro-
fessional Learning Communities. We found that as we visited with teachers regularly, we
began with frequent stops in the offce frst!
As we evaluate the successes and missteps from our frst year, and begin planning
for the start of the new school year, we have had requests from the administration of these
districts to continue and expand the support we are providing. At a time of diminishing
budgets, grant funded projects are prized and utilized.
With nearly perfect attendance at each of the PLCs and the request for more frequent
visits by the mentors, there is an indication that our program was appreciated and needed.
The collaborative and supportive nature of the PLC is evident in the numerous emails and
text messages received through the summer and the discussions on our TOLC site.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
TOLC Site
NSTA Learning Links
TAKS Manipulatives
Online Resource
Which Online Resources Were Beneficial?
Im disappointed in the number of beginning teachers who will be moving to new
schools starting in the fall. Most of these moves are due to administrative decisions or
moves to different districts due to lack of administrative support as seen in the eyes of the
beginning teacher. Even with the moves, the frst question asked is Can I continue in the
BTIM? and their second is I know of another new teacher who wants to join the BTIM,
can she?
For me, as I think back to the start-of- school faculty meetings and getting intro-
duced to the newest members of the science department, I think of the many teachers I
have had the opportunity to mentor. I have a great sense of satisfaction as I follow their
careers to see they are involved in instructional leadership roles on the campuses, within
districts and even at the state level. Being given the gift of time to be a mentor and coach,
and to provide support for those entering the profession is one my most cherished gifts of
retirement.
Resources
ACT (2007) Rigor at Risk: Reaffrming Quality in the High School Core Curriculum.
Iowa City, IA
Bybee, Roger Y., Taylor, Joseph A., Gardner, April, Van Scotter, Pamela, Powell, Carlson,
Westbrook, Anne and Landes, Nancy. (2006) The BSCS 5E Instructional Model:
Origins, Effectiveness, and Applications, Colorado Springs, CO: BSCS.
Ingersoll, Richard M. (2001) Teacher turnover and teacher shortages: An organizational
analysis. American Educational Research Journal; fall 2001; 38, 3; pg. 499.
Retrieved online on July 17, 2010 from ABI/INFORM Global
Ingersoll, Richard M. and Smith, Thomas M., (2003). The Wrong Solution to the Teacher
Shortage. Education Leadership; May 2003; 60, 8: pp 30-33. Retrieved July 17, 2010
Online from Ebsco AN9722710.
Marzano, Robert J., Pickering, Debra J., and Pollock, Jane E. (2001) Classroom Instruction
that Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Terry Talley, Ed.D. received her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University
of North Texas. She recently retired after 25 years in public education from Lewisville ISD
where she most recently served as Secondary Science Supervisor. Terry is past-president of
the Texas Science Education Leadership Association and a member of the Science Teachers
Association of Texas. Dr. Talley is living on Galveston Island, where she and her husband are
fnding time to go sailing in their retirement. Terry remains active in the education commu-
nity by consulting and working part-time as the Co-Director of the SRT-STEM Center and
Project Manager for the BTIM Program, both sponsored by the School of Medicine at UTMB.
Treat Science Right and It Could Help Save the World
Harold Kroto recently spoke on the importance of
science in securing a sustainable future for the planet
at the Euroscience Open Forum 2010 conference in
Turin, Italy. Science News editor in chief Tom Siegfried
reported excerpts from Krotos talk in the August 28th,
2010; Vol.178 #5 (p. 32) of Science News: Magazine of
the Society for Science and the Public.
This column is Reprinted with permission of Science
News.
My defnition of science and its
an arid term, and almost no one really un-
derstands it as far as Im concerned: The
most important aspect of science is that its
a philosophical construct, which man (and
woman) has developed to determine what is
true, might be true and can be true.
Once one [accepts] that, one puts
science on a very interesting philosophi-
cal level, because truth must be universal
and must not vary from country to country
or planet to planet. Truth assumes that the
experiment will always work the same way.
This suggests that, basically, it wont work
differently if you pray to the experiment...
Truth is an intellectual integrity issue. I
want to stress that So for science edu-
cation, this is an ethical issue. We should
be teaching our children how to determine
what is true. It depends on evidence. With-
out evidence, anything goes. And we must
teach young people how to recognize the
truth. And thats why there is a confict be-
tween science and dogma, both political and
religious. Texas is desecrating science text-
books, and thus, the truth.
We have to weigh the evidence in the
balance, and science therefore equals truth.
John F. Kennedy said, The great enemy of
the truth is very often not the lie deliber-
ate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth
persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion
without the discomfort of thought.
I have a four-out-of-fve rule for sci-
entifc method. Here it is: If you make an
observation, develop a theory you think can
explain it. Then design some further experi-
ments to test the validity of that theory. If
four observations out of fve ft, the theory is
almost, and I stress almost, certainly right. If
only one out of fve fts, the theory is almost,
almost certainly wrong. We can never say it
was wrong. But we can say its almost cer-
tainly wrong. We must leave the way open
for that element of doubt.
This is a moral issue. Lets get it
straight. Science is about evidence and
truth. And thats why we have to think
about these things.
The issue we face today is sustainabil-
ity. Saving the planet its a global citizen-
ship project. We cannot do it by ourselves.
I dont know whether we can do it, but we
need everybody in the world to recognize
[that] this is our biggest problem. Weve got
to recognize science as the one community
that is international. It doesnt matter what
color you are, what nationality, language
you speak. Scientifc language is fundamen-
tal And that makes us different from ev-
ery other culture. Were international, were
global.
I want to make sure that you under-
stand what science and what the responsi-
bility of the scientist is. If youre a scientist,
you have a responsibility. We have created
this world, this technology. Weve done the
Treat Science Right and it Could Help Save the World
by Harold Kroto
Treat Science Right (contd.)
science. And I think, and I personally believe, we should take some responsibility to ensure
it is used for the beneft of mankind, and not to its detriment. If youre a physicist, we dont
need any more atomic bombs. If youre a chemist, we dont need any improvements in na-
palm, and if youre an engineer, we dont need any more land mines. There are people who
really feel strongly. Leon Lederman, [who was] head of [Fermilab] and got the Nobel Prize in
physics, said, So many years have passed and the human race is still saddled with enough
nuclear weapons to destroy the planet. We must redouble our efforts to unify the science
community against this huge stupidity.
Scientists have enemies now out there who are trying to destroy science. Its not
just against evolution. Its about truth. Its much more fundamental. Its about science,
its about your culture, its about how children and adults should determine what is true.
And therefore you have an enemy, the enemies who want to undermine the ability of young
people and adults to fnd out what is actually true, on the basis of evidence. Dont underes-
timate that one.
Destroy the planet? It doesnt look good. I look at the evidence. Four out of fve [indi-
cators] suggest ... that weve got a problem. Not only that, our children have a problem, and
our grandchildren almost certainly seem to have a problem. Im not sure. But I said almost
certainly.
Harold Kroto, who shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
the discovery of buckminsterfullerene (the molecules commonly
known as buckyballs), is a chemist at Florida State University in
Tallahassee. His research interests extend from the microworld
of nanoparticles to the chemistry of interstellar space. He also
campaigns for a new vision of science education, emphasizing the
responsibilities that scientists have for cooperating internationally
to support efforts aimed at securing a sustainable future for the
planet.
The Publication of the
Science Teachers Association of Texas
Solicit Manuscripts
Te Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT) publishes two periodicals:
Te
Statellite and
Te Texas Science Teacher.

Te
Statellite is the associations newsletter with information and news from the STAT ofcers, as well as STAT
Afliates and Regional Directors. It contains continuing educational opportunites for science teachers, in-
novative science activites, and other items of interest.
Te Texas Science Teacher is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes papers pertinent to science education from
all felds of science and science teaching. Contributions can be research articles, research notes, book reviews,
and essays of general scientifc interest.
For Both Publications:
All submitted material must be a signifcant original contribution not being considered elsewhere for publi-
cation. Inform the editor if material included in the article is published on the web, as excessive duplication
should be avoided and adequate links must be established. All manuscripts must be written in English.
Send an electronic copy of your manuscript to:

Te
Statellite Editor at stat@bizaustin.rr.com
Dr. Joel Palmer, Te Texas Science Teacher Editor at jpalmer59@gmail.com
Include in the e-mail the author name(s), current e-mail and physical address(es), and a contact phone
number. Indicate the publication for which the manuscript is submitted. Two referees (reviewers) and the edi-
tor review all manuscripts. You will receive communication of original receipt and then of completed reviews.
Submissions for both publications should follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Asso-
ciation, Fifth Edition.
Guidelines - Te submission guidelines on-line: http://www.statweb.org/texas-science-teach-
er/tst-guidelines
Upon Acceptance - Return the edited manuscript as soon as possible as an e-mail attachment to the editor.
Te manuscript must be returned in strict adherence to the instructions you receive with your manuscript.
Tables and Figures - All tables must be separate fles in Microsoft Word format. All images must be
separate fles in .jpg, .psd, .ai, or other standard format. Te fle name of each table or fgure must relate to
its place in the document (e.g. Figure 1.jpg). If submitting picture, they must be accompanied by a sepa-
rate fle, including a caption and the source (i.e. the name of the photographer and/or the image copyright
owner) for each image.

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Te Texas Science Teacher Volume 39, Number 2 October 2010 1

Teaching About Nature

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