Embedded Files
About The Author: Hi! My name is Madeline Keefe and I am a Biology Secondary Education major with a minor in Environmental Sustainability Education. I am passionate about spreading awareness about environmental issues and getting people excited to learn about science. I know that many people see science as a very static and bland subject but I want the world to know that is not the case! Science is based on discovery and curiosity and you can have a lot of fun with it. There are many ways to incorporate justice-based teaching practices into science education, which I will go into here. I hope that everyone, whether they are science focused or not, is able to benefit from my research!
About The Author: Hi! My name is Madeline Keefe and I am a Biology Secondary Education major with a minor in Environmental Sustainability Education. I am passionate about spreading awareness about environmental issues and getting people excited to learn about science. I know that many people see science as a very static and bland subject but I want the world to know that is not the case! Science is based on discovery and curiosity and you can have a lot of fun with it. There are many ways to incorporate justice-based teaching practices into science education, which I will go into here. I hope that everyone, whether they are science focused or not, is able to benefit from my research!
Highlighting Untold Stories
Highlighting Untold Stories
It is essential, when teaching science, to highlight the people of marginalized groups and communities who were not recognized for their contributions. Scientists have made incredible discoveries in the field, but in teaching about these advancements, we should make students aware of the non-white male contributors to scientific discovery.
The majority of the famous figures that are taught about in the science classroom regarding scientific discovery are white men. People like Charles Darwin or Watson and Crick are some of the first who come to mind. The contributions and existence of people of color and women for a long time have been excluded from the scientific narrative. Bringing these unappreciated people into the spotlight, while also acknowledging why they have not been given the recognition they deserve is important to build an anti-racist classroom. In this article, the story of Henrietta Lacks is discussed. Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman who was being treated for Cervical Cancer, when it was found that her cells were essentially immortal. Following her death from her cancer, her cells were taken and studied (without consent of Henrietta Lacks or her family), and these HeLa cells, have been used in studies and experiments that led to groundbreaking scientific discoveries. The article goes over a science teacher's experience using The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a book by Rebecca Skloot, in her classroom. Gretchen Kraig-Turner, the teacher in question and author of this article, goes over the topics covered and issues brought up during the six week unit on the book. They touch upon cell growth, genetics, biomedical history, and institutional racism. Many of these topics were influenced by the students curiosity, and the teacher based her lessons on the concepts in the book that peaked her students interests. They also performed some experiments to relate these concepts to their own lives. The class did a lab where they grew yeast, where they faced many similar problems regarding contamination, error, and plain bad luck as scientists trying to study cancer cells. They also would break into discussion groups after finishing sections of the book. They would answer discussion questions together and make connections between the science aspects they are learning about, and the issues Henrietta Lacks and her family faced. A big focus of the lesson is how racism influenced medical science and patient care. The book explains how Black people were given a lower quality of healthcare compared to White people, and how Black people in hospitals were often used as test subjects for various experiments against their will. From this the students are able to gain an understanding of bioethics and how the scientific community did not treat marginalized communities with respect.
I really appreciate how this teacher strives to diversify her students perceptions of people involved in science. Many of her student's were surprised to learn that Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman, as people like her are rarely present in science curriculum. I want to present the women and people of color who contributed to scientific discovery in the same way that we teach about Charles Darwin. However, I want to teach about them in a way that also acknowledges their struggles, so that my students can have a better understanding of bioethics and social justice. I like how the teacher made connections between the different aspects of the lesson. From learning about cancer to performing an experiment about cell growth using yeast, or by having the students discuss with each other connections between science and the Lacks family. I want to build these critical thinking skills associated with making connections in my students, while also expanding their awareness about marginalized people in science.
In this article, author Elizabeth Kleinrock explains the connections between environmental issues, and institutional racism. She expresses her pride when she sees her students making their voices heard and holding global leaders accountable for their lack of environmental action. She delves into the importance of instilling this justice based mindset in students, so that we can build a more sustainable future. She wants students to learn to recognize the racism and whitewashing that exists in the modern Environmentalist movement. She prompts her students to question, “Who is speaking into the microphone the most often; which people hold the most influential positions in governments, companies and nonprofits; and how does this affect which stories about climate change are centered?”. She brings to light how climate change affects Black and Brown communities significantly more than White communities, leaving them more vulnerable to food insecurity, unclean water, and disease. She also aims to make students aware about the relationships between colonialism and conservation, using examples such as how conservationists have pushed out the Cofán people of Ecuador from their land, with the purpose of conserving it and preventing activities such as habitation and deforestation. All of this information shows that our environmental actions are having effects on communities, and that we should promote Ecojustice to our students to combat it.
Kleinrock's teaching method of having her students question what they are hearing is something that I want to implement in my own classroom. I want students to be able to appropriately detect whether the information they are taking in is actually rooted in facts and evidence. In today's world there is an obscene amount of misinformation being spread around issues of science. This is especially true in environmental news. Tactics like greenwashing influences people to think that a company is ecofriendly, and corporations are willing to shell out large amounts of money to maintain this image. Politicians and other public figures deny the existence of climate change, or incentivize the use of fossil fuels to fill their own pockets. For students to be leaders in ecojustice, they first need to learn to question the information that they are being fed. Being able to distinguish between misinformation and fact will make it so that they can be prepared to use their voice or vote to protect the environment.
"Justice cannot serve only one subset of society, especially when that subset is dictated by white supremacist power"
Gender and sexuality are becoming more present in society compared to just decades ago. In a study of 13-18 year old's, 10.5% self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. 27% of Americans personally know someone who is transgender. LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum can combat bullying and feelings of isolation in queer youth. However, in science education, there is not a lot of LGBTQ+ representation. In 2017, only "2.4% of students [reported] seeing LGBTQ-inclusive science content". Queer youth who were presented with LGBTQ+ representation in science were noticed to be "17.3% more likely to choose a STEM major". There are many opportunities for Biology teachers to base lessons and discussion around gender diversity. Topics like genetics, reproduction, and anatomy can all include gender and sexuality when being taught. The framework for gender inclusive Biology uses the concepts of authenticity, continuity, affirmation, anti-oppression, and student agency. Authenticity does not sacrifice scientific knowledge for gender inclusivity, or vice versa. Authenticity restructures the way we think about gender in science to be more inclusive, while remaining factual. The example of saying that "ovaries produce eggs", rather than "women produce eggs", maintains authenticity. Continuity requires consistency. Maintaining continuity requires that we consistently look at science with gender diversity in mind, rather than in certain exceptions. Affirmation positively highlights and normalizes gender diversity in science. This can be done by showing examples of same sex couples in the animal kingdom, or acknowledging the existence of intersex people and organisms. Anti-oppression challenges scientific and social norms that have traditionally excluded or negatively impacted people of particular gender identities. In one lesson, students talk about biological sex in relation to sports. In doing this, they explored and discussed the exclusion of intersex people from the narrative. Student agency encourages students to give feedback to the teacher, so that the classroom can be treated as a safe space for questions and concerns to be respectfully acknowledged.
To promote a gender inclusive space, I will adopt the framework for gender inclusive Biology. I will incorporate the aspects of authenticity, continuity, affirmation, anti-oppression, and student agency to make the classroom an inclusive and welcoming space for queer students. I believe that this will not only benefit LGBTQ+ youth, but also teach other students how to be an ally in the classroom, and in the field of science. I will use language that does not discriminate or exclude people of different gender identities from the conversation. I will also be open to having discussions with students about gender identity, biological sex, and sexuality. I do not want students to be afraid to have these conversations. By normalizing gender and sexuality inclusivity in the classroom, I hope to engage LGBTQ+ youth in a subject that has had a history of being exclusive.
Gendered representation of human reproduction vs a modified, gender inclusive model of human reproduction
Gender Inclusive Language
Citizen Science
Citizen Science
Citizen science is based on the idea that anyone can be a scientist. Through citizen science, ordinary people from across a town, state, country, or even the world collectively contribute their own observations to answer a question or build a database. Citizen science is easily implementable in the science classroom. There are many ways to incorporate it into lessons or labs for a wide range of ages. The Citizen Science Toolkit from the California Academy of Sciences provides resources for teachers to engage their students in citizen science. Citizen science bridges the gap that students feel exists between themselves and the science they learn about in their classrooms. By engaging in citizen science, students feel a more personal connection to science and the world around them. Citizen science also increases their awareness of real-world issues. The effects of climate change and pollution can be observed firsthand through some citizen science experiences. A variety of citizen science projects can be used within the science classroom. There is Budburst, where people collect data on plant life cycles and animal interactions. Another program is Galaxy Zoo, where people can classify galaxies by looking at pictures of them. Through these projects, citizen scientists compile data that will be used to solve genuine scientific inquiries. Engaging in these projects can build various scientific skills, including hypothesizing, making observations, and using critical thinking skills. The class can also gain teamwork skills, as many of these projects involve collaborating with one another. Implementing citizen science in the classroom has successfully engaged science students across the country. There are many opportunities to introduce students to citizen science in the classroom. Doing so can spark interest and appreciation for science and the natural world.
Citizen science is something that I think would be extremely beneficial to use in my own classroom. I can imagine having students pick from the different projects to find one that the class is all interested in. This way they are given more control and opportunities to explore their interests. I will have them go outside to collect data if the project they are doing calls for it. I want to have students be engaged with the outdoors and the natural world, so I would use citizen science projects as an opportunity for students to go outside and explore. I would like to have them keep a journal of some sort so that they can record their findings. Throughout this experience, I want them to feel that they are scientists, and that they do not need a fancy degree to explore curiosity. Learning about a scientific study through lectures can be informative, but I want my students to be able to follow the processes and steps of scientists. This will greaten their understanding of what it means to be a scientist, and how they as individuals can contribute to something greater than themselves.
Integrating Art and Science
Integrating Art and Science
Art and science have a lot more in common than one would think. They are both rooted in curiosity and discovery, and are seen together quite often. Science is a study that is dependent on the arts. Scientists use graphs, diagrams, photos, and other visual mediums to show their findings. In the classroom, integrating art and science can have benefits for adolescent learning. By connecting science to art, lessons can reach a wide range of students who learn differently. The opportunity to be creative gets students more excited to learn and be engaged in science lessons. In this article, author Melissa M. Hunkins performs her study to examine the effects of integrating art into middle school science curriculum. Students were introduced to nature journaling, and they each were given their own spot around the school that they would observe and journal about for the school year. Another art based activity involved the students using a variety of art materials (water color pencils, oil pastels, chalk) to draw what they saw under a microscope. Their final art project was to make a self portrait that incorporated the elements of science they had learned that year. Students show their understanding in different ways. For some, being able to draw a model of a concept is the equivalent of performing well on a test. Giving students the opportunity to express themselves and "draw their thinking" can make the classroom a more enjoyable experience where young minds can develop and flourish. In surveying her students, the teacher found that many of them were hesitant about integrating art with science, as it goes against the subject breakdown that has been established in the American education system for decades. However, they grew to enjoy it and felt that it enhanced their science experience. By integrating art and science, students build skills in creativity and content mastery.
As someone with a deep appreciation for the arts, bringing visual art and creativity is something that I wish to incorporate into my classroom. I really liked all of the teaching methods outlined in this study. The nature journals got the students outside and moving, and built a stronger connection between themselves and nature. I also possibly want to use the self portrait idea. Science, Biology in particular, makes us who we are. I believe that this is very important for students to understand that what they learn in a science classroom contributes to what makes them a person. I want students to be able to see themselves in their lessons when learning about cells, genetics, and the environment. I also like how the teacher got feedback from her students. If students feel that there is something that I could be doing differently to heighten their learning, I want to be aware of that so I can make appropriate adjustments.
Science Self-Portraits
Page updated
Report abuse