RE: #33, TCEB, 19 May 1995

["Mcelrath Susan S." <MCELRATHS@rscpo1.wilm.ge.com>]

We found out through a teacher education workshop sponsored by my local HPS 
chapter that not all science teachers (not even most!) are members of the 
science teacher association.

I like the approach that nuclear stuff should be integrated into several 
areas of science and math. I don't recall learning about anything nuclear 
during high school except during math - because of all the dramatic e^x use 
(:-)), and that was limited to decay of radioisotopes. I remember in 
chemistry we learned about all the elements except "those rare earths." I 
think the teacher didn't know enough to teach the subject.

Susan McElrath
Northeast Ohio HPS member
 ----------
From: root
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: #33, TCEB, 19 May 1995
Date: Friday, May 19, 1995 3:25PM

Sharon, and All,

In addition to content about "Using the Internet" in education, I thought I
had seen something associated with this group (ERIC) about actual content in
"math, science, and technology" available by Internet. If so, we (and HPS,
and
other related professional societies) could consider producing electronic
materials on nuclear science and technology to get them adopted within any
such programs.

I would also make my standard pitch: create supplemental nuclear education
materials in the content of each discipline.

Students should learn that some atoms are radioactive when learning about
atoms; they should learn about decay chains and natural radioactivity when
they learn about the Periodic Table; for chemistry, for math [where else do
you get to use e^x so dramatically :-)]; in earth science, quantify natural
radioactivity, identify the massive releases from deep ocean hydrothermal
vents -- especially "black smokers", and from cold seeps, from near surface
volcanos, and even quantities from river discharges to the oceans; in
physics,
learn the continuous creation in the atmosphere of H-3, C-14, and a few 
dozen
lesser radionuclides; in biology, learn about K-40 and homeostatic control,
etc etc -- at some point the context of radioactive releases from man-made
sources (and even releases from mining and wells, etc) in "Environmental
Science" will be seen in the context of natural inventories and flows, and
not
as a matter of fear, but of the relatively trivial increment to the 
inventory
in nature from such sources.

I have an initial structure and rough proposal to do this, developed with a
senior, science supervisor, former president of science teachers 
association,
curriculum-oriented and to be done through the science teachers association
 --
in only a few hundred hours by experienced curriculum and nuclear
science/technology/history persons (that was trashed by the Low Level Waste
Management Board for a "simpler" more fear-mongering general outline and
stuffing with more "we are your governmental saviors" PR content). I'd like
to
work with anyone who is interested in supporting such an effort.

Thinking of teaching materials, I'd also like to point out that I saw a
"lesson" in an old REACTS that told about sending seeds off to have them
irradiated and then seeing that they did not fare as well as unirradiated
seeds. However, the irradiation was specified at a very high level. From
radiobiology, and in a comment in the last few months by a Prof at U. Mo. 
who
noted that he had experience irradiating seeds for students in which the
seeds
would do very much better than unirradiated seeds at moderate radiation (a
few
100 to a few 1000 rads I think) and worse at high exposures (10,000+ rad?).
This is consistent with all the 1920's to 1960's radiobiology research. If
that "lesson" is still current I recommnd  replacing it.

I also note that a history professor named Brian Balogh is listed as a
resource on the back of the "nuclear history" poster/chart. Dr. Balogh was 
an
anti-nuclear participant in a program here, who substantially rewrites
nuclear
history and reorganizes nuclear power development to reinterpret "Atoms for
Peace", early anti-utility/power rhetoric from "too cheap to meter", lack of
safety considerations, taking historical facts out of order, lack of
government oversight, vs the reality of Congress/JCAE and the AEC role and
control and initiative, etc.  (I wrote an article for the Northeast Section
Newsletter on the first of 3 anti-nuclear sessions sponsored by the National
Endowment for the Humanities that described a part of the disinformation he
produced in that session.) We'd probably find that he was part of the
Smithsonian's "Enola Gay" exhibit re-writing of history effort!  :-)

Regards, Jim

> To All,
>
> Here's something you may find of interest.  See "2.  The Educators Guide
> Released on Reaching Information Highway."
> Sharon Kerrick, ANS.
> 708-579-8230
> skerrick@ans.org
>
> ______________________________ Forward Header
__________________________________
> Subject: #33, TCEB, 19 May 1995
> Author:  TCEB@aol.com at Internet
> Date:    5/19/95 1:04 PM
>
>
> **TRIANGLE COALITION ELECTRONIC BULLETIN (TCEB)**
> ************19 MAY 95 (NO. 33)**************
> ===================================================
> TCEB is a note about current events in mathematics, science, and 
technology
> education in the U.S.  It is a member service of the TRIANGLE COALITION 
FOR
> SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, College Park, MD.  For further
information,
> please contact the Coalition at TCEB@AOL.COM
> ===================================================

<snip>

> 2) EDUCATORS' GUIDE RELEASED
> ON REACHING INFORMATION HIGHWAY
>
> "An Educator's Guide to Electronic Networking: Creating Virtual
Communities"
> highlights the communication technologies emerging as tools for educators. 

> The guide, by Barbara Kurshan and Marcia Harrington, and revised and
updated
> by Peter Milbury, is released by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Information &
> Technology.  Students can collaborate on science projects, strengthen
writing
> skills, or collect information for research via Internet. (IR-96) 118
pages,
> $10 plus $2 shipping/handling (ISBN-0-937597-37-6). To order, contact 
Janet
> LaFrance, Database Secretary, 800-464-9107 or write ERIC/CIT, 4-194 Center 

> for Science and Technology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-4100;
> janet@ericir.syr.edu; fax: 315-443-5448.
> ===============
> TCEB Staff
> Donna Horton, Editor
> Triangle Coalition
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> or TRICOAL@TRIANGLE.MSTE.ORG (general correspondence)
>
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