Why Change? Times Have Changed!
High schools overwhelmingly insist that students start their science study (and often end it) with 9th or 10th grade biology, occasionally preceeded by a course in earth science or introduction to physical sciences. The sequence of high school study in science is then biology, chemistry and physics - a sequence set out in 1894 on the recommendation of a prestigious national commission. Today these courses are treated as independent, having nothing to do with one another. It is our contention that this sequence is inappropriate and does not respect the development in the disciplines over the past century.
Compelling Developments in Science and Education
- Today's society relies more upon science and technology, so more students need to learn more science. This is crucial to both employment and to the exercise of responsible citizenship.
- A physics-chemistry-biology sequence leads the student from the simple to the complex, an approach which is in harmony with current understanding of how the brain learns.
- Understanding modern biology, for example the function of DNA, requires a background in chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
- Moreover, chemistry is based upon the charge structure of atoms and the forces between these charges, concepts learned in physics.
- A largely conceptual physics course starts with concrete experiences from students' daily lives, e.g., from sports, transportation and safety. Investigating the plausibility of popular science fiction may add to the appeal.
- Today, algebra classes start earlier, often in eighth grade, and support the earlier study of physics and chemistry. At the same time, real-world science applications can motivate students to learn many more mathematical tools.