Kirt Van Overen
Pinewood Middle School, Kentwood

Teaching Science from a Historical Perspective

Objectives
When I began Teaching Science from a Historical Perspective (TSHP), there were many objectives I was trying to reach. One such objective was to have my teaching and the students’ learning have more “flow.”

At Pinewood, our science classes are General Science where we discuss a wide range of standards. It was difficult to teach Forces and Motion for three weeks, and then Plants for three weeks, and then Geology for three weeks. My students would often ask what our current learning had to do with what they had learned before. In truth, there was not much, if any, connection.

By using TSHP, I can consistently refer back to prior learning. Once I have completed the first “era,” I can then say, “Remember when the ancient civilizations did … or Remember when Aristotle said …” The links to prior learning are readily accessible. Another objective was to increase our MEAP scores. The MEAP is our standardized assessment for the State of Michigan. For the past 8 years, I have compared my students’ scores to those that did not learn using TSHP. For eight years, my students have outperformed others on the MEAP.

Another objective was to teach HOW we know, WHAT we know. Too often we teach what I call “Science from the END.” We teach that the Earth goes around the Sun. But can we explain HOW we know that? Simple observation proves otherwise. Many teachers don’t know this answer. Science relies on proof, which is sometimes vacant from our teaching. My students do know the answer, because they have witnessed the process that led to this discovery.

I often refer to a famous quote during my teaching, “If I have seen further, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” I wish for my students to stand on those same shoulders, and become giants themselves.

Approach
Let me begin by saying that my project is completely unique. To my knowledge, no one else has totally switched their science curriculum to one of a historical approach. I am definitely teaching “outside the box.” Many teachers may include some history of science when they teach certain topics, but I do not believe anyone is teaching science as we learned it throughout the historical eras.

The uniqueness of this concept was rewarded this past year when I received the 2006 Middle School Science Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Science Teachers Association (MSTA). My students do some of the same experiments that Galileo did. I have them do the same calculations that Kepler did for planetary motion and distance. They do the same calculations that Newton did to determine forces.

Do my students struggle at times? Yes, but they are now aware of the struggles of the scientists as they tried to bring these ideas to fruition. And when they discover how it all works, their excitement is extraordinary. I joke that you can actually see the light bulb go on above their heads.

Relevance
By using TSHP, students are able to make connections between the science of the past to the science of today. They have learned how to “crawl” before they could “walk.” I believe that this now enables them to “run” to the future.

We end the year with the “debates” of the future, such as cloning, stem cell research, and colonies on the moon or Mars, tourist space travelers, and even future evolutions of man. It is my hope that by showing them the science of the past, and the possibilities of the future, I can spark enough interest for them to pursue science in their future. By showing the links between science and mathematics as well as the links with technology, I hope to show the practical applications of math and technology to science. This will allow the “math enthusiast” to enjoy my science class as well as encompass the student with a creative mind to see a possible application for technological ideas.

Measurement
By starting with the “science of the caveman,” I have begun my teaching below my student’s level. They “get” science at the beginning. I have got an early hook in them. As I continue to teach, I am building on a foundation that is already established. My objective then is to keep fostering the thirst for learning. I believe this method does that. I have measured this in two different ways. The first, MEAP test results, is objective. They are tested on the material that I am supposed to teach them. For the past 8 years, my students have outperformed others on the MEAP. The second, having my students grade me, is subjective.

Over the past 8 years, students have rated learning science from a historical perspective a 4.74 out of 5. When asked what they liked most about my class, many put that learning with this method made science easier to understand.

Challenges
The largest challenge for this method was actually creating it. There is not a textbook for what I do. I had to do research and write my own reading packet. The creation of labs similar to the labs of Galileo and Newton also presented a challenge. It is my hope that the funds from this award will allow me to strengthen this project. By changing the presentation of the curriculum, I needed to assure my superintendent, my principal and the parents of my students that they would be learning the same materials as other students in the district, just in a unique and interesting way.