Barry KatzTEKS, Taxes, and Earth Science Education
The extractive industries (oil, gas, and mining) are among the most important parts of the economy of the state of Texas. These industries account for about 11% of the state’s gross domestic product. They also account for at least 6% of the state’s tax revenue. Oil and gas provide for the employment of more than 350,000 Texas residents, whether born in the state or having migrated from elsewhere. When trickle down effects are accounted for, more than 700,000 people are employed as a result of the oil and gas industry in Texas. The oil and gas industries remain one of the reasons that Texas’ unemployment rate remains below the national average.
Clearly these industries are important to the state’s fiscal health. One would, however, be hard pressed to determine this through an examination of the state’s kindergarten through grade 12 science curriculum. You need to look very hard to find the earth science component. It is much easier to find biology, chemistry, and physics. Yes, the state does have among the strongest earth science programs at the university level, but without a strong K through 12 pipeline which feeds into these programs, why would someone decide to major in geology or geophysics? It almost appears that the school system is attempting to drive-out the inherent interest present in most students in fossils, rocks, and minerals, and the forces that change the face of this planet, such as glaciers, moving water, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
It may be argued that the extractive industries represent Texas’ past and present, and that the education of our children and grandchildren should focus on preparing them for the future. A look, however, at future energy source profiles indicates that hydrocarbons will remain important, accounting for more than 25% of the energy used.
With that as a foundation, let’s take a quick look at the earth science curriculum as a function of grade as represented by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
- Kindergarten – identification, description and observation of rocks, soil and water as resources.
- 1st grade – concepts of recycling of water, rocks, and soils
- 2nd grade – hydrologic cycle and natural resources
- 3rd grade – observation, measurement, and recording of forces that cause changes in objects. This includes changeson Earth caused by weathering, subsidence, and earthquakes.
- 4th grade – the effect of past events on the present and future of the Earth using fossils, and changes in growth,erosion, dissolution, weathering and flow. Testing soil properties to learn the effects of the oceans on land.
- 5th grade – examination of the formation of landforms through constructive and destructive processes and the formation of the Earth’s renewable, non-renewable, and inexhaustible resources
- 6th grade – the rock and hydrologic cycles as integrated systems and forces on Earth including, volcanic activity, tectonic uplift, and the flow of water.
- 7th grade – the alteration of Earth systems by natural and human activity.
- 8th grade – The sequence of events in the rock cycle, the role of oceans in climatic changes, and the impact of modifying the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles. Prediction of land features resulting from mountain building, beach erosion, land subsidence, and continental drift.
Beyond the eighth grade there are no earth science requirements. There has been a geology, meteorology, oceanography (GMO) offering, which is being replaced by an earth and space science class. In the GMO class, topics are taught such as plate tectonics, origin and composition of rocks and minerals, the rock cycle, processes and products of weathering, natural energy resources, interactions in the watershed, characteristics of oceans and the atmosphere, and global climate. Although a complete curriculum is present, very few students enroll in the class as a result of the limited time available for electives and the graduation requirements in biology, chemistry, and physics, which will have end of course (EOC) exams. Compare the 4688 students that completed GMO statewide in 2006-07 to the 337,443 that completed biology, 252,977 that completed chemistry, 93,363 students that completed physics, and the 258,234 students that completed integrated physics and chemistry (IPC).Although the expectations for some of the grades appear reasonable with respect to course content, the actual time allocated to the material is quite limited. For example, it is my understanding that in the fifth grade only two weeks are allocated to earth sciences, with generally only an hour dedicated to science each day. Even smaller amounts of time per day are typically set aside for science in the lower grades. Furthermore, very often the teachers are ill prepared to present the material themselves, as only a few have been exposed to earth science while in school. This limited exposure and the lack of formal training in the earth sciences may explain why fifth grade students tested statewide in the sciences between 2006 and 2009 received the lowest grade in earth science. Nearly a quarter of the students were unable to establish a sequence of events or identify and describe the importance of earth materials as renewable, non-renewable, or inexhaustible resources. Eighth grade test results were even more disappointing, with only slightly more than half of the students being able to analyze the regional effects of erosion and weathering as well as how natural and/or human events may contribute to the extinction of species. These results explain the recommendations made at the Texas Education Agency 2009 Science Update Conference by Heydrick et al. to focus attention on earth and space science.
Clearly a gap exists between the importance of earth science to the state’s economy and the education program. How may we work to close this gap? There are a number of possible solutions. Pick an elementary or middle school and donate a few hours to help present the earth science content. Who better than a real geologist or geophysicist to present this information to a class to get them excited about science that continues to challenge and excite each one of us? If you need presentation material let the HGS know, we will share resources. Bring along your rock, mineral, or fossil collection and have the kids describe what they are seeing and then you can explain the significance of their observations. Request a geologic map of the US from HGS. Discuss it with the students and then present it the school. Review and discuss the earth science curriculum, with teachers,administrators, and local and state officials. Make sure that the relevant concepts are being presented and that sufficient time is made available to master these concepts. Ensure that all involve understand that earth science is much more than “rocks for jocks”. Inform the teachers you know of the HGS Earth Science Week (October 9-16) activities, which are described elsewhere in this month’s Bulletin and take advantage of the activities yourself. Remember that if we don’t become involved we don’t have the right to complain.
Until next month…