Document Type

Science Education

Abstract

Earth science was a common part of the high school curricula fifty years ago. It dropped from about 30% to.4% of the total school enrollment from 1900 to 1949. The decline of earth science was paralleled by an increased offering of biology. In the modern high school curricula it is replacing general science, mostly at the ninth grade level. Earth science offerings are on the increase in Iowa from 7 districts in 1960 to 53 in 1965, an increase of 757%, which is roughly 10% of the schools. Other schools have plans for the adoption of an earth science course in the near future. It is taught 75% of the time at the junior high school level (grades 7, 8, 9). The size of the class is about 26-30 students taught by a married male with a BA degree and 4-7 years’ experience. Most states have no certification requirements specifically for earth science teachers. They are certified under general science or science in general. There are not enough qualified earth science teachers at present and as the growth continues the problem will become more critical.

Publication Date

1965

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

404

Last Page

412

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Schirner, Silas W. (1965) "New Directions in Earth Science in Iowa Schools," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 72(1), 404-412.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol72/iss1/60

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New Directions in Earth Science in Iowa Schools

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