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Here is a selection of readers responses to, How do you incorpo- rate current events into your course? 1
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Here is a selection of readers responses to, How do you incorpo-
rate current events into your course?
I receive Science in the News each day via e-mail.
This is a great way to receive short summaries of what is
currently happening in our world in relation to science.
If you are particularly interested in a story, there is
always a link to the full-length article! At least once
every other week I come across a story that is relevant
in some way to what I am talking about in the class-
room. I always introduce the news event in the middle
of my lecture by starting off in a way similar to how they
present the news on Saturday Night Live. I challenge
my students to beat me to the news story and give out
extra credit if they do.
Also, each week of the semester, a different student
group prepares a real world presentation on the topic
of the week. This presentation must explain how the
topic is relevant to our everyday lives and include a
news event that has happened within the past several
months (also related to the topic). We often end up dis-
cussing the news events that are presented because
many are controversial in one way or another.
Kelly Bohrer, University of Dayton
I teach a non-majors biology course, Public Health, and
I constantly incorporate current events. At the begin-
ning of the semester, I ask students to bring me two
examples from any sourceTV shows, radio, newspa-
pers. During the semester I start at least one class a
week with my update. As the semester progresses, the
students start volunteering what they have heard.
I also use articles in the newspaper as a starting point
for exam questions. In addition, we have a series of
debates. I take an issue in the news and ask two groups
to research it and present a debate on the topic. The rest
of the students come to class with a written opinion
piece on the topic. This year we examined the
McDonalds lawsuits and obesity, needle exchange pro-
grams, and testing pregnant women for HIV. We have
lively discussions and the students really enjoy it.
Ann B. Maine, Lake Forest College
We have students submit newspaper or magazine arti-
cles following Thanksgiving break. Then we convene
several faculty panels (instead of having lectures). For
the last week of class we discuss some of the articles.
Students love it! Its a way we review topics from ear-
lier in the semester and show how theyre integrated.
Amy C. Vollmer, Swarthmore College
I incorporated the Terri Schiavo controversy into my
last exam as an extra credit question. There is no right
or wrong answer; I only require that the students use
correct anatomy and physiology in their reasoning.
Jean Witz, Prince Georges Community College
I cut out articles from magazines and newspapers and
share them in class, usually followed by a lively class dis-
cussion on the topic. One such discussion centered
around the new food pyramid being created by the
FDA. We compared the current and proposed pyramids
and discussed how our eating habits may have to
change. This discussion included the class topics of
calories, fats, carbohydrates, and so on.
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F A L L 2 0 0 5 N O . 4 4
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P A R K I N G D E B A T E
While the preceding pages
have offered strategies for
using news stories and videos
to teach in
the sciences, our next issue
will explore the opinion
side of the news media. Have you used debate tech-
niques or controversial issues to engage
students in learning about a science topic? Our next
issue will include our readers responses to the following
question:
Which science controversies work best for classroom
discussion, and why?
Sound Off entries will be entered in a random
drawing for a $100 American Express gift certificate. To
enter, please send an email to
strategies@aw.com
, or fax
your response to (978) 465-6658 by January 15, 2006.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
continued on page 2 2
I also encourage students to bring in their own arti-
cles and give a 5-minute presentation in class. Doing so
nets them 5 extra points on the next exam.
Roy Cohen, Xavier University
I find that students will become involved in relating to a
current event if I assign a one-paragraph bonus paper
on the subject. In class, I bring up the chemistry topic
(as a review if necessary), comment briefly on the news
article in a way that prompts a student to ask about that
article, and then say You dont know about that? For a
two point bonus, write a one paragraph paper that... I
find it works well, with as many as 90% of students
turning in the paragraph.
Michael R. Dorneman, Mercer County Community College
In Biochemistry, the Atkins diet/low carb diet is incor-
porated into lessons about carbohydrate metabolism and
protein metabolism.
Lesley Brown, Goucher College
With a class full of students with very diverse academic
backgrounds, generating interest in learning chemistry is
the first hurdle that I have to overcome. Students are
more enthusiastic about learning chemistry if they can
connect it to their own career goals and interests. I use
current events to engage students actively in learning
and they appreciate the real-world perspective on chem-
istry. Some examples are:
Analyzing different food labels for saturated versus unsaturated fat structure and mode of action of cholesterol three food groups: fat, protein, and carbohydrate nutritional/caloric values for different food groups food as fuel for the body combustion reactions exothermic versus endothermic reactions
Looking at the active ingredients for over the counter
hot and cold packs for enthalpy/heat change associated
with various reactions.
Making a Smart Shopping Guide for medicine and cos-
metic products that includes topics such as antioxidants and vitamins pH balanced shampoo acids, bases, and the pH scale buffer coated aspirin antacids and neutralization reactions radical catchers in expensive skin lotion
Consulting the weather.com Web site to focus on the
impact of chemistry on the global environment: global warming and the green house effect global warming and ozone depletion from CFCs rise in water temperature in lakes and rivers from
hot industrial discharge and the impact of lowering
of the waters pH on aquatic life and vegetation.
Finding newspaper articles on cutting edge medical top-
ics such as lead toxicity, artificial blood (Fluosol DA),
and blood alcohol screening.
Supriya Sihi, Houston Community College
In nearly every class I teach, I have an on-going extra
credit assignment asking the students to bring in current
news articles from the newspaper, Internet, or news
sites. Articles must be related to biology (e.g., evolution,
or whatever the present course topic is). They get a
point or two for briefly sharing these with the class.
There are limits on the number of points they can earn
and on how many we do each day. We get into all kinds
of interesting subjects, and in smaller classes, the stu-
dents often get so into this that they continue bringing
things in even after theyve exhausted the available
extra credit.
Sharon L. Gilman, Coastal Carolina University
We have a general chemistry capstone experiment
that is scenario-based, centering around a fictitious fish
kill. The students play the role of a consultant hired by
an attorney of a company accused of causing the fish
kill. Their assignment is to assay the water and deter-
mine the cause.
Liina Ladon, Towson University
I teach microbiology. I include current newspaper arti-
cles from the Frederick News and The Washington Post as
reading assignments for the exams that cover the
Archaea, generally either methanogens or extremophiles.
Debbie Ellis, Frederick Community College
Students are to clip (and turn in) two content-related
articles from periodicals or newspapers (science journals
are not allowed) and then answer a few questions about
each, e.g., how it relates to the course content. Later, I
have other students read the articles in class and sum-
marize them (verbally) to the class.
Margaret Waldmann, Allegany College of Maryland
I present work that colleagues and I are doing to help
local citizens groups to keep fluoride out of their water
supplies in the face of enormous propaganda pressure
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from dental associations and the U.S. Public Health
Service.
Once my students experience the science