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As we get older we forget many things we are taught in school about some of the
most basic things, and for many, it is the basics of math and science. Somewhere there
lies a better method of teaching these vital concepts in a way that they will be retained
and utliized. After asking peers, family members, and friends about their knowledge of
specific science topics such as astronomy, it was shocking to find out how little they
Growing up in California and attending school there, I realize I may have had a
different educational experience than those who attended school in Utah or other areas.
Most of what I remember about astronomy (pre this class) compared to my friends and
family is fairly similar. Basic knowledge such as learning about the solar system via
small art projects was probably the most common retained knowledge among my
friends and family. While that is a more memorable part of science among everyone I
spoke to, there are so many other interesting topics about the solar system that many
don’t remember.
Studies have shown that it is best to get children interested in STEM from an
early age. “Research has shown that early exposure to STEM initiatives and activities
Evangelou, & Ngambeki, 2010; Bybee, & Fuchs, 2006). Not only are the STEM
categories interesting and useful in all parts of life, it can actually improve a child’s
ability to learn other complex subjects as well. As of late, these fields are only going to
grow in demand and we need to learn how to get children, especially in encouraging
young girls who are often not always encouraged to pursue STEM fields, to teach the
importance of science and math and the possibilities that come with these career paths.
questions and the results were not surprising. Most people could not remember most of
the basic things. If I hadn’t been taking this course, I’m curious at how well I would have
done as well. I’ve included this survey and the results below to summarize the
knowledge of my coworkers.
Talking to my family, friends, and peers, I realized that science topics, especially
astronomy specifically, is not something that many people know a lot about. It is such
an interesting topic and I think that if it were taught more directly and intentionally, we
would see an increase in students who pursue it as a career path or hobby. This is
important because astronomy, among other things, is one of the many science subjects
1) The largest circular storm in our solar system is on the surface of what planet?
a. Jupiter - 56%
b. Venus - 17%
c. Uranus - 6%
d. Earth - 21%