Science, although an integral part of our world, is not an integral part of students’ hearts. Three science classes are required to graduate high school, something that has been a debate around the student lunch table for years.
Although many people have a science-oriented life and want to go into science majors or careers, there are twice as many who aren’t interested, and would rather focus on taking classes they are interested in.
However, the reason that science is a required core class is often misunderstood. The real reason behind learning science is complicated and irrefutably important, and shows why every student must hone those skills.
Science, as a whole, refers to the structure of our universe and Earth. It is an explanation for the many wonders of our world. It teaches us not only how the world works, but how we can figure out the rules of the world for ourselves.
Tina Gragg has taught science for 25 years and believes it is a critical subject.
“Science gives you a way to think about things in terms of the scientific method and a procedure to figure things out,” she said. “We’re surrounded by science. Earth is science, nature is science, chemistry – chemical reactions that happen in the body – physics is science, even things that happen in your own body are science. So, yes, I think kids need to take science.”
Not only is science an explanation for the things around us, but it also gives us equations and methods to solve problems in our everyday lives. The scientific method in itself is a way to try out new things in a safe, wise way.
“Science is about problem solving,” said chemistry teacher Fred Brown. “Anything that you are working on; you use the scientific method for it. It may not be written out the way we do it in science class, but it’s the same steps. You have something you need to figure out; that’s your question, and you take steps to make it work.”
Problem solving is one of the main skills students will need in the future. It is simply a way to live life; a tool used to better one’s life and understand an issue.
Aside from that, science can really inspire students who have not yet chosen a major. Many teachers here at Chapman realized their purpose right in their high-school science classroom.
“I’ve always thought science was cool,” Gragg said. “Life sciences … physics and chemistry are cool too, but I’ve always been interested in animals and critters and plants, so it just seemed like the best subject to go to.”
