Science Education Day takes place every March 14 to appreciate the contributions of various individuals, both the young and adults, towards the development of science education. Did you know science education was not standardized in the United States until the 1890s when the Committee of Ten was formed? Science education is a learning field that teaches children, students, and adults physics, chemistry, mathematics and statistics, computer science, and biology.
History of Science Education Day
Science education in the United States can be accredited to the Committee of Ten, which was formed in 1892. Before that, science education lacked standardization. However, as the world around them started to evolve due to the Industrial Revolution in the late 1900s, people became more interested in science and technology. In 1892, after a conference of thirty leading secondary and college educators in Florida, the National Education Association established the Committee of Ten on Secondary School Studies. In 1894, after several deliberations and workshops, the NEA published the Committee of Ten’s report. This report shaped secondary education goals and the focus of science education.Between the 1900s and the end of the Second World War, standardization became a bug that infected school administrators in the United States. To standardize elements of schooling administrators made science “a set of facts to be memorized rather than experienced to be understood.” However, that began to change during the Cold War era when the United States became obsessed with maintaining its military dominance over the Soviet Union. To this end, the government formed the National Science Foundation in 1950 to initiate, support, and promote basic scientific research and education. That led to the radical transformation of science education’s curriculum and instruction, which remains today. Science courses such as physics moved from memorizing facts to a living discipline that students engage in. The curriculum and instruction also made science a field that anyone can do.
Science Education Day timeline
Teachers in the United States teach a scatter of subjects such as science education.
The National Education Association forms the Committee of Ten on Secondary School Studies.
The NEA publishes the Committee of Ten’s report with a framework for science education.
The N.S.F. introduces practical science to maintain military dominance over the Soviet Union.
Science Education Day FAQs
What are the different branches of science?
Science is mainly divided into three branches: social sciences, formal sciences, and natural sciences.
Why is science education important in this day and age?
Science education is crucial in helping children and young people develop some of the top-demanded skills of the 21st century. That includes problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy.
Who invented science?
We can’t actually pinpoint the person that invented science in history. We know it originated in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia between 3000 and 1200 B.C. However, individuals such as Aristotle and Galileo Galilei have been referred to as the first scientists.
Science Education Day Activities
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Show appreciation to science educators
Science educators have been crucial in helping people develop a love for science and technology. If you have someone that helped you along the way in your science journey, you can use this Science Education Day to show your appreciation to them. You can send them a thank-you note, take them out on lunch, or even send them a small token.
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Watch science education shows
Many science education shows for kids, young people, and adults help boost science knowledge. If you are interested in improving your knowledge or that of your kids, get familiar with their schedules and set a TV reminder for them. Shows such as “Explained,” “Everyday Miracles,” “Our Planet,” “Mythbusters,” “Sid the Science Kid,” and “Brain Games” are enlightening.
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Share your knowledge of science
Use this Science Education Day to stimulate other people’s interest in science. That can be through explaining how a system works, showing them a view into the microscopic world or space, or taking them to a museum. You can also share your discoveries and learnings with the larger community and materials to promote science education.
5 Amazing And Fascinating Facts About Science
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You can’t taste food without saliva
Particles of food need to contact the saliva in your mouth before you can taste them.
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The importance of the Amazon rainforest
20% of the Earth’s oxygen is from the Amazon Rainforest, which absorbs a huge amount of carbon.
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A teaspoon of neutron star
A teaspoon of a neutron star, a remnant of a dying star, weighs about six billion tons!
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The length of the human’s D.N.A.
Uncoiled, all D.N.A. in a human, the molecules end to end stretch from the Sun to Pluto 17 times.
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We have genes from other species
About 1% of human genes come from plants, fungi, and germs.
Why We Love Science Education Day
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It cultivates a passion for learning
Science education can pique students’ passion for learning and stimulate their curiosity. That can also influence how they approach other subjects.
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It boosts problem-solving skills
Exposing children and young people to science helps them understand the different ways to approach a problem and what they need to do to solve it. Science helps them handle issues rationally, apply scientific methods to problem-solving, and develop unbiased solutions.
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Science education builds knowledge
Science education helps students understand how and why the world around them functions the way it does. It explains the mechanisms behind every system and chemical process underneath every action and reaction. The knowledge serves as building blocks for students to pursue their science and technological projects.
Science Education Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 14 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | March 14 | Thursday |
| 2025 | March 14 | Friday |
| 2026 | March 14 | Saturday |
| 2027 | March 14 | Sunday |
