EarthLabs: Supporting the Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education

An educational revolution is underway to promote Earth and environmental science to the top tier of America's science courses. This revolution is, in part, driven by the fact that the practical and descriptive methods with which these courses have traditionally been taught have relegated them to secondary sciences. In some states, they are not even certified as laboratory sciences that qualify students for college admission.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) helped start this revolution. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) then funded the pilot of EarthLabs to create a model of Earth and environmental science courses as true "lab sciences." The project's labs feature a global view of our planet as a dynamic, interconnected system, and engage students in extended investigations. They support state and national guidelines for science content and qualify as a laboratory science course. The NSF's Geoscience Education Program and Climate Education Program and NASA's Global Climate Change Education Program are supporting the development and implementation of additional labs.

For more information, contact:

Teon Edwards
Center for Science Teaching and Learning
TERC
2067 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
Phone: 617-873-9600