Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization that promotes the education of the public about the methods and values of science and advocates excellence in the science curriculum. Activities include participation in educational and scientific organization conferences, workshops for science teachers, operation of a speakers' bureau, maintenance of an informational list serve, and related activities.
The formation of OESE was prompted by the attempts in the Oklahoma State Textbook Committee in 1999 to diminish the teaching of evolution by the introduction of creationist textbook disclaimers to be inserted into any textbook used in public schools that discussed evolution. There have been bills introduced almost every year since 1999 for legislation that would allow teaching creationism in science courses; OESE has opposed all such attempts.
Join OESE
OESE is seeking members. Memberships are available for $10. Please print and fill out the OESE membership application and mail to the address indicated on the form. Tax-deductable donations are also welcomed.
NEWS
Songs From the Science Frontier CD project
Congratulations to Monty Harper, a Stillwater songwriter, who is creating a CD featuring science songs for kids. He was able to raise the $9,000 needed to fund his project. Thanks to all who contributed. He is planning on getting started right away.
THANK YOU, RICHARD DAWKINS
OESE thanks Richard Dawkins and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science for the $5,000 donation to OESE that he announced at his talk on the OU Campus on Friday, March 6, 2009. Although OESE played a small role in bringing Dawkins to OU, we are happy Dawkins appreciates the larger role we play in supporting science education in Oklahoma. Dawkins remarks about OESE can be seen in this video clip from RichardDawkins.net.
OESE is pleased to announce that Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science donated an additional $1,500 to OESE at the end of 2009.
One-man play on Charles Darwin available for interested audiances.
See it on YouTube.
EVENTS
TEACHER EVOLUTION WORKSHOP, Teaching Evolution in the 21st Century
Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE), the National Science Foundation (NSF-0845314), and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station (UOBS) present a professional development workshop on Teaching Evolution in the 21st Century for Oklahoma high school science teachers and undergraduate and graduate students in science education. The workshop will be held Friday Sept. 17 (6:00 PM) through Sunday Sept. 19, 2010 (3:00 PM) at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma, OK.
Topics covered will include: The nature of science and latest developments in evolutionary biology, resources on teaching evolution and services available for teachers, curriculum development and state standards, and dealing with classroom and community controversy. Teachers will have the opportunity to present their favorite lesson plans and discuss any problems they have encountered in teaching evolution.
Instructors include Julie Angle (Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, OSU), Dr Richard Broughton (Zoology, OU), Dr. Ola Fincke (Zoology, OU), Dr. Victor Hutchison (Zoology, OU), Dr. Cecil Lewis (Anthropology, OU), Bob Melton (Science Curriculum Specialist, Putnam City Schools), Dr. Stanley Rice (Biological Sciences, Southeastern OSU), and Dr. Frank Sonleitner (Zoology, OU).
Participants will earn a certificate of participation for professional development credit. Attendees will receive two books on teaching evolution: Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science, and The Virus and the Whale: Exploring Evolution in Creatures Large and Small. Accomodations and meals at the UOBS and a stipend to cover travel are included.
The only cost for participants is a $25 registration fee. Deadline for registration and payment of fee will be Sept. 1, 2010. Early registration is advised since places are limited to 30 registrants. Registrants will receive a confirmation letter with maps and additional information.
Further information, registration forms and payment information will be available on-line at: www.oklascience.org/teachers.pdf and at www.ou.edu/uobs/teachers.htm.
To sign up for the Oklahoma Evolution list serve and for many teaching resources, news, events, books, humor, petition on science only in science classes, and much, more see the OESE web site: http://www.oklascience.org
This petition supports the teaching of science and only science in Oklahoma public school science classes. The petition was approved by the Oklahoma Academy of Science, Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE), Oklahoma Mainstream Baptists, OK Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Tulsa and OKC Interfaith Alliances, and representatives from several Oklahoma colleges. Go to the petition page to sign the petition online or download a copy to gather signatures.
When your email program starts up, enter subscribe in the body of the message, then send the email.
The OKEVOL-L List Serve was established to alert and inform
all interested parties in the evolution/creationism debate in
Oklahoma. Messages will be sent only with approval of the list
managers so that traffic will be kept to a minimum. Information on
proposed legislative actions dealing with attempts to place
creationist materials into public schools, important scheduled public
meetings or debates on evolution/creationism, and any significant
other news items dealing with these issues or related items on
attempts at inappropriate or unconstitutional censorship will be
sent to subscribers.
Click here to unsubscribe from the list serve.
Teachers' Evolution Workshop
The fourth annual Teachers' Workshop on the Teaching of Evolution was held at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum on Natural History (SNOMNH) on 5 September with teachers and science education majors from across the state: Chamberlain Middle School, ASTEC Charter Middle School, Comanche High School, Project HOPE, Mount Saint Mary High School, Westmoore High School, Cameron University, Davis Public Schools, Clinton Middle School, Emerson High School, Oklahoma Christian Academy, Jenks High School, Emerson High School, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University. There were some schools represented by more than one participant.
The seven Instructors represented SNOMNH staff, Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma and Putnam City School System
Participants received eight hours of professional development credit. The workshop was organized by OESE and sponsored by SNOMNH and the OU Biological Station.
 Clergy Letter Project: All clergy members are encouraged to go to this link to sign the nationwide outpouring of support for teaching evolution. For too long, the misperception that science and religion are inevitably in conflict has created unnecessary division and conflict concerning the teaching of evolution. The project is also described at the link.
OESE Joins Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science.
Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE) has joined the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS), organized coordinate efforts to improve public outreach and science education. The goals of COPUS are:
- Building the COPUS network - Underpinning the COPUS effort is a growing network of organizations and individuals who share a common goal: engaging sectors of the public in science and increasing their appreciation and understanding of the scientific enterprise. Find out more about participating in the COPUS Network.here
- Developing state-level benchmark science-indicator reports on the importance of science to the U.S. economy and standard-of-living
- Supporting a national effort to promote the public understanding of science in a year-long celebration: Year of Science 2009 (also available: Year of Science 2009 fact sheet [PDF])
- Integrating efforts with the Understanding Science website project currently under development at the University of California, Berkeley
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