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Martin,
As both a high school and college-level teacher, I found astrology an 'easy lesson'; both with a properly equipped planetarium, and without. Getting an epoch 2000 starchart (one of the 11 x 17 " with all 24 hours of R. Ascension worked especially well) and having students plot their birthday on the ecliptic (great for graph interpretation standards), I could show them that 'their zodiac sign', in most cases, wasn't (example: if you're born on December 13, the sun is crossing Ophiucus-not even 'one of the twelve'!).
With a planetarium equipped with precession motion, you can show the sky as it was when the current zodiac 'signs' were much closer to 'accurate' than they are now. Several good sites on the web exist for astronomy teachers vexed with 'astrology defense'. Phil Plait, in his 'Bad Astronomy' book devotes an entire chapter to debunking astrology misconceptions, and Carl Sagan did a great job of nailing Astrology to the pavement with his treatment in 'Cosmos'. Many activities also exist wherein students can test the 'astrology is bunk' hypothesis for themselves.
So yeah, we do deal with astrology as a way to get at the underlying science, and the fact that people then and now rely on mysticism to explain what they cannot, or will not, fathom. When in doubt, use what they think they know to get them to learn what you want them to know.
Ken Brandt
Director of the Robeson Planetarium and Science Center
President, Carolina Association of Planetarium Educators
JPL/NASA Solar System Ambassador
"If you are resting on your laurels, you are probably wearing them upside down!"
-----Original message-----
From: martin weiss [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 12:10:38 -0400
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bush: Intelligent Design should be taught
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Janine;
>
> You raise some very interesting ideas and I hope others on this list
> will join the conversation.
>
> There is serious concern that ignoring intelligent design by
> scientists is a mistake and that we should be discussing this as
> non-science in science classes (certainly in college). The school
> district lawsuits are directed at insuring that intelligent design is
> taught in science classrooms as an alternative to science based
> evolution. That is that evolution is a theory and therefore not any
> more valid than any other theory (intelligent design). Underlying the
> arguments is that evolution is God-less while intelligent design is
> an intellectualized creationism. The realm of faith based reasoning
> falls outside the expertize of science.
>
> I am not certain about your idea of giving it "martyr status". There
> are lots of "controversial" topics that science teachers do not deal
> with that are pervasive beliefs in our society. Astrology is a good
> example. I don't think (but it has been a while since I took
> astronomy) that astrology is dealt with in astronomy classes. I don't
> see why science teachers have an obligation (or the time) to counter
> every cockeyed idea that students might have? Science teachers should
> teach science and the ways in which science allows us to continually
> examine and understand our natural world. I think it is for other
> classes to examine faith based or philosophically based views of the
> natural world.
>
> Martin
> >
> >In a message dated 8/3/2005 10:24:32 AM Central Standard Time,
> >[log in to unmask] writes:
> >
> >
> >> The most prominent debate is underway in Kansas, where the conservative
> >> state board of education is expected to require the teaching of doubts
> >> about evolution to public high school students. A challenge to the teaching
> >> of intelligent design is scheduled for trial in Dover, Pa., while a federal
> >> court in Georgia said textbook stickers questioning evolution were
> >> unconstitutional.
> >>
> >
> >As a science teacher I have to wonder why we are all so afraid of discussing
> >this in our classrooms. I am forced to teach a great many subjects that I
> >don't think are particularly important to students. I wish I could
> >cover fewer
> >topics in more depth.
> >
> >Science teachers recognize that students come to class with preconceived
> >notions, including intelligent design. If we refuse to discuss it in our
> >classroom we give it martyr status. We need to present students
> >with the nature of
> >science thoughout all our science lessons and then let them participate in
> >discussions that might include controversial topics. You can't
> >force people, they
> >have to come to these concepts on their own. Like the protests against the
> >war in Iraq, and the occasional misuse of our Flag (like the art display where
> >the flag was laid on the ground for people to walk on), not everyone
> >will agree
> >with my view. But this is the United States of America, where all views
> >should be welcome for discussion and critique.
> >
> > Janine Prillaman
> > Science Teacher
> > Science Olympiad Team Coach
> > Former Science Museum Education
> >Coordinator
> > Present Science Museum Board
> >Member
> >
> >***********************************************************************
> >More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
> >Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
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>
> --
> Martin Weiss, Ph.D
> Vice President, Science
> New York Hall of Science
> 47-01 111 th Street
> Corona, New York 11368
> 718 699 0005 x 356
>
> ***********************************************************************
> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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