The multitude of sessions available to the 13,000 educators who attended the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association encompassed a wide range of topics. From "Authentic Assessment in the Classroom" to the more lighthearted "Batty About Bats," there was a variety of choices. It was often puzzling as to why certain sessions were packed to capacity while others failed to gain much attention. However, it came as no surprise to the organizers of "Murder in the Science Lab?" – an award-winning lesson on forensic science – when their session overflowed into the hallway. This lesson engages students by encouraging them to use microscopes and other tools to uncover "clues" and determine if a researcher met an unfortunate end while on the job.
Andrea Foster, a presenter who teaches at Katherine Stinson Middle School in San Antonio, explained, "The closer we can get to presenting something that the teachers can directly use in their classrooms, the more likely they are to be drawn in." Another highly attended event was a special meeting of the NSTA’s Environmental Education Advisory Board, which reached "sold-out" status. At this meeting, educators were urged to prioritize "science" over "activism." The organizers handed out copies of newspaper editorials that discussed a story from Education Week highlighting how conflicting pressures from different interests have turned environmental science classes into arenas of philosophical and political debate. John Padalino, the head of the advisory panel, pointed out that an increasing number of science-based textbooks and resources are being published to provide unbiased teaching about the environment.
Furthermore, Padalino mentioned plans for the NSTA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collaborate on developing a curriculum on "global change." When it comes to teaching students how to apply science in the political process, Padalino stated, "That’s the responsibility of social science teachers; they are the ones paid to do that." Another popular event at the conference was the space educators’ luncheon, which provided a captivating reflection of how both America’s space program and American society have undergone significant transformations over the past three decades. Nichelle Nichols, renowned for her role as Lieutenant Uhura in "Star Trek," who inspired women and minority astronauts to consider careers in space, delivered an extended introduction for Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman astronaut in the United States. Ochoa, who served as a mission specialist on the 1993 space shuttle mission S.T.S. 61 to study the Earth’s atmosphere, subtly emphasized the changing composition of the previously all-male and all-white astronaut corps. She noted that astronauts collaborate on designing the unique patch for each mission. For S.T.S. 61, the Marine commander insisted on including an eagle, but Ochoa humorously suggested an anchor would have been useful. The final design, which better suited Ochoa’s preferences, depicted the orbiting shuttle engaged in environmental science, without any eagles or anchors.
Seated at a table towards the back was Walter M. Schirra, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, and Charles (Pete) Conrad, known for his role as an Apollo astronaut who famously hit golf balls on the lunar surface. As they amicably posed for photos with teachers, the seasoned former fighter pilots entertained their tablemates with down-to-earth jokes and stories about their famous colleagues.
While many attendees found themselves unwinding in the beautiful Southern California weather, only one person decided to make a dramatic entrance. Gail Paulin, a teacher from Mesa, Arizona and a protégé of Jane Goodall, introduced the renowned expert on chimpanzee behavior with a simian-themed 60th birthday greeting. Paulin encouraged the audience to join her in producing "pant-hoots," imitating the screeches made by chimpanzees. She then proceeded to demonstrate a spine-chilling vocalization that echoed throughout the rafters.
