Exposing Kids To 10 Hours Of Science A Year Makes Them Smarter

10-19-2012 • http://www.popsci.com, By Rebecca Boyle

Low-income minority fourth-graders from south L.A. improved their test scores in math and language after they got just a handful of science lessons, a new study found. College students studying science presented 10 separate one-hour lessons, and the kids rose up whole percentile ranks in other subjects.

"A lot of students say things like, 'I didn't know science was fun,'" said Samantha Gizerian, now a clinical assistant professor at Washington State University. Apparently they also showed a greater interest in taking books home to read, and a greater willingness to practice math. The lessons were simple, too--in one case, a college student just brought in some microscope slides from his lab.

Gizerian says the lessons taught science, but also acted "as a spark to ignite a child's interest in lifelong learning in all areas." She presented her findings at a recent Society for Neuroscience meeting.

1 Comments in Response to Exposing Kids To 10 Hours Of Science A Year Makes Them Smarter

Comment by PureTrust

Entered on: 10/19/2012 8:35:24 AM

The problem is the church... that is, the Christian churches. Almost every serious scientist knows that the idea of millions and billions of years of Universe history is totally unfounded as fact. And many of them know that 10,000 to 20,000 years is a way more realistic scientific figure. But they won't say it because their JOB depends on the science politics position they maintain.

This means that it is up to the church. It is the church's duty to explain the science behind the 6,000 year history of Earth that is recorded in the Bible. And it is the church's duty to do it with the scientific clarity of all the modern science that shows this to be true.

But the church is too tied up in playing with the words of the Bible. Yes, the words of the Bible is the only way anyone can be saved. But if folks can't be convinced to listen to or read the words of the Bible, Bible words ain't worth nuthin'.

Bring the people in by advertising with political loudness the scientific facts that the earth and the Universe can't be much older than 20,000 years at the outside. Bring the people in by advertising the scientific facts that proclaim the gross stupidity involved with something like the so-called theory of evolution.

It is a weakness of the church.