Science Teachers Differ Over Their

Current Page 6 Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, March 6, 2020 GBHS admin makes significant changes to the future school year course catalog

Among new revisions includes removal of AP Chemistry

In the wake of changes to the 2020- 2021 Granite Bay High course catalog, students have struggled to make last-minute adjustments to their schedule requests. One course in particular, Advanced Placement Chemistry, is being affected by these changes and will no longer be offered at GBHS starting next fall. This unexpected announcement has left many students wondering why such a fundamental course is disappearing. According to Suchi Krishnaraj, the current AP Chemistry and IB Chemistry teacher, AP Chemistry is leaving “... to make the master schedule more manageable and to increase IB Chemistry enrollment.” This newly announced adjustment might help increase the typically small BY MAREESA ISLAM mislam.gazette@gmail.com

IB Chemistry HL-1 class size, which averages just eight students. In addition, the course’s removal from the GBHS catalog will undoubtedly affect students who lack flexibility when selecting classes. “(The change) will definitely adversely affect students who want a higherlevel chemistry course, but do not have the one year time commitment that IB HL-1 will require,” Krishnaraj said. For many years, AP Chemistry has enhanced students with new skills and knowledge. “If anyone had the desire to take this course, I would encourage (them) to pursue AP Chemistry because we learn so many interesting ideas of the chemistry world,” said junior Paloma Garcia, who is enrolled in AP Chemistry this year. However, to see this course go has surprised many students. “I was a bit shocked when I heard that AP Chemistry was being taken away from the course catalog,¨ Garcia said. Kavya Krishnan, a current junior who anticipated taking AP Chemistry her senior year, said she is disappointed about the removal of the course. She hoped AP Chemistry would allow her to grow closer to her goal of pursuing veterinary medicine in college. “Having this course would have greatly supplemented the knowledge I need in college for my career course,” Krishnan said. Now, she has some regrets about her course selections in previous years. “I didn’t plan for this unexpected change, and now I regret not taking AP Chemistry in (my) junior year,” Krishnan said. Some students expect the withdrawal of AP Chemistry to directly affect the IB Chemistry curriculum in the coming years. “The curriculum of IB Chemistry HL-1 may be changed (in that) more types of questions and topics … prevalent on the AP exam (will be taught),” said Shreya Reddy, an IB Chemistry student. Although the final result of AP Chemistry’s departure is not yet known, many are curious to see what the future might bring. “I am very very sad to see AP Chemistry not offered by our school,” Krishnaraj said. “It has been a very prestigious course, and I have worked very hard in creating the AP (content). … Hopefully it is offered again in the future.”

Gazette illustration /ASHLEY LUCIA

Science teachers differ over their beliefs

The department disagrees about the root cause of climate change

In light of the recent fires that ravaged Australia, climate change and global warming have been weighing heavily on the minds of many people. The topic of climate change has been long debated, with many differing views and opinions. And while there is an abundance of evidence showing that our climate is in fact changing, whether humans have contributed to this change and to what extent they have, has been the impetus for endless tension. Trevor Lynn, a physics teacher on campus, defines climate change as “the big term for all of the changes associated with the rapid increase in average global temperature that we’ve seen in the last 200 years.” The reason climate change has become so worrying, however, is the speed at which the global average climate has been changing. “Modern climate change is the phenomenon that we’ve seen in the past 150 to 200 years, so since the industrial revolution,” Lynn said. “Average global temperatures have risen over an entire degree celsius. That’s the number that usually takes a couple million years to change, and we’ve seen that kind of change happen in 200 years, so that is extremely rapid.” According to Lynn, the industrial revolution – which was the BY KATE FERNANDEZ kfernandez.gazette@gmail.com transition to a new process of manufacturing in Europe and the United States – is the assumed cause the majority of scientists have decided is the spark for these rapid changes. There are, however, some sources who disagree, which has furthered the tension that has resulted from this debate. Although this debate has surely been extensive, the Granite Bay High science department continues to teach the process of climate change to their students. Biology teacher Heidi McKeen is in full support of teaching the process of climate change to her students, despite possible disagreements. “I think that teachers should always do their best to not be biased in presenting information,” McKeen said. “You could be a non-believer of climate change and global warming but still present the information to your students. I think we all try really hard as teachers to present information from multiple sources and multiple views so students can synthesize information and draw their own conclusions, form their own opinions.” Not every science teacher shares the same views on climate change. Stephen Miller, another science teacher on campus who teaches physics and chemistry, is an example of one of those teachers who teaches the facts of climate change despite his differing views. In response to the topic of climate change, Miller said: “Do I believe in climate change? Wholeheartedly. Climate has been changing since the beginning of creation. Here’s where we differ: global warming. No, I don’t believe in global warming – which I don’t think should be something that should divide us.” Though he doesn’t completely agree that humans contribute to global warming, he continues to teach his classes about climate change when the topic bubbles to the surface. Without a doubt, climate change has been one of the most controversial topics in recent history. There is an abundance of

evidence in support of humans contributing to climate change, however there is also some evidence pointing to the contrary. These observations are the main reason that this topic is still debated. Elizabeth Henderson, a biology and chemistry teacher on campus, doesn’t support the fact that the topic is debated, saying, “Media is portraying this as though it is a debate. It is not up for debate, when 97 out of 100 scientists agree. When you get 97% of anyone to agree on anything, let alone leading scientists across all disciplines, then it’s time to ask who’s paying off the other 3.” Though there are clearly many different ways to view the global debate on climate change, it has been made clear that teachers at GBHS will continue to teach the facts on climate change and global warming. “It’s critically important to our students to understand it. While I support academic freedom, teachers must be factual and up to date, and present the best scientific evidence we have on the subject. There is plenty to debate about how we will solve the problem- but no one can deny that the problem or dispute the evidence,” said Henderson. I think teachers should always do their best to not be biased in presenting information. – Heidi McKeen, Biology Teacher