Ocean science and classic novels set sail
02/09/2013New York science teacher Ira Bickoff talks about his science literacy project.
Ira Bickoff with a marine iguana in the Galapagos Islands
Ira Bickoff is a science teacher in the Hudson Valley, New York State, USA. His project Sail The Book blends science, art, and history in an engaging way for his students. He talks to New Zealand Science Teacher about his mission.
What is Sail The Book about and how did it come into existence?
The purpose of this project is to promote maritime literature and ocean literacy: to blend art, history and science in a meaningful and engaging manner. Hopefully, teachers and adventure book lovers will find the material useful and help to keep these works alive.
The project started one year ago, but when I reflect, it has really been seven years in the making. It began aboard the SSV Corwith Crammer. I was selected as a teacher at SEA. When I wasn't on watch, I read books from the ship's galley. I stumbled upon Richard Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast. Like Dana, I was assigned to the forecastle, and although all the teachers were treated very kindly, the book resonated with me. I became immersed in the culture and the experience of learning the duties of a sailor. We even sang sea shanties. Reading Dana brought me back to early nineteenth century California. His description of the period and people was mesmerising . I wasn't aware of maritime history, nor did I know about sailing around Cape Horn. It was an experience too rich to keep to myself. I wanted to share the book with high school students.
During the cruise, as we approached Georges Bank, I had an epiphany. Suddenly, I knew why the NSF was paying me to be out in the North Atlantic. I was to return to my school district and develop an elective marine science course with a maritime literature component. When I got my land legs back, I set about choosing books, getting them approved by the school board, writing chapter assessments and incorporating the literature into an existing high school marine science curriculum. I had every belief that this was going to change the way my students would experience science. I introduced the following books:
The Secret Live of Lobsters by Trevor Corson
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Edge of the Sea by Rachel Carson
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
It didn't take me long to figure out that most teenagers don't like to read big old books about the sea. One could say the wind was taken out of my pedagogical sails – but only temporarily. I found that some students just loved to read. They would absorb details and eagerly participate in book discussions. But many wouldn't be prepared for the weekly quiz and showed little enthusiasm for linking the literature to the science curriculum.
I needed to find a more attractive way to present the books. Enter Google Earth. Almost all students are familiar with Google Earth and can navigate through its menus far better than I. I thought it would be fun to introduce computer lab days based upon "Sailing Alone Around the World". During the labs, I carefully monitored student engagement, and much to my dismay, most of the boys were on the flight simulator. So I tweaked the activities and included some volcano fly overs, with remote sensing type questions. I also used historical imagery for students to interpret land development and learn about environmental issues. I linked bathymetry to the oceanography curriculum. Using the Google Earth Ocean layer, I had students watch short videos about marine biology. The activities in this project are a continuation of what I began in my course. I have added classic books that are well suited for geographical touring and have chosen POIs mentioned in the literature. I have also used the books as threads that weave their way between past and present – between first hand historic accounts and satellite imagery.
The literary purist might argue that the students aren't really reading the book. I would counter and say that the students are doing much more than simply reading. They are reading the book in segments that are tied to a geographical location and then being encouraged to wander a bit. It’s similar to someone that looks up a word in the dictionary and in the course of locating that word stops at ten additional ones along the way. I believe that this method of presenting adventure books is an adventure in itself and a good and sound way for students to come to know these classics and learn about the sea.
Please tell us a bit about your teaching work.
I am a high school science teacher in the Hudson Valley of New York State but previously worked as an environmental geologist. I teach at Rondout Valley Central Schools, which is a rural school district, and this will be my 13th year teaching.
In New York, there are separate teaching certifications for four sciences: earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. I am certified to teach earth science and physics and permitted to teach one elective.
Sail The Book incorporates classic literature, art, and ocean science. What are the challenges of combining these different elements in your teaching?
I’ve found it to be very time consuming. Connecting art and literature to science teaching seems to be quite a non-traditional approach and many learners and administrators are not receptive to the material.
There is a huge push in the states to improve test scores and that leaves precious little time for a sense of wonder. Now I don’t actually teach marine science as a subject, but I still work on the blog.
Our school district is starting "Physics First". Therefore, this year sees me teaching regular physics and advanced placement physics.
It’s a shame, because we used to have a three-day coastal studies program that included whale watching. We would also go to Mystic Seaport and tour a whale ship. It was one of the highlights of my teaching career to see the kids make connections to the books we had studied in class.
How can New Zealand science teachers use these ideas in their classrooms?
I think the best way to use the material is to become familiar with the Google Earth settings. I included a user manual and video tutorials. The kmz tours do not work well on the iPad version of GE.
Chapter 18 in the Voyage of the Beagle actually takes place in New Zealand and might be an interesting way for the students to discover the young and adventurous Charles Darwin.
More information
Ira’s project Sail The Book
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