Oklahoma Homeschool Science Fair - with mandatory references to the Bible

[DetlefK]

http://www.alternet.org/education/oklahomas-crypto-christian-homeschool-science-fair

The webpage the article links to is eeriely no longer available. But luckily there's a google cache.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.ou.edu/science/information.htm

Goals

1. See the consistency and detail of God’s creation
2. Apply scriptural lessons, truths, principles to science topics
3. Provide more than a science test can offer; variety, hands-on experience, thinking and reasoning, application and enjoyment
4. Teach the scientific method
5. Integrate all the academics: reading, writing, spiritual application, science facts, math, drawing conclusions, art, graphing, typing reports, oral presentation and time management

Each student will be interviewed by two or three judges (interested parents or persons with science backgrounds or experience) and be rated. Students in grades 1-3 will be interviewed but not rated unless parent requests rating. Scoring and/or critiques will be provided by judges and ribbons will be given to all participants.



Requirements

1. Display of project on freestanding board, not bigger than 48” wide by 30” deep by 72” high.
2. Projects must be the product of student’s work. Students must do 90% of total project, have a working knowledge of the project and be able to explain it to the judge. Students may have parental help, but the older the student, the less help they should receive. If the student does not understand the project, they have received too much “help.”
3. All exhibits must include scripture and give reference pertaining to the subject matter of the project. Some ideas are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but there are some verses that develop principles that can be related to your project. The intent is to relate all areas of science to the Creator of the universe.
4. Written report – detail, length, and extent of research dependent on age. 1-2 grade – a few sentences, 3-4 grade – 50-100 words, 5-6 grade – 150-250 words, 7-12 grade – detailed report with minimum of 500 words and bibliography.
5. Use of the scientific method
6. Students must stand by their project during judging. Only very young children (in first and second grade) may have a parent stand with them, if they wish. If you need to stay with your child during judging, please indicate this on the registration page.



---------------------------------------------



On the one hand you are supposed to apply scriptural truths. On the other hand you are supposed to use the scientific method, whose core tenet it is that there is no infallible truth. (And this core tenet can be neatly proven with a few lines of statistical algebra.)

[RussBLib]

2. this is sad

ignorance can be so ingrained that it becomes accepted as "normal"

All this to justify a superstition. Tragic.

[mr blur]

3. "Teach the scientific method"?

Well, plenty of scope for that.

[progressoid]

4. And then they put "spiritual application" next to "science facts and math"

Just a little bit incongruous.

[AlbertCat]

5. "Teach the scientific method"?

They don't care about that.

That's just there so people like us won't get upset, supposedly.


Were I an employer, I would reject all homeschooled applicants. Yes, yes, some folks do the home school thing correctly (I guess), but who has time to find out if a applicant is one of those? Just too iffy.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I don't even have words for how I feel about this.

It seems that the home-school movement has gone from kids whose needs were not being met in the classroom (high achievers or remedial students) and the hippie types to the full-blown fundie maniacs. I also would refuse to hire someone who was home-schooled, although I am not sure how you know....probably just by talking to them for a few minutes.

With that said, I would have fun finding a way to incorporate scripture into a science project.

[rexcat]

7. These kids won't be science majors in college...

and if they attempt science as a major they are going to have a rude awakening.

[DetlefK]

8. College is one big conspiracy to put the human and the science over God!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those heathen elitist liberals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



That will be their takeaway from college.