SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS
APPROVED FOR KANSAS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
A CONTENT STUDY OF EARTH
by
Thomas Joe Norrls
B.
S.
E.,
Oklahoma Christian College, 196^
A MASTER'S REPORT
submitted in r»artial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree
MASTER OF SCIENCE
College of Education
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
1967
Approved by:
4^^^,
f'lajoi-
}//. (^.^.^.-^4^
Professor
10
ACKUOWLEDGKENT
The writer wishes to express his sincere appreciation
to Dr.
Charles M. Peccolo for his encouragement and assis-
tance given during the preparation of this report.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION
1
Statement of the Problem
2
Importance of the Study
2
Limitations.
3
.
Definition of Terms
L\.
Earth Science
k
Content
4
REVIEW OF LITERATURE.
.'
.
.
Need for Earth Science
5
5
Growth of Earth Science
6
Why Study Earth Science?
7
Textbooks
Content Evaluation
9
10
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
12
PRESExNTATION OF DATA
I6
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
3O
BIBLIOGRAPHY
35
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE
1.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
py^GE
Topics Related to History of the Earth
Topics Related to Oceans of the Earth
.
.
.17
.
.
22
...
23
Topics Related to Earth's Atmosphere
24
Toolcs Related to Earth and the Universe
Levels of Reading Difficulty
Grade Levels of Difficulty Equivalent
Summary of Content Analysis
18
....
Topics Related to Climates of the Earth
Reading Difficulty Scores
IX.
.
Topics Related to Earth and Its Land Forms
...
26
28
to
29
32
INTKODUCTICN
The launching of the first Sputnik caused men to
realize that they were living In
most mysterious age.
a
comnletely new and al-
This event Immediately created a
new Interest In the study of the earth and space.
Educa-
tion and government officials realized that traditional
science courses were not preparing the nation's young
people for life in the space age.
The re-evaluation of science curricula revealed a
void at the junior high level. ^ Kostly, the offering was
limited to a course of study called "General Science."
General science courses are usually bits and pieces of
information pulled from the areas of biology, chemistry,
physics, meteorology, and geology.
There has been no effort
to connect these areas of study excent the binding of the
book.
-
A
course of study with a definite theme and goal
was needed for the Junior
hif^-h
school.
Earth science is a course which has a definite purpose a-d offers a unifying theme between the different areas
^T. N. Hubbard, "Earth Science Now 'in Orbit.',"
The American School Board Journal 151:26-2?, July,'l965.
.
John De Waard (ed.), "Earth Science Coi
'urse:
Effective Science Experiment for the Ju^iior '-'io-h
Sc'-ooT "
Current Science Teache r's Edition 51:1, January 26','
1^66
^E.
.
2
which It encompasses.
The major areas of earth science are
closely connected to each other.
The carry-over of basic
facts and principles from one area to another gives more
time to investigate each area at a greater depth.
Statement of the Problem
.
The purpose of this study was to
(1)
determine what
topics should be included in an earth science textbook;
(2)
compare the content of four earth science textbooks with
the list of topics which should be included in an earth
science textbook as determined by the study; and
(3)
re-
commend the textbook or textbooks which would best meet the
needs for teaching earth science in the junior high school.
ImiDortance of the Study
.
Textbooks are the most important teaching tool.
The
textbook is the basis of every curriculum and determines to
a great extent v;hat will
be taught.
"^
The selection of the
right textbook is a very important step in assuring the
succesn of any school subject.
It Is hoped that the results from this study may be
used to reach decisions regarding the adoption of earth
science textbooks.
-^William H. James, and Harold K. Eibling, "Is Your
District Using the Right Textbooks?," ""
Scho ol Mana'-ement
"^
8:80, October, 1964.
Limitations
.
The study
v/as
limited to the four earth science text-
books approved by the Kansas State Textbook Screening Com-
mittee for the 1967-1968 school yearj^ The textbooks
studied were:
Mac Cracken, Helen Dolman, et al
Basic Earth
Science
Syracuse: L, W, Singer Company, 1964.
.
,
.
Namowitz, Samuel N. and Stone, Donald
Science The World We Live In
—
3.
Earth
.-'*'
Thurber, Walter A. and Kilburn, Robert E. Exnlorina;
Earth Science Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc.
I966.
.
,
Wolfe, C. Wroe, et al
Earth and Soace Science
Boston: D. C. Heath and Company, I966.
.
,
.
Only the content of the textbooks was compared.
Analyses of factors, other than content, involved in textbook evaluation
v.'ere
considered beyond the scope of this
study.
The study was limited to the writer's opinion as to
what topics should be Included in a study of earth science.
The writer had in mind the needs of the Junction City
Junior
High School when this study was made.
Other raters would
likely include other tooics and exclude others.
This would
4
Textbook s Suitable for use in Knnsnr. Schools and
Applicable Statu es. Rerulations and Policies A List of"
Textbooks and Workbooks.
Approved by the State Textbook
Screening Committee (Topeka, Kansas: State Printer- 1067)
.
pp.
61-62.
'
-
'
/'
^
J
In the following pages this title will be
refered
to as Earth Science.
'
be particularly true of raters in larger or smaller schools
or in other areas of the United States,
The numerical rating of the content was aJmost com-
pletely subjective.
This rating was based solely upon the
opinion of this writer and was therefore considered a limitation to this study.
The readability of the textual material
v.'as
tested
using only the Flesch formula.
Definition of Terms
,
Earth Science
.
Earth science as investigated in
this study was defined as a study of the basic concepts of
astronomy, meteorology, geology, oceanography, and physical
geography.
Content
,
Content as used in this study referes only
to the printed text and Illustrations.
5
RE^/IEW OF LITERATURE
Need for Earth Science
.
The study of earth science Is not new.
Phlslography
was commonly taught in many of the nation's schools about
50 years ago.
This course was desittned to introduce the
student to the olanet earth.
In the following years, rapid
advances were made in the fields of biology, chemistry, and
physics.
As a result,
earth science virtually disappeared
from the secondary school curriculum.
For many years, the junior high science program consisted mostly of general science.
The Junior high science
program has been continually weakened by the strengthening
of the science program in the elementary schools and the
thorough revision of the senior high school science offerings.
Recently, there has been
a
considerable amount of
dissatisfaction with the general science courses in the
Junior high.
There were two basic reasons for this dis-
satisfaction:
"first, the repetition that occurs in such
a program,
and secondly, the great diversity of toolcs that
5willia:n H. Matthews, "Growth of Earth Science in
Secondary Schools," School Science and Mntheraatics. 6T-637'
~~
""
Kovember, I963.
"De VJanrd, loc.
cit.
are attempted.
""^
Growth of Earth Science
.
Recent studies have shown that general science as an
offering is on the decline in terms of both schools offering
It and students enrolled in It.^
"Earth science
...
is
rapidly rising to the status of biology, chemistry, and
physics to become the fourth basic subject for the
secondary
level. "9
In 1958, only 9 schools in Pennsylvania included
earth
science in the curriculum.
offered earth science.
By 1963 more than 400 schools
''"^
In 1963 the Texas Education Agency estimated
that
"during the next few years" almost every junior
high school
in the state would offer courses in earth science.
Likewise
in New Jersey there was a GQQ% increase in
earth science
offerings from 1959 to 1963.II
^John C. Hook, "New Programs in Earth Science,"
The
Teachers College Journal
33:123, March, I962.
.
„
^
,
School
-'•eeten, "Science
Jf- • and
Science
Ma thematics
.
9
^Hubbard, loc.
cit
.
Matthews, op. cit.,
^^Ibid.
Curriculum Trends in Iowa."
67:36, January, 196?.
p.
638.
h
a
3
7
Why Study Earth Science ?
Earth science contributes directly to the students
general education by providing
a
better understanding of
many of the most important and familiar aspects of our
environment.-^'^
Schering and Shupack stated that:
Every intelligent young person should have at least
a basic knowledge of the v;eather, of the solar system,
of the use of maps, of the apnearance of the stars in
the heavens, of the forces that have changed and are
changing the face of the earth.
3y becoming fa.ralliar
with these and Innumerable other topics within the
scope of earth science, you will make yourself a more
Informed, able, and interesting person. 1
A
working knowledge of earth science will equip people
to take part in many Interesting hobbles.
ing requires a knowledge of tides,
navigation.
For example, sail-
currents, weather, and
Other hobbies based on earth science are; rock
collecting, amateur astronomy, and hiking.
A
study of earth
science can result in a greater appreciation of nature which
is a hobby in itself.
Earth science has a definite x-alue in preparing students for various occupations associated with earth science.
Careers could include such fields as ralnerology, petroleum
geology, farming, astronomy, meteorology, aviation, marine
navigation, cartography, and
otherr..'^
John 3. Richardson, .jclence Teaching in Secondary
Schools (Englewood Cliffs, New J e re. ey Pren 1 1 c e- H al 1 1 9 S
7)
:
,
1 ?
^Fred J. Schering and Ben Slmnack, M a t e r 1 np:
Scionce (New York: Oxford Book Company, 1^6'-!}, p. ;,
;^
I'l I
bl d
.
,
r).
>i.
E rt
,
8
Students in the past have been taught many concents
of earth science under the traditional general science
curriculum.
Kany supporters of the general science orogran
have made this statement.
Earth science seems to be more
stimulating and thought nrovoklng for the junior high science
student.
to a
/ilso,
the tor>ics in each subject area are developed
greater depth than they are in general science.
^
Therefore, it appears logical that students taking earth
science as compared to those enrolled in general science
would learn more about the basic concepts of astronomy, geology, meteorology, oceanography, and physical geography;
even though the same areas are studied in both programs.
Davison and Fowler conducted
a
study to determine if
students in earth and space science classes learn "more earth
and space science" than students do in general science
classes.
'-
The results showed conclusively that:
the ninth grade earth science students were superior
to the ninth grade general science students in the
area tested ... On no items did the general science
group score significantly higher than the earth
science group. l6
l^Donald L. Pollinger and Eugene H. Syrewicz, "Earth
Science," School and Community 53:1?. November, I966.
,
l%ugh
Davison and H. Seymour Fox>fler, "Earth
Science Course Evaluation: What Do They Learn in Earth
Science?." Science Education 49:lB4-lvM5, March, I965.
M.
,
9
Textbooks
.
"It has always been true and will probably continue
so for many years that the textbook determines to a very
large extent the nature of the experiences that students
have In science."^
.
'
•
.
The textbook ranks second to none as
a
teaching aid.
Projectors, films, recorders, record players and other
teaching aids are valuable teaching aids, but they do not
-1
begin to compare
x\Tith
Q
the textbook.
The increased enrollment of students in earth science
opened
a
new door of onportunlty for many textbook publishers.
Each was eager to get his book on the market before anyone
else.
As a result, many of the earth science textbooks
published a few years ago were of ooor quality.
In I961,
Caldwell reported that few textbooks then on the market were
"well fitted to the needs of the secondary school earth
science course.
"-^^
Since I961 there have been many revised and completely
new earth science textbooks placed on the market.
It was
the purpose of this study to determine whether the more re-
cent earth science textbooks xvould meet the needs of today's
17
'Richardson, on.
'-James, loc. cit
cit
.
,
o.
kl.
.
Caldwell, "The New Role of Earth Science in
Emerging ochool Science Programs," Geotimes 5:27, March, 1961.
••^Loren T.
.
—
10
earth science courses.
Content Evaluation
There are
books.
'-'
.
"^v^e^n-y
V
factors involved In evaluating text-
Malllnson, who has done extensive
and.
numerous
writings on readability suggested that the following factors
be considered:
content, vocabulary load, sentence struc-
ture, Illustrations,
materials. 20
completeness
interest level, and supplementary
The writer feels that a careful check for the
ajid
accuracy of the glossary should be included
in the evaluation of textbooks,
According to a study by
Laurence, the "glossary was the teaching aid most widely
used
"2-'.
.
.
The reading level of a science textbook is hard to
determine accurately because of the number of technical
words peculiar to science.
Several research studies have
clearly indicated that experts very greatly in the evaluation of reading difficulty,
ajid
the "opinion of teachers
vary a great deal more; often by as much as nine grades. "^^
20
George G. Malllnson, "Reading and the Teaching of
Science," School Science and Mathe matics. 4^:148-15? Feb~~~-
—
—
ruary, \3Gr.
^Iprancis St. Laurence, "Are Heavy Textbooks Necessary?,"
The Science Teacher 18:73, March, 1951.
.
^^Mallinson, op. cit
.
.
p.
151.
:
11
Brown also states that
"•
.
.
it seems logical
to suggest
that the application of the readability formulas to science
books be done with caution."^
Reading difficulty levels of texts may not be as
great a problem in the junior high school as it is in the
senior high school.
In an earlier study Malllnson concluded
,:•.
that
In general, textbooks for junior high school science
are not likely to cause difficulty for the average student, although they are likely to cause some difficulty
for the below-average student.
Further, some passages
in all of the textbooks are likely to be difficult for
all but the superior student. 24
The reading level of textbooks is of great importance
and should be considered by everyone involved in the selection of textbooks.
Reading level of textbooks is not more
important than other qualities of the books.
a textbook is easy to read does not
viieBn
^^^
Just because
that it would be
the best available for teaching an effective earth science
course.
'
•_
.
23walter R. Brown, "Science Textbook Selection and
the Dale-Chall Formula," School Science and Mathem atics.
~~~
~~"'
65:166, February, 1965.
"^
—
George G. Malllnson, "The Readability of High
School Science Texts," The Scienc e Teacher, 13:253-2^6
—_
-^y
November, 1951.
—
-'Brovm, loc.
clt.
»
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
The four earth science textbooks used in this study
were read carefully and the content tabulated under one of
six broad areas of earth science.
area were selected from
a
Topics related to
a
broad
list of tooics which current lit-
erature indicated should be taught in an earth science course
and, also,
from the content outlines of the four textbooks
used in this study.
"
The broad areas of earth science and
the related topics used were as follovrs:
History Of the Earth
A. Precarabrlan through Paleozoic
B. Mesozolc and Cenozoic
C. Prehistoric Kan
D. Record of the rocks
II. Earth and Its Land Forms
A. Minerals in the rocks
B. Economic Importance of minerals
C. Origin of rocks
D. Reading topographic maps
E. Rock weathering and gravity
F. Underground water
G. Wind and land forms
H. Running water and land forms
^
I. Earth movements and earth quakes
J. Vulcanlsm and volcanoes
K. Plains, plateaus, and mountains
L. Lakes, reservoirs, and water conservation
M. Floods and soil conservation
N. Physiographic provinces of the United States
III. Oceans of the Earth
A. The ocean and its currents
B. Waves, shore currents, and shorelines
I.
'^John M. Chapman and Loren T. Caldwell, "A content
Study of Earth Science Courses in Selected Secondarv Schools,"
Science Education 48:430-/136, December, 1964.
,
,''
^^
'
'
'
'
'
.
.
Climates of the Earth
A. Factors that control climate
3. World climates
V. Earth's Atmosphere
•.,:.
A. Nature of the atmosphere
B. Heating and cooling of the atmosphere
C. Air Pressure
D. Changing winds of the atmosohere
E. Water vapor enters the atmosphere
F. Condensation and clouds
G. Precipitation of moisture
E. Air masses and fronts
I. Cyclones and Thunderstorms
J. The weather bureau and its work
K. Light and color of the sky
VI. Earth and the Universe
A. Stars and galaxies
B. The sun ajid the solar sjrstem
C. Our satellite, the moon
D. The Earth, its motions and seasons
E. Location and navigation
F. Keeping time
G. Space exploration
IV.
'
'
,
'
•
•
This list of topics was used as a check list for' comparing
the content of the four textbooks studied.
The topics discussed in each textbook were recorded
in tabular form under the appropriate area of study.
Page
numbers were noted so the material could be easily located.
Just because the topics happened to be discussed in
a
text-
book was no Indication that all the authors treated each
subject alike or placed the same amount of emphasis on it.
Therefore, in order to gain a more accurate comparison of
content, the content under each topic was evaluated and a
numerical rating recorded.
as follows:
The numerical rating scale was
1^
3
2
1
— topic
— tonic
— topic
covered in ^reat detail,
covered adequately,
covered briefly.
Additional topics not on the check list were also
These tonics
noted.
v.-ere
not considered essential to a
study of earth science, but added to the quality and
uniqueness of the various texts.
Under each broad area, the nercent of tooics covered
by each textbook,
as compared to the check list, was noted.
The average numerical evaluation was also noted in order to
have a better comparison of the detail with which these
topics were discussed.
The readability of the textbooks studied was found
by using a modification of the sampling technique suggested
27
by Flesch for use with his formula.
A
systematic random sampling was used.
Page 25 was
selected at random and every 50th oage thereafter, i.e.,
pages 25, 75, 125. etc. to the end of the book.
A
one- hundred word sample was taken for each page
thus selected by counting from the first word of the first
new paragraph on that page.
If the page contained no read-
ing material, the sample was selected from the next page
27
'Rudolf Flesch, The Art of Plain Talk (New York:
Harper and Brothers, 1946)
p. 196.
,
15
that did.
The introductions and summaries of chapters as
well as legends under illustrations were disregarded.
The
samples were analyzed by use of the Flesch Formula.^
Three things make for simple language: short sentences,
few affixes, and many personal references.
The Flesch takes
Into consideration the average number of words ver sentence,
the number of personal references in the passages, and the
number of affixes to the words.
These various aspects of
sentence structure were measured in each of the one-hundred
word samples and translated into a reading difficulty score
by means of the formula.
converted into
^^Ibld.
a
,
The reading difficulty score was
grade value of reading difficulty.
pp.
195-97.
PRESENTATION OF DATA
Table
I
shoxved that all the authors of the textbooks
evaluated considered the material relating to the history of
the earth important.
to all the texts.
Three of the four topics were common
The Earth Scienc e and
ExDlorln.c:;
Earth
Science textbooks did not include material relating to prehistoric man.
The Earth Science and Earth and Space Science
texts, as compared to the other two books, tended to discuss
the topics more thoroughly.
The Basic Earth Science text
was the only one of those studied that included a discussion
of the controversial topic of Darwin's Theory of Evoluation.
This topic was not considered important enough to place it
on the check list, but it would be useful when discussing the
record of the rocks.
The author of Basic Earth Science Included only fiftythree percent or eight of the fifteen topics, appearing on
the check list, related to the earth and its land forms.
Table II also indicated that the three other texts had
eleven of the fifteen topics in common, or seventy-three
percent.
Earth Science was the only text that discussed all
the topics in this area of study.
The Earth and Space
Science and Exploring Earth Science textbooks included
additional material not on the check list dealing with the
nature of soils.
This material could be quite useful,
especially in the agricultural areas of the United States.
17
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Table III indicated that all the textc Included
material on the two topics relating to the oceans of the
earth,
except the Basic Earth Science text.
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shore currents, and shorelines.
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,
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Earth Science
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,
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Table V showed that this area of earth science re-
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Table VI Indicated that seven topics s?iould be discussed in the study of the earth and the universe.
Earth
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all seven topics.
Earth and Space Science discussed six of
21
the seven topics, while the Basic Earth Science textbook
covered only fifty-seven percent of the topics.
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Basic Ea rth Science and Earth Science textbooks Included an
additional discussion on the origin of the earth and the
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27
Table VII Indicated that Explaining E^rth Science was
the easiest text to read.
The other three textbooks studied
had basically the same reading difficulty level.
Basic Earth
Science was the most difficult to read of those tested.
The reading-difficulty score was converted into a
grade-level value of reading difficulty by using Table VIII.
This conversion table Indicated that Exploring Earth Science
could be used in the seventh or eighth grade.
The other
three texts would be better suited for the ninth grade.
28
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29
TABLE VIII
GRADE LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY EQUIVALENT
TO READING DIFFICULTY SCOxRES^^
Reading
Difficulty
Score
Description of
Style
Grade Level of Difficulty
0-1
Very eacy
Easy
Fairly easy
Standard
Fairly difficult
Difficult
Very difficult
Grade IV Completed
Grade V Completed
Grade VI Completed
Grade VII or VIII
Two Years of High School
High School and Some College
College Completed
1-2
2-3
3-^
^5
5-6
6 and up
*Flesch, op. cit.
,
p.
205.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The purpose of this study was to compare the content
of the four approved earth science textbooks.
A check list consisting of six broad areas and forty-
one topics was derived from the review of literature and the
examination of the content of the four textbooks.
This check
list contained the topics which should be Included in an
earth science course.
Table IX showed that the percent of topics covered
by the various textbooks varied from sixty-six to ninety-
eight percent.
Earth Science contained forty of the forty-
one topics on the check list.
Earth and Space Science dis-
cussed thirty-eight topics and thirty-six topics was covered
^y the Exploring: Earth Science text.
Basic Earth Science
Included discussion on only twenty-seven of the forty-one
topics.
The over-all average numerical rating of the textbooks indicated that two of the texts, Earth Science and
Earth an d Snace Science
coverage of the topics.
,
rated "adequate" or better on the
Basic Earth Science and Explorinp:
Earth Science had an average numerical rating of 1.1 and
1.5. respectively.
According to the scale, 1.0 was con-
sidered a "brief" coverage of the material.
31
The Enrth Sclenco textbook
vjas
the only one studied
thot concistently covered the topici^ adequately.
The other
three textbooks tended to stress certain areas and slight
others.
(
32
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topic topic topic
III
1
1
I
C^CM rH
33
The data of this study Indicated that the four earth
science textbooks varied considerably on the topics included
and also the depth at which the topics were discussed.
On
the basis of the number of topics discussed and the thorough-
ness with which the topics were discussed, the Earth Science
textbook would be placed at the top of the list.
in descending order were as follows:
Exploring Earth Science
,
The others
Earth and Space Science
and Basic Earth Science
,
.
The data relating to reading- difficulty level indicated
three of the textbooks, Basic Earth Science
Science
culty.
,
,
Earth and Space
and Earth Science , varied little in reading diffi-
These books could be used in the ninth grade or for
an advanced eighth grade class.
Exploring Earth Science
could be used successfully in the seventh or eighth grade.
\
'-
••f
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I
eBrown, Walter R. "Science Textbook Selection and the Dal
65:164Chall Formula," School Science and Mathematics
16?, February, 1965.
,
Caldwell, Loren T. "The New Role of Earth Science in Emerg5:26-28, March, 19 61.
ing Science Programs," Geotimes
.
Chapman, John K. and Caldwell, Loren T. "A Content Study of
Earth Science Courses in Selected Secondary Schools,"
Science Education 48:^30-436, December, 1964.
,
Davison, Hugh M. and Fowler, H. Seymour. "Earth Science
Course Evaluation: What Do They Learn in Earth Science?,"
Science Education 49:18^185, March, 1965.
,
"Earth Science Course: Effective
),
Science Experiment for the Junior nigh School," Current
Science Teacher's Edition 51:1-3. January 26, 1966.
De Waard, John E.
(ed.
,
Flesch, Rudolf. The Art of Plain Talk. New York: Harper and
Brothers, 1946. 210pp.
Hook, John
C.
"New Programs in Earth Science," The Teachers
33:122-125, March, 1962.
CollG/re Journal
,
Hubbard, T. N. "Earth Science Now 'In Orbit'," The American
School Board Journal 151:26-2?, July, I965.
,
James, William H. and Eibllng, Harold K. "Is Your District
Using the Right Textbooks?," School Mana;^ement 8:?9-86,
October, 1964.
,
Mac Crack en, Helen Dolman, et al Basic Earth Science .
Syracuse: L. W. Singer Company, 1964. 442 pp.
.
Mallinson, George G. "Reading and the Teaching of Science,"
School Science and Mathematics 44:148-153. February, 1964,
,
Mallinson, George G. "The Readability of High School Science
Texts," The Science Teacher 18:253-256, November, 1951.
.
Matthews, William H. "Growth of Earth Science in Secondary
Schools," School Science and Mathematics 63:63?-645,
November, 1963.
,
36
—
Namowitz, Samuel N, and Stone, Donald B. Earth Science The
World Ive Live In Princeton, New Jersey: D. Van Nostrand
Company, 19o5. 597 PP.
.
Pollinger, Donald L. and Syrewlcz, Eugene R. "Earth Science,"
School and Community 53:17, November, I966.
.
Scherlng, Fred J. and Shupack, Ben. Masterln/? Earth Science
New York: Oxford Book Company, I963. -^30 pp.
St.
.
Laurence, Francis. "Are Heavy Textbooks Necessary?,"
The Science Teacher 18:72-73, March, 1951.
.
Richardson, John S. Science Teaching in Secondary Schools
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentlce-Kall Inc., 1957.
363 PP.
Textbooks Suitable for Use In Kansas Schools and Applicable
Statues Refrulatlons and Policies
A List of Textbooks
and Workbooks Approved by the State Textbook Screening
Committee. Topeka, Kansas: State Printer, I967.
.
,
.
.
Thurber, Walter A. and Kilburn, Robert E. Ext)lorlng Earth
Science Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc.
1966. ^^6 pp.
.
,
Tweeten, Paul W. "Science Curriculum Trends in Iowa,"
School Science and Mathematics 67:32-36, January, I967.
.
Wolfe,
Wroe, et al
Earth and Space Science
Heath and Company, I966. 630 pp.
C.
.
\
\
.
Boston: D.C.
A CONTENT STUDY OF EARTH SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS
APPROVED FOR KANSAS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
by
::/a
B.
.
S.
E.
,
THOMAS JOE NORRIS
Oklahoma Christian College, 1964
AN ABSTRACT OF A MASTER'S REPORT
submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements of the degree
MASTER OF SCIENCE
College of Education
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Manhattan, Kansas
196?
The purpose of this study was to
(1)
determine from
current literature what topics should be included in an
earth science course;
(2)
compare the content of the four
earth science textbooks designed for use at the Junior high
school level, and (3) recommend a textbook or textbooks which
would be best suited for teaching earth science.
The textbooks studied
x\rere
approved for use in Kansas
Junior high schools by the Kansas State Textbook Screening
Committee for the I967-I968 school year.
The four textbooks
were as follows:
Mac Cracken, Helen Dolman, et al
Bosic Earth Science
Syracuse:
L. W. Singer Company, 196J!4-.
.
Namowitz, Samuel N, and Stone, Donald B. Earth Science
The World 'Je Live In
Princeton, New Jersey:
D. Van Nostrand Company, I965.
.
Thurber, Walter A. and Kilburn, Robert E.
Exploring
Earth Science
Boston:
Allyn and Bacon, I966.
.
Wolfe, C. Wroe, et al
Earth and Space Science
D. C. Heath and Company, 19 66.
Boston:
.
.
The content of these textbooks was compared to a check list
derived from a study of current literature.
consisted of six broad areas:
This check list
the earth's history, the earth
and its land forms, the earth in space, oceans of the earth,
the earth's atmosphere, and climates of the earth.
These six
broad areas were divided into 4l separate topics.
Content was evaluated by a simple numerical rating
.
—
system.
Page numbers v/ere recorded so that material related
to the topics could be easily located.
The average numerical
rating and the percentage of common topics as compared to the
check list was computed for each broad area of study and for
the entire book.
This was done for each of the four text-
books studied.
Earth Science
— The
V'Jorld
We Live In discussed ninety-
eight percent of the topics on the check list and had the
highest average rating of the material.
Ninety-three per-
cent of the topics was included in the Earth and Space
Science textbook.
adequate.
The coverage of the material was considered
Exploring Earth Science discussed eighty-eight
percent of the topics on the check list, but the average
numerical rating indicated that the material was not covered
in as much depth as would be desired.
The Basic Earth Science
textbook included discussion of sixty-six percent of the
topics.
The average rating indicated a "brief" coverage of
the topics included in the book.
The Earth Science
— The
World We Live In textbook was
considered the best of those studied because it covered more
of the topics and did
a
material thoroughly.
Earth and Space Science would rank
slightly lower.
consistently good job of covering the
3
Three of the textbooks studied, Basic Earth Science
Earth and Space Science
,
and Earth Sclence--The World
Live In varied little In reading difficulty.
,
V/e
These books
could be used in the ninth grade or possibly for an advanced
eighth grade class.
Exploring Earth Science could be used
successfully in the seventh or eighth grade.
The reading level of the textbooks studied was deter-
mined by using the Flesch formula.
>