NATURAL SCIENCE TEACHING MINOR
POLICIES
The teaching majors and minors are part of a program leading to a Wisconsin
initial educator license to teach science at the Early Adolescence through
Adolescence level (ages 10-21).
Science teaching majors in the programs listed are required to seek
program approval from an advisor in the Natural Science Department. Transfer
students must take a minimum of 12 Natural Science credits at Edgewood for a
major and a minimum of 8 credits for a minor. Post-baccalaureate and transfer
students intending to complete a science teaching major should consult with a
Natural Science Department advisor during their first semester on campus.
Science education students fulfill their computer competency requirement by
taking any of the following courses/course combinations:
- BIO 351 Organismal Botany (4 cr) and BIO 352 Organismal Zoology (4 cr)
- CHEM 323 Organic Chemistry II (4 cr) and CHEM 351 Analytical Chemistry (4 cr)
- GEOS 301 Weather and Climate (4 cr)
- PHYS 310 Principles of Mechanics (3 cr)
Science education students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their science courses. In addition, to apply a science and/or mathematics course to a teaching major or minor, a student must receive a grade of “CD” or better.
Students must complete their Initial Content
Knowledge Endorsement prior to being admitted to Teaching Science in
Middle/Secondary Schools (NATS 459S).
Full implementation of PI 34 for teacher and administrator licensing in
Wisconsin took full effect on September 1, 2004. Students completing programs
for licensing after August 31, 2004 must now meet new licensing and
license-renewal rules applicable to their respective programs, including
PRAXIS I/PRAXIS II testing and performance-based portfolio assessment. See
EDUCATION.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
This minor is designed for individuals seeking certification in science teaching
at the Early Adolescence through Adolescence level (ages 10-21; grades 7-12; PI
34.29).
The minor is designed to supplement a Biology or Chemistry Teaching
major to meet the PI 34 breadth requirement. It may also be useful in preparing
for PRAXIS Exam 10435, which must be passed by all students seeking licensure to
be eligible for certification.
Individuals with a biology or chemistry major seeking WDPI license 621 should
complete this minor.
- Thirty-two credits in natural science to include a minimum of 8 credits from
each area listed below:
Biology courses:
BIO 151F5 General Biology I (4 cr)
BIO 152F5 General Biology II (4 cr)
Chemistry courses:
CHEM 110F5 Introductory Chemistry (4cr) and CHEM 111F5 Introductory Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (4 cr)
or
CHEM 120F5 General Chemistry I (4 cr) and CHEM 121F5 General Chemistry II (4 cr)
Earth and Space Science courses:
GEOS 102F5 Introduction to Earth Science I (4 cr)
GEOS 103F5 Introduction to Earth Science II (4 cr)
GEOS 301 Weather and Climate (4 cr)
PHYS 250 Survey of Astronomy (3 cr)
Physics courses:
PHYS 130F5 General Physics I (4 cr) and PHYS 131F5 General Physics II (4 cr)
or
PHYS 201F5 College Physics I (4 cr) and PHYS 202F5 College Physics II
- One semester of environmental science:
BIO 250 Environmental Biology (3 cr)
or
GEOS 206 Environmental Geology (3 cr)
- NATS 250F7 History and Philosophy of Science (3 cr)
- One semester of methods of teaching science and accompanying practicum: NATS
459S Teaching Science in Middle/Secondary Schools (3 cr) Students must be fully
admitted to teacher education before being admitted to NATS 459S.
- Completion of WDPI content exam, PRAXIS Exam 10435, with a passing score.