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I was recently reading the July/August 2022 issue of \u201cThe Science Teacher\u201d a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.\xa0\xa0In this issue, I read the Editor\u2019s Corner, written by Ann Haley MacKenzie.\xa0 She wrote a column entitles, \u201cTeaching Societal Issues in the Science Classroom.\u201d \xa0

By incorporating societal issues into our classrooms, we provide students a chance to explore topics in depth, instead of simply glossing over the content.\xa0 Here are some reasons to include societal issues in science courses:

--These issues justify information included in science courses.

--Societal issues allow students to find science classes relevant to their daily lives. \xa0

--These societal issues enable teachers to evaluate student success at application and synthesis of ideas.

--Infusing societal issues defines the teacher\u2019s role to be \u201cfacilitator\u201d and relegates the textbook\u2019s / digital learning platform status to \u201cinformation sources.\u201d

--These issues may allow for increased scientific understanding of concepts, ased on cognitive theories of learning.