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In this awesome movie, where the butterfly flaps around in its cage with a floating chrysalis, you can see the future of elementary school experiments. This video is one in a series produced for elementary school classes whose students are growing their own butterflies - now, they get to compare their results with the insects' space-going counterparts.

Discovery News writes: BioServe Space Technologies and the University of Colorado [work with] students on the ground to follow the progress of the orbiting creatures. The school kids can then compare the development of butterflies in the classroom with their orbiting cousins.

Butterflies In Space experiment via Discovery News

The class' syllabus, quizzes and related links are online, and so are the study guide, a class wiki, and some student projects. It's pretty fascinating to get a glimpse into the ways in which some of science-fiction's weird creatures, including some of the most far-fetched ones, can provide insight into actual biology.

Top image is cover of Slonczewski's novel, A Door Into Ocean. [The Columbus Dispatch and Biology In Science Fiction Blog]

The Texas Board of Education voted on Friday to remove the universe's age from the state's educational standards, used as source material for the state's school textbooks. According to Dan Quinn of the Texas Freedom Network, this decision is a backdoor entrance for creationists and fans of intelligent design:

The goal here was to make science more tentative and vague so that teachers have room to tell students, 'This is only one explanation and the scientists are not even sure about it themselves' – which is, of course, utter nonsense.

The decision was only one of many made on Friday, and sadly, only one of many that suggested an anti-science agenda (Other decisions included specific language requiring scientific explanations on evolution to be "evaluated" by students and teachers, ominously enough). Chair of the Board Don McLeroy testified to the reason why that may be the case at the meeting:

I disagree with these experts. Someone has got to stand up to experts.

That's right! Standing up to experts and facts is exactly what the chair of an educational board's job is supposed to be! Well, at least there's always the internet to fill in gaps in these kids' education...

Texas vote leaves loopholes for teaching creationism [New Scientist]

Jeff sent over a description of the program that reads, in part:

Guided by course instructors and guest authors, students will design their own imaginary worlds, learning the art of creative writing in a dynamic "hands on" fashion. In addition to helping oversee the program, VanderMeer will also teach during the two-week period. "As far as I can tell," said VanderMeer, "this is one of the only programs of its type in the country. It's an exciting catalyst for energizing young people to use their imaginations in a creative and mind-expanding ways. Director Jeremy Jones has put together a really wonderful program that's also a lot of fun, and I expect to learn a lot from the students, as well."

There are still slots open, and you can find out more about signing up at the link below.

Shared Worlds [via Wofford College]

The Times' Pat Newcomb shows off the kind of cynicism that you'd expect as soon as the article begins:

Luke Skywalker is not just a character in a series of films to David Golden, an English teacher and football coach at Hazel Green High School. The Jedi knight is an epic hero, whose rise, fall and redemption are part of a story rife with classic archetypes we all know through our collective unconscious as described by the psychologist Carl Jung.

Seriously.

When Haylee Johnson was in eighth grade, she heard she would have to watch the Star Wars movies if she was in Golden's class.

"I thought it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard," Haylee said. Her dad had been trying to get her to watch the movies with him, and she had always refused, completely uninterested in them.

She's paid close attention to the movies in class, though. Golden's comments throughout the movies also helped her make the connections to the literary elements.

"I didn't realize there was so much English in Star Wars," she said.

Jason McDaniel thought the movies would be "corny," but watching them has helped him "break things down," giving him a way to relate the archetypes.

"There's more to Star Wars than just light sabers and lasers," he said.

Jason said he may even go back and watch the movies for the parts they skipped in class. His dad has the whole collection, and "they're not bad for an old movie."

Hazel Green High English teacher turns to 'Star Wars' trilogy to help students understand the epic [Everything Alabama]

In a day and age when Sesame Street ruled the airwaves and toys were marketed as "enriching and learning," Alphie was educational in the way white bread was "filled with vitamins." Armed with plastic game cards, Alphie allegedly could teach you math, memory skills, and some language basics. But all he was really good for was playing "Claire De Lune" over and over so you could drive your parents crazy.

He was sadly retired when Alphie II came out in the 1980s, but the new model sucked harder than the old one, and he was banished to the deep recesses of attics and basements across America. Alphie, I know you're somewhere in my parent's house in Texas. When I find you we'll see who gets schooled then, bitch.