h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

RLMS Cours (Real Life Math and Science)

Boredom and Youtube have led me to the conclusion that modern education fails in comparison to 19th-century education in an important respect: 19th-century textbooks emphasised math and science on a practical level. Students learned how to calculate prices, quantities, and things they might need to know in daily life. Our teachers aimed to turn us into lab scientists.

We need a new course: Real Life Math and Science. A lot of grief could be avoided if drivers understood more about momentum, if people knew their household chemicals, and if the average citizen had a more thorough comprehension of germs and how they spread.

I suggest that this course should be taught to 15-year-olds. They aren't old enough to drive yet, but they're old enough to understand all this. They'll be chuffed at the knowledge, and wish to share their expertise with their elders.

Here's a preliminary list, based on my viewing:

1. Statistics for Dummies: How to read public announcements and avoid politicians' scare tactics.
2. Everyday finance. Requires ability to calculate percentages.
3. DO Tell Me the Odds: Why gambling is dumb, with math help.
4. Real-Life Epidemiology: How disease spreads. What to do about it. Basic biology of viruses, bacteria, and disease vectors. (Could throw some history and civics in.)
5. Physics and You: At least 10 stupid things people do at home, and why they're dangerous.
6. Physics and You II: The laws of momentum, and how they apply to dumb drivers who cut 18-wheelers off in traffic and attempt to outrun trains at level crossings. (Alert Driver Ed teacher for cameo appearance.)
7. How (Not) to Create a Disaster Using Ordinary Household Chemicals: Safe handling. The dangers of mixing. Fun dumb tricks you should ONLY do in the lab or with your nutty teacher present.
8. Biohazards 101: What you should and should not do in your kitchen to keep your household safe.
9. Ecology I: What an invasive plant is. How not to get poison ivy rashes.
10. Ecology II: Living with wildlife. Safe handling of household pests. Why cats are a good thing.

Does anybody have anything to add to this list?

Here are some videos that inspired me to make this list.

Outrunning trains:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v11bTvEtJsA

Saving the endangered homo sapiens (they vote 'no'):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfEqAolZFB0

Chemistry lesson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakwCeaad-I

Walking catfish (an invasive species):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JihqKKIzXR8

Not typing from under a bridge, but check the typo on cours!

PS 11. Weights and Measures: Never mind the metric system. Explain that when a signs says 'Clearance 12'4"', you cannot go under the bridge with a truck that is 13' tall.

Even if you go very slowly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak9uhkYveP4

All those. Good topics.
I might suggest something on how to budget for your household, and taxes 101. Filling pesky forms for authorities, maybe?

Good ones!

There's a UK accredited course "Mathematics in Context" which is Level 3, aimed at 16-18 year olds who already have the required standard in Maths at GCSE (taken at 16) and want to continue with more relevant, real-life scenario based skills.
You can see the specification (syllabus) and examples of the exam questions here:
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-mathematics-in-context/mathematics-in-context.html

Thanks for sharing!