Editor’s note: In a two-part series, AAAS talks with middle and high school teachers across the country to find out what it’s like to be on the front lines of two often-controversial science topics — evolution and climate change — and how they deal with the push back. Part I features tales about teaching evolution and Part II, stories from climate science teachers.

Before she started the DVD to introduce the sun and stars section to her eighth grade Earth Science class, Janie Miller* gave a brief preamble, explaining that the origin of the universe film titled Space (a.k.a. Final Frontiers a.k.a. Hyperspace), they were about to watch was just a jumpstart for discussion. Halfway through, she noticed a girl crying.

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