Evolution in the classroom

by Eric Schepper

Intasc standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration

Description: The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession. Rationale: This presentation encourages discussion and reflection on the social and scientific implications of Evolutionary thought.

Background

Charles Darwin: On the Origin of Species,1859. Natural Selection

Status as a Theory

The Evolved from monkeys misconception

Reasons for opposition

It says humans are animals (Great Chain of Being) Evolution undermines Creationism (Appeal to Consequence) Textbooks are biased in favor of Evolution (Casey Luskin)

in favor of
Natural Selection is essential to Biology, Genealogy, etc. Sympathy and Humbleness

Creationism and Darwinism are not incompatible

NSCE
National Center for Science Education Not-for-Profit membership organization Founded in 1981 Two main Goals:
1) ...improving and supporting education in evolution, climate change, and the nature of science. 2) ..and increasing public understanding of these subjects.

What do you think?

Do you think the teaching of Evolution undermines morals?

Do you think that Darwinism and Creationism can/will coexist?

References
"Chart: Americans' Attitudes toward the Evolution versus Intelligent Design Debate."Culture Wars. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Darwin, C. (1859). The origin of species. United States: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Luskin, Casey. "Textbooks Are Biased in Favor of Evolution." Are Textbooks Biased?Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Religion Doesn't Belong in Public Schools, But Debate Over Darwinian Evolution Does." Christian Science Monitor (16 Dec. 2010). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.