All living things have evolved over time

Central organizing principle of modern biology

Nature selects the traits that enhance the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce

Humans have created “artificial selection” Domestic animals - Plants Food (seedless grapes, small oranges) Industry – development of corn stalks

into ethanol

Theory Everyday usage – hunch or speculation? Science – comprehensive explanation

supported by vast body of knowledge Heliocentric – earth around sun, no new

evidence Evolution

Supported by many observations & experiments

Scientific confidence that will not be overturned

Still subject to continuing reinforcement as new science emerges

Man descended from apes – FALSE – they are our closest relatives (came from common ancestors but are not the same

Is just a theory – FALSE - evolution is a guiding light and is accepted as fact

Evolution is no longer occurring today –FALSE - insects are becoming resistant to repellants, viruses are constantly changing

Creationists Reject natural scientific explanations in favor of

special creation by a supernatural entity Not the same as belief in God – many religions

(Catholic Church, etc.) accept evolution Such appeals to the supernatural are not

testable using the rules and precepts of science inquiry

Three precepts of Creationism Earth is 10,00 years old All life forms are created by God Disrupted surfaces and distribution of

fossils caused by great flood

Biological structures are so complex – becomes something called “irreducible complexity”

Probability of all components being produced through random process of natural mutation are infinitesimally small

Must be attributed to a “transcendent intelligent design”

1. 1925 – Tennessee (Scopes Monkey Trial) – forbade teaching of any theory that denies the story of creationism

2. 1968 – Arkansas – US Supreme Court invalidated Ark. Law that prohibited the teaching of evolution

3. 1981 – California – ruled that discussion of evolution did not prohibit students’ right to free exercise of religion. Evolution presented as conditional, not dogma.

4. 1982 – Arkansas – federal court ruled that “balanced treatment” violates law. “Creation science” vs. “Evolution science” – Creation science ruled as not, in fact, science. However, does not rule in or out the presence of a creator.

5. 1987 – Louisiana – Supreme Court struck down Louisiana law which required evolution and creationism to both be taught. Court stated that teaching “creation science,” state was endorsing religion.

6. 2005 - Pennsylvania – District Court ruled that “Intelligent Design” is not science – it is not accepted science in that it did not involved research and testing and was not peer reviewed. ID is grounded in theology, not science.

Bottom line – courts support teaching of evolution but not creationism as an alternative. (Creationism can be taught as part of a religion class.)

Admit that there is a controversy Teachers teach science – not religion/philosophy Acknowledge parents’ points of view

Teach the following (We are K-5) Teach about change over time Avoid talk about humans - talk about

animals Use statement, “This is what scientists say.”

All species primed to reproduce and survive Every species reproduces and can overpopulate Limited food supply – animals compete for food Most religious groups agree there have been

changes over time