facts or opinions with evolution

8/14/2019 Facts or Opinions With Evolution

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Reading for facts or opinionsAbout evolution and intelligent design


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Facts or opinionsa simple review

Whats the difference between a fact and an opinion?

When reading, what can you look for to distinguish between a fact

and an opinion?

What question types can you use when evaluating facts and

opinions from a text?

Any other distinguishing features of facts and opinions?


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Assumptions and presuppositions(Nuttall 2005)

An assumption is anything we would take for granted. Similarly, a presupposition is

something that we would assume about others.

Assumptions and presuppositions affect reading in that a writer can have presuppositions

about what the readerknows, and the reader can have presuppositions about what the

writeris trying to say. Both can be wrong about each other.

When reading, we are influenced by different purposes, opinions, backgrounds and

experiences, and schemata (the framework of our thoughts and understanding).

These affect reading because the author expects of us to either possess the same

knowledge and experience, or shares/understand the same opinions, attitudes, and

emotions. Not recognizing differences in these leads to a wrong understanding of what a

text is saying.

The purpose for todays lesson is to help expose both our own opinions that can affect

our understanding of facts in a text, and writers own opinions that can influence the facts

to persuade the reader.


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Identifying presuppositions(Nuttall 2005)

Red-wattled Lapwing: In general shape not unlike the European Lapwing andfound in similar types of country. (From a handbook of bird identification)

The biggest problem in getting animation accepted has been the idea thatanimation means Walt Disney. (From an article about animation in films)

Rubber futures closed the morning easier at the lows and mostly from 0.70 to0.80 pence per kilo down on yesterday. Turnover was 188 lots of 15 tonnes,including 26 kerb trades and two options. (From a newspaper business page)

Total movement of the belt should be approximately 10 mm midway betweenthe pump and jockey pulleys when checked with normal wrist effort. (From a

car users handbook)

It was a puppy. A tiny rickety puppy, mangy, starved; a loose ribby bundle onthe ground. It made no noise. It tried to lift itself up. It only collapsed again,

without complaint, without shame. (From Naipaul, V.S. 1969 The Suffrage of

Elvira (Andre Deutsch))

What can you understand about the above texts? What presuppositions exist?


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Identifying presuppositions(Nuttall 2005)

Red-wattled Lapwing: In general shape not unlike the European Lapwing and found in

similar types of country. (From a handbook of bird identification) The biggest problem in getting animation accepted has been the idea that animation

means Walt Disney. (From an article about animation in films)

Rubber futures closed the morning easier at the lows and mostly from 0.70 to 0.80 penceper kilo down on yesterday. Turnover was 188 lots of 15 tonnes, including 26 kerb trades

and two options. (From a newspaper business page)

Total movement of the belt should be approximately 10 mm midway between the pumpand jockey pulleys when checked with normal wrist effort. (From a car users handbook)

It was a puppy. A tiny rickety puppy, mangy, starved; a loose ribby bundle on theground. It made no noise. It tried to lift itself up. It only collapsed again, without

complaint, without shame. (From Naipaul, V.S. 1969 The Suffrage of Elvira (Andre

Deutsch)Now, withyour own reading journal (or questions, group leaders), identify presuppositions.


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Evolution or intelligent design

Each ofthe group leaders will be assigned to find an article from academic sourcesonly. If your author lacks any of the following by his/her name, DO NOT use it: a Dr.

before the name, or a Ph.D., M.D., etc. afterthe name. Each group leader will be

assigned to find an article on one of the below. Except for #5, your article can only

concentrate on one of the two theories. It CANNOT start for/against one theory, then

the rest of the article talks only about the othertheory:

2. An article FOR evolution3. An article AGAINST evolution

4. An article FOR intelligent design

5. An article AGAINST intelligent design

6. An article evaluating BOTH evolution AND intelligent design

Group members should consider (but not limited by) the following questions as theywrite their journal on the article: how explicit is the authors opinion about

evolution/intelligent design? When support is given, is it self-justifying or independent?

What do you find difficult as you read the article and you consider your own views about

evolution/intelligent design?


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Group discussion

Get into the 5 groups of your assigned group leader.

The group leader facilitates all discussion that takes place and you must

follow according to her requests.

If she wants to finish with discussion about one question or point, let her

do so, or conclude your thoughts. The role you play as a group member is you can make the discussion

much more rich and meaningful by the perspective you have of the article.

Group members are free to comment on what each other says, but the

group leader determines what comments are appropriate.

Be careful with what you say, as the group leader will be noting down

what everyone shares throughout the discussion of the topic, which she

will summarize before the class.

For the teacher question that follows the group leaders summaries,

everyone discusses it, then shares as a class.


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Teacher Question:What assumptions and presuppositions do

you bring when thinking about evolution/

intelligent design (depending on yourgroup leaders article topic)?


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Homework:

Next class will apply the reading skill reading for details to the topic of single-

sex education. Unlike this weeks topic, group leaders will not be assigned a

specific aspect of the topic. One requirement, though, is the article must be

written by someone who works in the field of education, meaning the author is a

teacher or another profession in education. You can also use a short story if its

well-written and relates well to the topic.

Group leaders will be Hearts and the Joker.

Group members can consider the following thoughts as you reflect on the topic

and article in your journal: the role gender plays in the classroom, your own

view of what makes for a healthy learning environment, the arguments or views

not represented in the article you read, etc.

facts or opinions with evolution

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