Activity 1 - Define Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design
Before you embark on teaching Evolution it is necessary for you to create your own understanding and definition of Evolution. It is not enough to just answer the question of What is Evolution you must also understand the ideas behind Creationism and Intelligent Design in order to formulate intellectual responses to any questions on whether or not Creationism or Intelligent Design holds any truth to it.
In this activity you will answer four important questions. In order to answer these questions you must research these questions and provide links to the sources that helped formulate your answers. You will then go and display your responses on the Teaching Evolution in the Classroom blog.
- What is Evolution? What is Biological Evolution?
- Creationism in the United States became associated with Christian fundamentalists opposing human evolution around 1929. Based on your understanding and research answer the following questions: What is Creationism? How does Creationism relate to Evolution?
- Intelligent design movement [was believe to have] as a beginning in 1984 when Jon A. Buell's religious organization the Foundation for Thought and Ethics (FTE) published The Mystery of Life's Origin by creationist chemist Charles B. Thaxton.
"Intelligent design" became more known in response to the 1987 United States Supreme Court Edwards v. Aguillard ruling involving separation of church and state. Its first significant published use was in Of Pandas and People, a 1989 textbook intended for high-school biology classes.
It's vital for all Biology teachers to understand what Intelligent Design is and what is the current working definition? Reply to these two questions:
1. What is your definition of Intelligent Design?
2. What is the current working definition? (from what source did you find from?)
- Creationism and Intelligent Design are the buzzwords for the opponents of Evolution. Your next task is to research the difference between Creationism and Intelligent Design.
What is the difference between Creationism and Intelligent Design?
Now that you have answered all four questions you will post your responses to the Teaching Evolution in the Classroom blog.
Lets evolve...Activity 2 - The Evidence