This article appeared originally in the December 2008 Skeptical Briefs newsletter and is used by permission of the Skeptical Inquirer.

Following is a concise, authoritative, and warped timeline that more or less accurately presents the history and “facts” behind the development of creationism, creation science, Intelligent Design, and more importantly, scientific illiteracy. For an alternative, but parallel, perspective of the “other theory,” purchase the 27th Edition of Darwin’s final publication, “The Human Evolution Colouring Book.”

Days 1 through 6 In the beginning, God creates night and day, firmaments, heaven, fruit trees, poison ivy, seeds, marijuana, every living creature–including a male and female, beasts, fowl, creepy-crawly things, and killer bees–the concept of multiplication, and then, unfortunately, pulls a groin muscle.

Day 7 through the 16th century Most of Europe buys into the facts about creation as laid out in the Bible. Without the oppressive burden of science and reason, Europeans are quite religious and thankful for the deity’s blessings, such as the murderous Crusades, the Black Death, the Inquisition, witch hunts, and brand-new Christian torture devices, including the rack, thumbscrews, the head crusher, and the saw, to name a few. Toward the end of the 16th century, the first YMCA is built.

16th century to 1858 Although creationists don’t yet exist, they begin getting somewhat nervous because naturalists discover different fossils in different rock strata, suggesting that different animals may have existed in different eras, and that Earth may be older than the biblical contention of 6,000 years, especially after the discovery of a 35,000-year-old fossilized enlarged prostrate.

1859 Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, which he later modifies to increase sales by shortening it to Harry Potter and the Origin of Species. His book suggests that humans evolved through a system of natural selection, which “creationists” immediately attack as laughable and absurd and offer the more reasoned scientific version that humans were made in God’s image from clay, mud, and a rib.

1910 By now, the theory of evolution is widely accepted by most scientists, but there is a clear undercurrent of hostility and opposition from certain religious groups since the best-selling bumper sticker of the year reads “Darwin’s A Dodo!”

1918 A number of anti-Darwinists voice their concern that teaching evolution as a fact in schools will undermine the creation story, overshadow the moral lessons of Christianity, and negatively impact Christian fundamentalist student’s self-esteem.

1922 William Jennings Bryan initiates a campaign to convince state lawmakers to ban the teaching of evolution in public schools and promises students an alternate textbook with plenty of pictures of a naked Eve and Adam cavorting in the Garden of Eden.

1925 After Tennessee passes a law prohibiting the teaching of evolution in state-funded schools, substitute school teacher John Scopes stands trial and is found guilty for teaching Darwin’s theory. After several appeals, the charges are eventually dismissed on the technicality that, while in the jury box, the jurors should not have been allowed to derisively dress in monkey costumes.

For the next half century or so, the anti-evolution proponents prevail and the teaching of evolution practically disappears from public-school texts, with the notable exception of the Fun with Dick and Jane and the Leakeys reader.

1957 When the Soviets launch the first satellite, Sputnik, into outer space, the U.S. government has a cold-war anxiety attack and passes the National Defense Education Act for the purpose of emphasizing science education in public schools, which includes the teaching of evolution and the physics of the Wham-o Frisbee.

1959 The one-hundredth anniversary of Darwin’s famous book “sparks” a renewed interest in evolutionary biology. Readers from all over the country rush to the bookstores to purchase the bestseller ‘Twixt Twelve and Twenty by singer Pat Boone.

1961 Henry Morris and John Whitcomb publish The Genesis Flood, which advocates a literal interpretation of the Bible, meaning the earth is somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 years old, a global flood once covered the earth as described in Genesis, and the Noah family is kept awake for 40 days and 40 nights by the relentless and vicious fighting between the Brachiosauruses and Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as the nonstop barking of two extremely nervous poodles.

1963 A Christian creation organization, the Creation Research Society, is formed to disprove all scientific theories of evolution, while at the same time use science to prove the Genesis account of creation. The first meeting ends in chaos and arguments when one of the members forgets to bring the necessary scientific equipment for testing their hypothesis: a slide rule, a copy of the Old Testament, a Ouija board, and a Magic 8-Ball.

1968 The U.S. Supreme Court in Epperson vs. Arkansas rules that the 1928 Arkansas law banning the teaching of evolution in public schools is unconstitutional because it’s “…contrary to the mandate of the First, and in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and was written on the side of a brown grocery bag.”

1972 Henry Morris forms the Institute for Creation Research to promote research and the teaching of “creation science,” a novel approach that uses the “scientific” method to prove the Genesis account of the Bible by offering scientific answers to questions like: What was God sitting on when he created the universe out of nothing? The ICR is still active today as a leading advocate for creation science and shows its dedication to the Bible by soliciting donations in shekels only.

1981 The Louisiana legislature passes the “Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science in Public School Instruction Act,” which requires that if schools are going to teach evolution, they must also teach creation science, and if they are going to teach foreign languages, they must also teach speaking in tongues.

1987 After two lower courts rule against Louisiana’s 1981Creation Act–another attempt to introduce religious doctrine in public schools–the state appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court (Edwards v Aguillard). The majority rule that the Act is unconstitutional, a decision reached by nine judicial coin flips: seven heads and two tails. The two “dissenting” Justices, conservatives Scalia and Rehnquist, write that the ruling is “obviously a sign from Satan.”

1989 A newly published textbook, Of Pandas and People, attacks the theory of evolution and, without mentioning a supernatural god, offers evidence that living forms, as well as the universe, were designed by some intelligent force, or intelligent designer, who also spontaneously wrote, published, and designed Of Pandas and People from landfill waste.

1991 Philip Johnson, considered the “father of Intelligent Design,” publishes Darwin on Trial, in which he exhaustively challenges most of the evidence for evolution by natural selection using classical argument techniques, such as logic, facts, and asking God what he should think.

1993 A revised edition of Of Pandas and People is intelligently redesigned.

1996 Michael Behe’s Darwin’s Black Box is published, in which he sets out to prove that “irreducibly complex” biological systems could not have randomly evolved from simpler and disparate biological parts and therefore must have been “designed” by an undefined intelligent designer or “Lone Arranger.” Behe’s examples of “irreducible complexity” include the perfectly structured human eye, the bacterial flagellum, and the U.S. Tax Code.

1996 Pope John Paul II shocks the Christian world by declaring his belief that the Catholic religion and evolution are compatible; however, he assures his flock that God is responsible for the human soul, which first appears about 550 million years ago in the Cambrian fossil record.

2005 In Kitzmiller v. Dover, a handful of parents, supported by atheist-like organizations, bring a lawsuit in federal court against the Dover Area School District, which is trying to introduce its public-school students to Intelligence Design as a possible alternative theory to evolution. Judge Jones decides in favor of the plaintiffs, writing: “The overwhelming evidence at trial established that ID is a religious view, a mere re-labeling of creationism, and not a scientific theory, and I’d like to thank you goddamn atheists for blowing my chances at a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy under the Bush administration!”

2008 A new documentary entitled Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed in This Movie ridicules the theory of evolution, strongly suggests that evolution inspired the Holocaust, portrays ID advocates as victims of discrimination, and supports the indisputable scientific fact that co-writer and star, Ben Stein, has serious structural problems in his brain’s frontal lobe. Ironically, the movie actually proves why the public needs MORE science in the classroom. It walks away with one Cannes Film Festival award: the Golden Dunce Cap.

—–

Skeptical satirist Paul DesOrmeaux teaches at Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College and writes humorous articles for a number of well-known skeptical magazines and newsletters. His goal is to introduce skepticism to a broader audience by combining reason and science with humor and satire to expose myths, pseudoscience, fraudulent claims, and general nonsense.

—–

“A Virtual Tour of the Creation Museum: Cheaper Than the Real Thing and Far More Educational”

Speaker: Jason Wiles, Ph.D.

Business meeting at 6:30
Program at 7:00

Jason Wiles riding a dinosaur at the Creation Museum

Our November meeting will be at a familiar location, the Betts Branch Library in the Valley, but on a different day than usual, Monday.

Betts Branch Library
Meeting Room
4862 S. Salina St.
Syracuse, NY 13205

View Google Map and Get Directions to Betts

The Program

This presentation casts a skeptical eye toward the “science” taught at the Creation Museum, a 27-million-dollar (and counting) attraction located on the Kentucky side of the Cincinnati, OH, metropolitan area. You will see dinosaurs living peacefully alongside humans and hear how “Creation Scientists” explain that the Earth is only about 6,000 years old. Of course, science tells us that the Earth is around 4-and-a-half billion years old and that dinosaurs were extinct long before humans evolved, but then, little, if any, of what the Creation Museum teaches is supported by science.

About the speaker

Jason R. Wiles grew up in Arkansas, a southern state in the heart of the Bible Belt with a storied history of controversy around the teaching of evolution in public schools. Dr. Wiles grew up in a creationist family and earned his first degree in biology at a private religious university where evolution was largely absent from the curriculum. He went on to earn master’s degrees in both biology and geosciences, both heavy on evolutionary evidence and theory. After having taught biology and other sciences at a number of colleges, universities, and institutions of secondary education for several years, he recognized that a great many students had similar misconceptions and related difficulties in learning about biology that were rooted in misunderstanding of evolution, whether or not these barriers were based on religious beliefs.

Given his own personal experience, and given the centrality of evolution to a deep understanding of the life and Earth sciences, Wiles was motivated to learn more about the teaching and learning of evolution. He eventually earned a Ph.D. at McGill University focusing on evolution education, and for the past four years has served as Research Manager of the Evolution Education Research Centre, a partnership between McGill and Harvard University. He joined the faculty in the Biology Department at Syracuse University in 2008 and enjoys a secondary appointment in the SU Department of Science Teaching.

Related articles of interest by Jason Wiles

The missing link: Scientist discovers that evolution is missing from Arkansas classrooms
The Huckster’s Artful Dodging on Evolution
A threat to geoscience education: creationist anti-evolution activity in Canada

Paul DesOrmeaux, skeptical satirist

Neighboring skeptic, founder of the Rochesterville Skeptics Club (Rochester, NY), and skeptical satirist Paul DesOrmeaux has a humorous article in the November/December Skeptical Inquirer titled “More Cool Careers for Dummies: Ghost Hunter,” which is a follow up to an earlier March/April SI Forum article titled “Cool Careers for Dummies: Psychic Detective.” Along with articles in the Skeptical Briefs and Openly Skeptical (Skeptics Canada) newsletters, Paul is a regular contributor to BASIS (The Bay Area Skeptics’ newsletter).

As the movement’s best-known humorist, he has lampooned a variety of pseudoscience topics, such as cosmetic acupuncture, “The Secret,” Scientology, horoscopes, chiropractic (his most controversial piece), and many others. His goal is to introduce skepticism to a broader audience by combining reason and science with humor and satire. So, if you know anyone considering a career in chasing disembodied spirits for fun and profit, have them check out the newest SI issue.

No Skeptics in the Pub in November

We don’t have a Skeptics in the Pub event planned for November. However, if someone wants to volunteer to organize it, let us know, and we’ll put the information here.

Lisa Goodlin and David Harding at the CNY Skeptics booth at the 2008 Westcott Street Fair

Teaching Evolution to Middle Level Students

By Vince Sperrazza

August 2008

The 12 year old hand goes up at the first mention of the word evolution, “Is it true we came from monkeys?” It’s the first day of school, and I mention evolution in a list of topics for the year ahead in my 7th grade life science classes.

That’s the nature of middle school students. Impulsive, inquisitive, focused on their peers, yet they can still be excited about learning. As their brains try to catch up with their fast growing bodies, they are “hormones with feet,” as one adolescent psychologist characterized them many years ago.

I taught 7th grade science in a small rural public school district in upstate New York, about an hour’s drive from Syracuse, for 33 years before retiring in June 2006. (I did my undergrad work at SUNY Geneseo, biology major, class of ’73.) Right from the start, I taught evolution both as a separate unit and integrated as part of the total life science class. I have never succumbed to pressure to reduce or eliminate my emphasis on evolution. Richard Dawkins summed up the excitement best:

“I should love to have everybody taught about evolution from a fairly early age, because it is so important, so exciting. It answers so many questions and mysteries; it solves so many problems. Until you know about it, you’re wandering around on this Earth looking at trees and birds and flowers, not knowing why any of them is there. Evolution is the answer to that riddle, so you’re not really a whole person if you don’t know where you come from and why you exist. And it’s not difficult. It’s not like relativity, it’s not like quantum theory – it’s something teachable to fairly young children.”
Richard Dawkins: July 18, 2008

The students

Teaching middle school students any subject can be a challenge. During my teaching years, I mentored over a dozen student teachers, and have been interested in teacher preparation. Always, I stressed to student teachers that evolution is a vital part of the curriculum, to resist efforts to reduce or eliminate the teaching of evolution, and to consider religious beliefs totally outside both the realm of science and the science classroom.

Of course, a student teacher needs to first learn about 7th graders. And to some, it’s a surprise. Recently my friend John married, and his wife has 2 children, a girl in 5th grade and a boy in 7th grade.

So he asked me,

“How did you deal with those kids? Jimmy drives me crazy…he has the attention span of a gnats ass!”

“…normal” I said.

“He’s always trying to get out of work.”

“…normal.”

“He says lots of dumb things without thinking.”

“…normal.”

“He’s always teasing and bothering his sister.”

“…normal.”

Beginning teachers react just like my friend. How do you deal with this? How do you deal with the short attention span, the interest in the opposite sex, the rebellious behavior? Veteran middle school teachers say the average attention span of a 12 or 13 year old is about 10 minutes. Many teachers agree that it’s a good strategy to “change the activity” at least 3 times in a 40 minute class period. Effective middle school teachers learn to be honest with the students and earn their trust, yet provide a firm, consistent discipline, and to use humor to defuse problems and make the classroom a relaxing, comfortable place.

It doesn’t even matter if the jokes are good or not. “Is that a real (human) skeleton? Yes…it’s real plastic.” Or on the symbiotic organisms of fungi and algae . . . ”Livin’ on rock and lichen it.”

Once, a gentleman came up behind me at a local home improvement store and identified himself as a former student simply by reciting one of the more notable, and dumber, jokes: “What do you call a lizard crossing the desert?… Sandy Claws.” (Yes, it’s useful to help students remember some differences between amphibians and reptiles.)

Effective teachers, in teaching any subject at any grade level, often rely on these fundamental ideas:

* Communicate your passion for the subject. If the students sense you are excited about science, and teaching and learning about science, it’s catching. They will be excited about learning too.

* Tell good stories. Our brain seems to be programmed to learn through stories. The stories can be formal or informal, read out of a book or told off the top of your head. I’ve had many former students remark about remembering stories.

* Engage the students in their own learning. From 10 minute activities and games to thought provoking discussions and multi-period labs, get the students working. When I was a beginning teacher, a veteran teacher told me, “The one doing the work is the one who’s learning. If you’re standing up there talking, doing all the work, who’s learning? Get the kids involved, get them working. Then they are the ones learning.”

In science, as in all subjects, an engaging classroom environment is essential. I had a skull and skeleton collection, a shell collection, a fossil collection, a dried fungi collection, and many preserved animals. Many specimens, excluding those purchased in the typical “animal kingdom survey set” were brought in by students. Seventh graders love to share. Early one morning, a student came in and said he ran over a snake with his bike on the way to school. I asked him where it happened, and he said right on the sidewalk in front of the school.

“Did you leave it there?” I asked.

“Oh no.” he replied. “It’s right here.”

And he pulled the dead milk snake, all 88 cm of it, out of his backpack. We preserved it that morning.

The subject: Evolution

Back to the question, “Is it true…?” I usually respond by first asking “Do you want the long answer or the short answer?” Seventh graders generally want the short answer. So I answer “yes” and that we’re most closely related to chimpanzees, and that the best evidence (stressing evidence) leads to a common ancestor of both humans and modern African apes roughly 6 million years ago. And that we aren’t descended from modern apes because they are the result of 6 million years of their own separate evolution. Informing the students that we’ll study evolution in more depth later in the year ends the discussion as we need to continue with routine opening day tasks.

The start of the school year is the time for the teacher to set the tone (classroom management) for the entire year, and it’s also the time for the science teacher to engage the students in activities that stress the nature of science. Effective activities at the middle level often include work that ranges from “give an example of…” to “describe or explain…” as well as “compare and contrast…” and understanding the difference between observations and inference. (See student texts and ancillary materials.) A poster in my classroom, inspired by the National Academy of Science, sums up the nature of science. “Science requires careful description. Science is cumulative knowledge. Science explains the natural world.” The students saw the poster all year. It was posted on the door to the microscope cabinet, and referred to when necessary.

Dobzhansky’s well known quote, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” may be a little deep for middle level students, but their teachers need to know how to apply this concept. In class, evolution surfaces throughout the life science curriculum. For example, when studying the Plant Kingdom, we looked at our local spore-forming vascular plants, the ferns and horsetails. I typically had a tray of live horsetails on the desk, and would talk about their place in the evolution of plants. (A good poster on earth history is essential.) Then, in story mode, I would invite students to join me on an imaginary time travel to the Carboniferous forests, complete with giant horsetails, huge dragonflies and more. With animals, we discuss and study amphibians as the first terrestrial vertebrates, as well as common ancestors to reptiles, birds, and mammals.

In the context of the whole school year, many middle level teachers (and texts) prefer to study evolution after the genetics unit. This leaves the students with at least a sense of understanding when describing mutations and the inheritance of the best suited traits.

Before starting the actual unit on evolution, I have found it best to keep the administration informed. As I have worked with many principals over the years, I made it a practice to remind each one as to the New York State curriculum requirements on evolution. When one of the later principals started, I alerted her that she may get a call from a parent objecting to my refusal to “balance” evolution with creationism. A few days later, the principal told me she indeed did get that call. Her response? She told the parent that the New York State curriculum was explicit, that evolution only would be taught. The principal added that if the parent still objected, she could take her objections “to a higher power.” So the principal gave the parent a phone number for the State Education Department. As far as I know, New York State does not have an opt-out policy for its required curriculum.

I found it helpful to present evolution by starting out with a good story. I used to tell the classic story that puts all of earth’s history into a 24 hour clock, while some teachers prefer to start with the story of young Charles Darwin and the voyage of The HMS Beagle.

It is important to present a complex topic like evolution in a manner that is easy to understand for 12 year olds, but not over simplified. Beginning teachers might do well to simplify the unit into a few key points:

* Define evolution as “descent with modification.” Help students understand it is much more than change over time. People grow, trees loose their leaves. Evolution shows descent with modification through genetic inheritance, as well as common ancestry.

* Earth History – After using the 24 hour clock analogy, I found it helpful to have the students read and interpret a chart on earth history. Students may be asked to calculate the length of time of the Mesozoic Era, or to determine from the chart the period often called “The Age of Fishes.” This is also a good time to review the fossilization process.

* Charles Darwin – Some textbooks do a good job presenting the story of Darwin’s voyage on the Beagle, told in an interesting manner for middle school students, leading to the publication of The Origin of Species. (The book on your desk?…Yes) Working with social studies teachers, students can understand Darwin’s work in context of the time just before our Civil War. Students also need to see Darwin’s work as the first published explanation of the mechanism of evolution. It is also important to tell the story of Darwin and Wallace. In class, student activities on Origins are usually centered on textbook readings, including questions and discussion.

* Variation / mutation, inheritance, and selection – Many teachers center the discussion and activities around Darwin’s finches, leading to speciation. The textbook may have activities investigating natural variation. The mechanisms of mutation, as well as inheritance of the best adapted traits, need to be understood through a previous unit on genetics. This is also a good time to discuss the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

* Speciation – It is important for students to know that speciation is best shown as a branching model “tree of life” instead as a ladder model. This contrast is often illustrated with the fossil sequence of horses.

* Evidence for evolution – It is imperative that teachers help the students understand the presentation of radioactive dating, often confusing and oversimplified, in textbooks. Then on to convergent evidence including the fossil record, homologous structures, embryological evidence, and DNA evidences. Activities may include comparing fossils to modern species and listing various evidences for students to classify as to type of evidence. Coloring anatomical diagrams is an easy way to help students see homologous structures.

* Human evolution – I’ve found that students enjoy the story of finding the “Lucy” fossil and naming it. This is an excellent way to start a discussion of human evolution. Diagrams and posters are necessary to help students understand the branching model and the co-existence of multiple species of hominids. Video clips are important to give depth to the discussion. Photos of fossil skulls can help the students to understand the evidence for human evolution.

In addition, it’s helpful to have a good fossil collection, as well as a good collection of instructional graphics on evolution. As for texts, middle level science texts vary widely in their approach to evolution. In evaluating recently published texts, I looked at the contents and index first, then the chapters and ancillary materials. Some texts use the word “evolution” directly in their chapter titles, while some seem to fear the controversial “e-word.” This will show up in the index too. I found that some texts purposely omit any reference to human evolution, while others do a good job presenting human evolution in a way that the students can understand. There should be many age appropriate activities. As far as budgeting class time, my experience is that at least 2 weeks are needed to do the job.

Inevitably, the creation question arises in class. Some recommendations for a beginning teacher include discussing:

* “Theory” as used in science is much more than a “just a guess.”

* Creationism, in any guise, is religion, not science.

* Students are entitled to their religious beliefs, but religion is not science.

* The New York State Intermediate Level Science Curriculum Guide does not include creationism.

* Teaching religion does not belong in any science classroom.

Of course, 12 year olds most often repeat their parent’s opinions. However, to the 7th grade brain, peers count most, teachers are down the list, and parents inhabit the very bottom. Often, I find students understanding evolution, while their parents simply refuse. Yet, a teacher needs to be aware there may be vocal student opposition to evolution. A few years ago, one student rather vehemently wanted me to give creationism “equal time” with evolution. Her classmates were quick to respond. “Didn’t you listen?” they said, “Religion doesn’t belong in science class.”

But yet, some students insist on pushing their religious views, and want to avoid the evolution unit. However, in New York State there is no “opt out” for academic curriculum, so their options are limited. Sometimes, I’ve had students refuse to answer questions on tests or labs, saying something along the lines of “God did it.” My response was simply to deny credit, “Religion is not science.” Welcome to the real world.

Student questions

These are actual questions from 7th graders. I invite the reader to design answers suitable for 12 year olds.

1. Is it true we came from monkeys?

2. My father says evolution is as likely as wind blowing through a junkyard making a car.

3. Evolution is only a theory…

4. How can Earth really be 4 and a half billion years old?

5. How do you know dinosaurs and people never lived at the same time?

Answers? Assuming the above questions are asked by students at the end of the unit, during review, here are some samples answers.

1. Is it true we came from monkeys?
A. “Yes.” The evidence shows that we are descended from a common ancestor (an apelike creature) with the African apes about 6 million years ago. Remember that the African apes evolved over that same length of time, so we did not evolve from modern apes.

2. My father says evolution is as likely as wind blowing through a junkyard making a car.
A. Understand that evolution is a gradual process requiring vast amounts of time. (Reference an earth history poster, point out the time involved.) First cells here, soft bodied animals here, shelled animals here, dinosaurs here, first mammals here, etc.

3. Evolution is only a theory…
A. We talked all year about how some words may have one meaning in English class, and another meaning in a scientific context. Theory is such a word. It is no more “just a theory” than the gravitational theory, (drop a book) or the heliocentric theory or others such as the cell theory or germ theory.

4. How can Earth really be 4 and a half billion years old?
A. Radioactive decay gives scientists an accurate measure of the age of igneous rocks. There are rocks on earth dated at 3.5 billion years old. Scientists estimate that the earth formed about a billion years before that.

5. How do you know dinosaurs and people never lived at the same time?
A. We studied how humans and dinosaurs are separated by 65 million years of evolution. There are no credible fossils showing human and dinosaur fossils in the same rock layers.

Beginning teachers sometimes overlook the importance of summarizing a unit. I would end the evolution unit by pointing out to the students that we are all descendents of ancestors who survived, at least long enough to reproduce, the earth calamities. Pointing to the appropriate location on the ever-present earth history poster, I would say, “Think about what all of your ancestors survived. They survived…”

“large scale predation in the Devonian period.”

“the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period.”

“getting stomped by dinosaurs.”

“the great impact event that wiped out the dinosaurs.”

“the ice ages.”

“the Black Death and other plagues of the middle ages.”

“various world wars and more.”

I finished with “Just you? No…every living thing you see is the result of 4 and a half billion years of evolution.” If you time it right, you finish seconds before the bell rings. (Note to beginning teachers: Anything said after the bell is lost. It may as well be sent out to intergalactic space.)

Before students get to middle school, elementary teachers can help lay a foundation for student understanding of evolution whenever dinosaurs show up in their reading and lessons. Using a good earth history poster, they can dispel ideas of dinosaurs and humans living together, (i.e. Flintstone cartoons, cave man movies, creationist “museums” etc.) by showing that humans and dinosaurs never lived at the same time; that humans and dinosaurs are separated by more than 60 million years of earth history.

Engaging 7th graders in a unit on evolution can be challenging. However, in over 30 years of teaching, I’ve found students to be quite interested in both understanding the evolution of life on earth and the scientific evidence that explains it.

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Vince Sperrazza taught middle level science, including evolution, at the Mount Markham Central School District, located in Herkimer County, for 33 years before retiring in June 2006. During his years in the classroom, Vince mentored many student teachers. He authored the article “Evolution and Middle Level Education: Observations and Recommendations” which appeared in the January-April 2005 issue of the journal Reports of the National Center for Science Education. The National Center for Science Education is a “not-for-profit, membership organization providing information and resources for schools, parents and concerned citizens working to keep evolution in public school science education.” Contact him by email.

———-

Selected resources

Books
… essentials

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. New York: Signet Classic. 1859.

National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine. Science, Evolution, and Creationism. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press. 2008.

Scott, Eugenie C. and Branch, Glenn. Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong for Our Schools. Boston: Beacon Press. 2006.

Teaching about evolution and the nature of science. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. 1998.

… notable

Allen, Katy et. al. Holt Life Science. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 2005.

Alters, Brian. Defending Evolution: A Guide to the Evolution/Creation Controversy. New York: Jones and Bartlett. 2001.

Biggs, Alton et. al. Life Science. Columbus, OH: Glenco/McGraw-Hill. 2005.

Dawkins, Richard. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design. New York: Norton. 1996.

Dixon, Dougal. et.al. Atlas of Life on Earth. New York: Barnes & Noble Books. 2001.

Eldredge, Niles. The Triumph of Evolution: and the Failure of Creationism. New York: Neveraumont. 2001.

Flannery, Tim. The Eternal Frontier: An Ecological History of North America and Its Peoples. New York: Atlantic. 2001.

Gamlin, Linda. Eyewitness Books, Evolution. New York: DK Pub. 2000.

Gould, Stephen Jay. The Living Stones of Marrakech: Penultimate Reflections in Natural History: New York. Harmony. 2000.

Gould, Stephen Jay. Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History. New York: Norton. 1989.

Gridley, C. Robert. Openers for Biology Classes. Portland, ME: J. Weston Walch. 1990.

Haines, Tim D. Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History. New York: DK Pub, 2000.
Haines, Tim D. and Horley, Daren. Walking with Prehistoric Beasts: A Prehistoric Safari. New York: DK Pub. 2001.

Holtz, Thomas R. Jr Dr. Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. New York: Random House. 2007.

Humes, Edward. Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America’s Soul. New York: Harper Collins. 2007.

Johnson, Kirk R. and Troll, Ray. Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway: An Epoch Tale of a Scientist and an Artist on the Ultimate 5,000-Mile Paleo Road Trip. Boulder CO: Fulcrum Publishing.2007.

Judson, Olivia. Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex. New York: Holt. 2002.

Miller, Kenneth R. Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America’s Soul. New York: Viking. 2008.

Scott, Eugenie C. Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction. New York: Greenwood Press. 2004.

Shermer, Michael. Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design. New York: Times Books. 2006.
Shubin, Neil. Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body. New York: Pantheon. 2008.
Stein, Sara. The Evolution Book. New York: Workman Publishing. 1986.

Thompson, Ida. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Fossils. New York: Knopf. 1982.

Wallace, David Rains. Beasts of Eden: Walking Whales, Dawn Horses, and Other Enigmas of Mammal Evolution. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 2004.

Zimmer, Carl. Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea. New York: HarperCollins. 2001.

Internet resources
… essentials

Understanding Evolution – the best “one stop shopping for evolution education” – from The National Center for Science Education and the University of California, Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/

National Center for Science Education – supports the teaching of evolution
http://www.natcenscied.org/

New York State Intermediate Level Science Curriculum Guide – from the New York State Education Department
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/scirg.html

… notable

15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense – from Scientific American, 2002
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=15-answers-to-creationist

24 Evolution Myths and Misconceptions – from New Scientist, April 2008
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/dn13620-evolution-24-myths-and-misconceptions.html

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State – works to keep religion out of science classes
http://www.au.org/site/PageServer

Becoming Human – from the Institute of Human Origins, “journey through the story of human evolution,” a Webby “Best Science Site,” includes a learning center
http://www.becominghuman.org/

Devonian Blues – a paleontological blues story set to music; “Your momma was a lobe finned fish”
http://www.trollart.com/sound/devonianblues/index.html

Evolution for Teachers – companion to PBS Evolution series – very valuable with lesson plans http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/

Evolution List-o-Links – from the blog “The Sensuous Curmudgeon.” An excellent, and very thorough list on evolution, “posted as a public service, so that each new evolution debate doesn’t have to start at ground zero.”
http://sensuouscurmudgeon.wordpress.com/list-o-links/

Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley – all about fossils, geologic time periods, and more
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/index.html

NatureServe Explorer – This online encyclopedia provides authoritative “information on more than 70,000 plants, animals, and ecosystems of the United States and Canada. Explorer includes particularly in-depth coverage for rare and endangered species.”
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer

Science Odyssey: You try it: human evolution – activities for students
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/evolution/

Talk Origins Archive – dedicated to the scientific study of human origins
http://www.talkorigins.org/

Teachers Under Fire – suggestions and more resources for science teachers from biologist / anthropologist Greg Laden
http://www.scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2008/03/teachers_under_fire.php

The Panda’s Thumb – a place to discuss evolutionary theory, critique the claims of the antievolution movement and defend the integrity of both science and science education
http://www.pandasthumb.org/

Skeptics in the Pub

October 14, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Al’s Whiskey Bar
321 S Clinton St
Syracuse, NY 13202

Map

Come hang out with us at the next Skeptics in the Pub. We can’t wait to see old friends and meet new ones. We’re changing the time because our Skeptics in the Pub super organizer, Jess, has a class and can’t make it any earlier than 7:30.

Speaker Meeting

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

“First Contact: Teaching Evolution to Middle Level Students”

Speaker: Vince Sperrazza

Close View, Shell Imprint Fossil by cobalt123 on Flickr

Business meeting at 6:30
Program at 7:00

Our October meeting will be at a new location. We are moving our meetings around this year to see if we can find a place with the right mix of accessibility, parking, and general ambiance for our needs.

DeWitt Community Library
Buckland Meeting Room
3649 Erie Blvd E
Shoppingtown Mall
DeWitt, NY 13214

Map

The middle school science classroom is often students’ first contact with a scientific presentation on evolution. Veteran middle school teacher Vince Sperrazza will share experiences, recommendations, and resources designed to help educators and prospective educators give students a stimulating, positive introduction to the science of evolution.

The presentation and discussion will include answers to these questions:
What are middle school students like?
What does the NY State Curriculum say about evolution?
How is evolution integrated as the unifying theory of biology in a middle level science classroom?
What successful strategies are useful in introducing the concept of evolution to 12 year olds?

Vince Sperrazza taught middle level science, including evolution, at the Mount Markham Central School District, located in Herkimer County, for 33 years before retiring in June 2006. During his years in the classroom, Vince mentored many student teachers. He authored the article “Evolution and Middle Level Education: Observations and Recommendations” which appeared in the January-April 2005 issue of the journal Reports of the National Center for Science Education. The National Center for Science Education is a “not-for-profit, membership organization providing information and resources for schools, parents and concerned citizens working to keep evolution in public school science education.”

Ben Stein’s Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is certainly the most dishonest movie I have ever seen, portraying Intelligent Design supporters as political martyrs to Big Science, academia as the equivalent to the USSR, and doing everything it can to link Charles Darwin and evolution directly to the Holocaust. It truly is despicable and intellectually insipid in a way I thought not possible until now. If you want all the gory details about how awful this film is factually, please visit the NCSE’s Expelled Exposed website and Scientific American.

Unfortunately, the movie is almost certainly a success. In the US, most people know absolutely nothing about evolution, or any other form of science for that matter. They probably never heard anything about it in their schooling, from the media, or from the science establishment. If they know anything about it, it is probably something negative (and false) they heard from a creationist. It must also be remembered that most people in the US (and for that matter, around the world) rely on understanding their world through perceptions, feelings, and intuitions, not facts, logic, or evidence.

This film may very well be the only thing that many people ever hear about evolution, and while factually worthless, it is decent propaganda. I thought that the film would be hard to watch because Ben Stein wasn’t likable enough. I was wrong. Stein is human: funny or serious as the situation demands, with his characteristic dead-pan delivery and wit. Although the film sags in the middle when Stein takes his little trip to Hadamar and Dachau, and then on to Down House, it moves at a fairly brisk pace and effectively uses images, editing, and symbolism to get its point across (though Stein and the director are no Michael Moore).

The images used play more to a generally conservative, though not overtly evangelical/conservative, audience: evolutionists are associated with Stalin, communism, the Berlin wall, angry atheists, Planned Parenthood, eugenics, euthanasia, and abortion, while Stein and the ID supporters are juxtaposed with Reagan, American flags, the Washington monument, MLK Jr., the destruction of the Berlin wall, Mom, and apple pie.

The ID supporters are given ample time to present their vague and ill-documented claims, while the evolutionists get scant screen time and, for the most part, look bad (not necessarily their fault, probably due to editing). All of this makes for a compelling, if somewhat heavy-handed and overwrought, film. Most people who do not know anything about evolution or ID will probably be swayed by it. To believe otherwise is wishful thinking. Contrary to the opinion of many prominent science bloggers, it is a really big deal for a documentary to be shown in thousands of theaters in the US (most documentaries will only be shown in a handful). It is a big deal for a documentary to take in $3 million dollars in its first weekend (most never take in hundreds of thousands). It is a big deal for a documentary to be supported by millions of dollars of PR and expensive TV and print advertising (most documentaries get none).

People can argue over whether Expelled will ever make enough money to cover its costs (I think it will through DVD sales), but it will influence a lot of people, and no debunking website (not matter how factually correct) will reach as many people. The only thing that would be effective would be another film to counter it, like Randy Olsen’s Flock of Dodos. But that isn’t likely in the cards. This is a bad day for the public understanding of science. Really bad.

——

David Harding is the vice-president of CNY Skeptics.

Originally published April 2008.

This letter was featured in the Kansas City Star newspaper on November 9, 2005.

To the Editor:

Tuesday was a sad day for Kansas.

Yes, there is controversy surrounding evolution, but only among nonscientists. Those who reject evolution present no arguments scientists haven’t heard (and adequately countered) again and again, and have no special knowledge that scientists have overlooked.

Organic evolution is so well established that to allow room for doubt is to misrepresent science. Evolution is supported by a rich and well dated fossil record, by population biology, comparative anatomy, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, artificial breeding, and by observations of how bacteria and viruses respond (over time) to antibiotics. Computer algorithms invoking simple, Darwinian rules are being used to solve a wide range of previously intractable problems, and important biochemical molecules (including RNA and DNA) have been modified (“improved”) in astonishing ways in test-tube experiments using Darwinian principles. Any one of these mutually corroborating approaches could stand by itself as strong evidence for evolution; together, they are indistinguishable from proof.

Nonscientists have no business meddling in the content of science classes. “Intelligent design” is not science, and should not be represented as such.

Congratulations to those members of the Board who voted sanely.

——

Bryce Hand, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geology at Syracuse University.

Interview with Eugenie Scott

By Bill Busher

Originally published April 2006

[This interview has also appeared in the Syracuse Post-Standard and on CSICOP's Intelligent Design Watch web site.]

Dr. Eugenie C. Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education , Inc., spoke on March 30, 2006, at Onondaga Community College’s Whitney Building. Scott’s lecture on evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design was presented by the Technology Alliance of Central New York (TACNY), and sponsored by a grant from National Grid. NCSE, based in Oakland, California, is a not for profit membership organization of scientists, teachers, and others that works to improve the teaching of evolution and of science as a way of knowing. It opposes the advocacy of “scientific” creationism and other religiously-based views in science classes. She has held elective offices in the American Anthropological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Scott is the current president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Bill Busher: One criticism coming from the creationist side is that evolution is “only a theory.” How is a theory looked on, from a scientist’s perspective?

Eugenie Scott: From the scientific perspective, a theory is an explanation. Theories are the goal of science. In the general public, a theory is a guess or a hunch or something that is not important, so there is a huge difference between how we use the term in science, and how we use the term in the general public. In the general public, ‘fact’ is very very important; in science, theories explain facts. So, theories trump facts and laws.

BB: Is there a point at which a theory becomes fact?

ES: No, theories explain facts. Facts are observations, and observations are a dime a dozen in science. We collect observations, but what is important is to use those observations to generate theories, which explain the facts and explain the other aspects of nature. Theories don’t become facts, theories explain facts.

BB: Even something as simple as say, the theory of gravity, which everyone assumes is a fact?

ES: What happens is that unsupported objects fall. That is not gravity. To explain why this pen didn’t fly around the room, when I stopped supporting it and why it fell, we use the theory of gravitation. The theory of gravitation is the mass of the pen and the mass of the table attract each other. That’s the theory – that’s an explanation. The observation, or fact, was that an unsupported object fell. So, gravitation is not a fact, gravitation is a theoretical explanation.

BB: With that definition of theory, would creationism qualify as a theory?

ES: In the simplest definition of theory, yes, because creationism is an inferential explanation for natural phenomena. The creationists would look at the diversity of living things and say “God created them as specially created kinds. ” And, theories don’t have to be correct. Lamarckism is an incorrect theory of heredity, but it’s still a scientific theory.

BB: Do you think that there is a place for creationism intelligent design in school?

ES: Because creationism intelligent design are inherently religious ideas, they have no place in the science classroom. I’m not sure that intelligent design is especially appropriate for a comparative religion class at the K-12 level, because it’s such a minimalist position. It makes so few actual claims, and they’re based on probability theory, molecular biology and information theory and things that you just don’t get into in the high school level. Certainly, I would say creationisms (plural) could be taught in a comparative sense, in a comparative religion class, but I’m not sure that because of the nature of intelligent design that it would ever be terribly successful in high school. But of course, the content of intelligent design is “evidence against evolution” – that’s all they’re really saying, and so why clutter up the student’s knowledge with misinformation?

BB: Doesn’t the complexity of evolution, involving biology, chemistry, earth sciences and so on, put at a distinct disadvantage proponents of evolution in debates?

ES: If I’m going to be discussing this issue publicly, generally speaking, it’s going to be ‘either or.’ I’m either talking about science, and then so are they, in which case I can criticize either the phylogeny of creation science or I can criticize the molecular biology of intelligent design. They will talk about peppered moths as inadequate science, or whatever. Or, we’ll talk about theological issues or possibly philosophy of science. In that case, we are sort of arguing on an equal playing field so to speak. In fact, what the creation science people and the ID people are extraordinarily concerned about, is that when they are in public debates that they’re not talking about religion. That said, it’s still the case that the audience that hears these exchanges and is evaluating the statements on both sides, probably is thinking in terms of religion, even when they are hearing the science. And so I think what you want to do is be very clear when you’re discussing creation and evolution; that you separate out your opponents religious views from the scientific claims, and let the audience know that you are criticizing the scientific views of your opponent, and allowing him freedom of religion. But. bad science cannot be excused because of somebody’s religious views.

BB: Have you heard any rationale from those who do participate in the structured debates, as to why they would do it?

ES: Well, there are fewer and fewer people doing this. What few people I’ve run into in the last three or four years who’ve gotten suckered into these debates did it out of ignorance. There are a couple of people around, like Michael Ruse and Ken Miller, who do take on the formal debate kind of thing from time to time, although I think even Ken has now kind of ‘hung up’ his debate shoes, so to speak, and he’s not really interested. I don’t quite understand why Mike Ruse keeps going out on the hustings. It pays well, I guess.

BB: The Kansas board of education is famous for having a zig-zag pattern when it comes to evolution and creationism, each time the makeup of the board changes. With that in mind, what do you see on the horizon for New York State?

ES: I have to plead ignorance on that; I’m not sure of the makeup of the school board.

BB: There is a bill pending that…

ES: That’s in the legislature, though.

BB: What do you think is the potential impact of the recent court decision in Philadelphia?

ES: It is definitely going to throw sand in the gears of the intelligent design movement, in the sense that school districts that are contemplating teaching ID, are going to be told by their legal retainers, “don’t do this, because it’s going to cost you a lot of money to go to court and lose.” It’s not going to stop the effort completely, but what it will do, is to encourage this sort of third wave of creationism, which is the “evidence against evolution” approach. Although the judge in Kitzmiller [vs. Dover] did address the gap/problems in evolution part of the policy, which is of course, the avatar of the “evidence” against evolution school, he spent a lot more time in the decision pounding intelligent design. I think the anti-evolutionists are going to try the “evidence against evolution” approach with a different fact base than the Dover case did. Obviously, what they have to do is come up with a smarter school board, that isn’t going to be making as many religious references as the Dover board did. And then, they may have a better chance of passing through the courts. The “evidence against evolution” approach has been struck down by the courts if the judge accepts the history of this issue, and shows the ultimate religious purpose for proposing these policies. But, you get a judge who doesn’t like the ‘purpose’ argument, which is one of the arguments used to interpret the establishment clause, then it’s going to be a whole more difficult to fight against the “evidence against evolution” school.

BB: We hear a lot about children in this country falling behind their counterparts in other countries. How does this controversy play into the overall educational picture?

ES: Certainly, if the United States is going to maintain its technological superiority, we have to have good science education. We don’t have as good science education as we’d like; it’s very patchy. Some schools do a wonderful job; others do a terrible job; many do a mediocre job. The systematic avoidance of the teaching of evolution is a real ‘canary in the coal mine’ for indicating the politicization of education. If we are choosing our science based on political considerations, we are under and miseducating our students. We will not maintain that international technological and scientific superiority.

BB: In a society where a large portion of the population believe in things like psychics, homeopathy, touch therapy, astrology, creationism and intelligent design, what do you see as our best hope?

ES: I’m a believer in education. I think we need to do a much better job helping science teachers understand the nature of science, understand how to think critically, and help them devise ways of passing this on to the student body more effectively than they are today (at obviously an age-appropriate level). So much of the acceptance of these paranormal and crackpot ideas really rests upon the inability to think critically about the data that are presented to support them.

——

Bill Busher is a past president of TACNY, and current editor of their monthly publication, The Technologist.