Evolution Versus Creationism: What Every Teacher Might Like to Know About Both Sides of This Debate

In the spring of 2004, a friend suggested I read a book by Massimo Pigliucci, called "Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scientism, and the Nature of Science". At about the same time, another friend loaned me a book by Bill Bryson, called "A Short History of Nearly Everything". I became passionately interested in the ongoing scientific debate about evolution versus creationism. Though I retained a vague memory about the Scopes Monkey Trial, I was a little shocked to learn there was still an ongoing and passionate debate in some educational quarters about controlling children's access to ideas about evolution 80 years after that part-time teacher stood trial in Tennessee for teaching about Darwin. I was motivated to assemble this growing list of web sources after a brief conversation with students in my professional seminar. How does a Canadian teacher support children's learning about evolution and creationism concepts?  Alberta Learning's provincial curriculum gives some guidance. New teachers are also well advised to become informed about the issues and positions from both sides of this debate. I am not aware of much debate about these ideas going on in Canadian schools, new teachers should be aware that the "evolution versus creationism" debate is still being fought vigorously in academic, religious and scientific arenas around the world, and primarily in some of the southern United States.

The following links about the "evolution versus creationism" issue should be of interest to those who hold positions on either side of this debate. URLs are offered in no particular order: National Center for Science Education - http://www.natcenscied.org/default.asp Canadian Statement - http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/articles/8408_statements_from_scientific_and_12_19_2002.asp#can Scopes Trial - http://www3.mistral.co.uk/bradburyac/tennesse.html Evolution Links (good comprehensive site) - http://fp.bio.utk.edu/darwin/links/links.html The National Academies: Science and Creationism - http://www.nationalacademies.org/attic/evolution/ Intelligent Design Network - http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/ Kansas Restores Evolution to Science Standards - http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSScience0102/14_evolution-ap.html Roundtable: Science and Faith - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/religion/faith/statement_02.html Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (references debate over time) - http://www.religioustolerance.org/ev_hist.htm Exploring the Creation / Evolution Controversy - http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/wells/iconob.html

Last updated: October 2004 D. M. Jacobsen - homepage