Deece in MN Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 My ds is starting a semester study using the book Evolution: The Grand Experiment. Here is a link to the book if you want to read the description. http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Grand-Experiment-Carl-Werner/dp/0892216816/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b He will also read 2-4 more books on the subjects of evolution vs. creation. I would like to give him high school credit for this study. Would you give it as science or an elective? I am leaning towards 1/2 credit elective course. Also, what would be a good title? Something like Life Origins? Or is that too vague? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I would assign it as a half credit, as well. I'm not sure what I'd call it, perhaps the evolution/creation debate? I think Life Origins sounds like a purely evolution class and that's really not what this encompasses. What are some of the other book titles, that might help with thoughts.... Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 I would assign it as a half credit, as well. I'm not sure what I'd call it, perhaps the evolution/creation debate? I think Life Origins sounds like a purely evolution class and that's really not what this encompasses. What are some of the other book titles, that might help with thoughts.... Regena I know it gets sticky because of the religious aspect. That is why I lean towards an elective credit. Though, in reality, I don't have to give him hs credit for it at all. I just thought that since he is doing the work, why not give him credit for it. Anyway, some other titles we are looking at are: Darwin for Beginners by Jonathan Miller & Borin Van Loon The Major Features of Evolution by George Gaylord Simpson (possibly not the whole book, but for sure parts of it) Darwin & Evolution for Kids: His Life and Ideas I have the following 2 books that I am debating about using. I would probably only have him read one of them if I choose to use them at all.: Refuting Evolution by Jonathan Sarfatl, Phd Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds by Phillip E Johnson I chose these books because this is what we have at home and I don't want to purchase anything else. I may check what our library has. We are not approaching this from a religious perspective. My ds finds the topic interesting and wants to educate himself about them. So, anyway. Thanks for your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 Honestly? I definitely wouldn't give it as a science credit. I guess it depends on if he plans to attend college, is interested in majoring in one of the sciences, etc. IMHO, I think the creation subjuct should be associated with religious study, and evolution with science, altho I'm fully aware of other's beliefs here. I lean towards elective credit and it would only be 1/2 credit. Yes, he plans to attend college, not sure about major at this point. I agree that creation is more in the religious arena and evolution with science, but when you are wanting to learn the basis behind both theories where does it fall? That is what I am trying to decide. Also, we are not approaching this study with a religious aspect on our part. I am not sure that that matters. If I end up giving him credit, it will probably be as an elective. I was just curious what others thought. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GothicGyrl Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Considering I feel that Evolution is the science and Creation is an opinion, I'd give him the full credit (not 1/2 as this could very well take a full year if he wished) in something like "Evolution vs Creation: Studies in Science VS Faith (or opinion, or Belief or Non-Science, if you wish)" . Now, I say a full credit because he could easily take the Science part to one year and the Creation part to one year--by combining them both, he should get one full credit in a combined class--Science VS (insert whatever word you wish to use) and in his studies, he can easily list what the Science of Evolution is as well as what the (insert whatever word you would use) of Creation is. It's a combined course that would earn a full credit here. Oh and yes, I'd list it as an elective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yes, that's what I thought which is why I didn't suggest any sort of title for it that would indicate that it was religion related. So I think I would maybe stick with some sort of title as I suggested before, or maybe something like The Darwinian Debate, or something like that. I would definitely give credit for work done! I think that it sounds like the amount of work you have planned would fit a half credit description. It didn't sound like it was enough for a full year's credit. Now, if you want to include it in your biology study, adding in the other stuff that you'd need in order to cover biology more fully, then I think you could certainly turn it into a full credit for bio. But as it stands, evolution alone does not make a full bio. study. Oh, it just occurred to me, you might entitle it something like Topics in Biology, or Special Topics in Biology - something like that, as it's more a mini-study than a full bio study.... Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yes, that's what I thought which is why I didn't suggest any sort of title for it that would indicate that it was religion related. So I think I would maybe stick with some sort of title as I suggested before, or maybe something like The Darwinian Debate, or something like that. I would definitely give credit for work done! I think that it sounds like the amount of work you have planned would fit a half credit description. It didn't sound like it was enough for a full year's credit. Now, if you want to include it in your biology study, adding in the other stuff that you'd need in order to cover biology more fully, then I think you could certainly turn it into a full credit for bio. But as it stands, evolution alone does not make a full bio. study. Oh, it just occurred to me, you might entitle it something like Topics in Biology, or Special Topics in Biology - something like that, as it's more a mini-study than a full bio study.... Regena Thanks. I was just thinking about incorporating it into a full biology course (great minds think alike :) ). I have a disection kit and some other biology resources as my dd likes the subject. I would just have to get a lab manual or something to fulfill that portion. I appreciate the suggestions. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 My older son went back to private school this year, and his biology course consisted of all the biochem related stuff, including RNA, DNA, meiosis, mitosis, cellular bio, etc. for the entire first half of the year! Then they did 2 chapters on evolutionary stuff, over about the first month or so of this new half. They have just now started doing classification and that sort of more familiar, traditional bio stuff. Biology has gotten weird..... Regena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 After reading the reviews of the linked book on Amazon, I can see giving this 1/2-credit as an elective course in high school, but *not* as a science course. There isn't enough rigorous science in it. I would classify it (pun intended!) as a humanities course -- perhaps philosophy, or debate. This is really a study of the debate about evolution, not a study of science. I am curious if anyone knows of a private or public high school that has actually given credit for this topic? High school courses are usually focused on broad, sweeping overviews of scientific discoveries with an emphasis on learning basic terminology and processes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan P. Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 You could just call your biology course an honors course since your ds would be putting in extra effort into the course with the study of evolution vs. creationism. This would help with your ds's GPA if doing weighted grades. Since it would be an honors class then you would not get an extra credit unless the science component went with the biology class and then perhaps a 1/2 credit for theology/religious studies. HTH, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 You could just call your biology course an honors course since your ds would be putting in extra effort into the course with the study of evolution vs. creationism. This would help with your ds's GPA if doing weighted grades. Since it would be an honors class then you would not get an extra credit unless the science component went with the biology class and then perhaps a 1/2 credit for theology/religious studies. HTH, Oh, I didn't think about this. Thank you for the suggestion. Also, thanks to everyone who has given me ideas on how to give credit for this study. I am leaning towards incorporating the evolution study into biology in some way. I would like to keep the focus on the theory of evolution (touching on the arguments for and against) and not so much creation except where it is an argument against evolution. We are going to our state hs conference in April, so I can look at some additional resources then as well. I don't have the funds to purchase any additional items now, but I will have a budget for the conference. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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