Board Evolution The Theory of evolution by natural selection in American schools?
How well do you think the theory of evolution by natural selection is being taught in American schools today?
IF it's being taught across the board, of course. I can't believe that it's only ten years since the Kansas State Education Board removed evolution from the curriculum! Any more recalcitrant State Education Boards out there, huh?
I cannot say, since I haven't been in high school in a while... But from what I am reading, it seems that it's being taught as "well" as it was when I was in school.
That doesn't mean it's being taught "accurately." When I was a lad, we basically learned that natural selection was "proven" by dog breeding, the Kettleworth moths, and Mendel's peas.
As far as evolution more broadly, the Miller-Urey experiment, and "gill slits" which appear in human embryos were sufficient to "prove" evolution.
I would be very surprised if any of the teaching about natural selection (and/or evolution) has changed much since then.
Of course, it is probably dressed up a little more with appeals to the "human genome," ribosomes, "alleles," and the like.
Eugenie C. Scott explains evolution to Texas Board of Education
Any one have a good idea for an AP Biology board game?
I have to make a game with a board and moving pieces for AP Bio. I'm all set with creating the questions, I just need help with an idea for the actual game play. I was thinking something along the lines of pick a card, answer the question, if you get it right roll the die and move ahead, if you get it wrong your turn is over. That seems a little trivial and boring though. I also need ideas for what types of things to write on the squares (ex. 'lose next turn' or 'go back three spaces')
ANY suggestions at all please!
If it helps, the topic is animals; evolution, classification and stuff like that.
Maybe have the board take you through evolution, and you win when you evolve into homo-sapiens. A combination of getting to the end, and the most evolution points. There could be a swamp, a forest, a desert, and all sorts of different areas indicating the various "ages" throughout evolution.
Most game squares would require you to draw a card from the question stack, but others could have funny things on them, or require you to draw a card from the “mystery deck” or whatever you want to call it. “you’ve mated with a lower life form, lose two evolution points and your next turn”, or “Your child is walking upright – you’ve earned 5 evolution points! Roll again!”. Things like that. Think of the game of LIFE – how you not only get to the end of the game, but you have to have the most money to win. Harder questions on the cards could give points as well as allow you to move again. If you get them wrong, you could have to give points. Make up point cards, or “evolution dollars” to give each person as they earn points.
You could also make humorous game pieces. A fish with human arms, a dinosaur with a monkey head. It could be a fun game. Have fun with it!
