Lessons from EEO: Toward a Universal Evolutionary Curriculum

Abstract

We propose a human-centered evolutionary curriculum based around the three questions: Who am I? Where do I come from? How do I fit in? We base our curriculum on our experiences as an evolutionary biologist/ paleontologist (NE) and as a secondary level special education science teacher (GE)-and not least from our joint experience as co-editors-in-chief of this journal. Our proposed curriculum starts and ends with human biology and evolution, linking these themes with topics as diverse as the "tree of life" (systematics), anthropology, Charles Darwin, cultural evolution, ecology, developmental biology, molecular evolution/genetics, paleontology, and plate tectonics. The curriculum is "universal" as it is designed to be taught at all levels, K-16. The curriculum is flexible: "modules" may be expanded and contracted, reordered, or modified to fit specific grade level needs-and the requirements and interests of local curricula and teachers. We further propose that students utilize workbooks from online or printed sources to investigate the local answers to the general questions (e.g., "Who am I?"), while classroom instruction is focused on the larger scale issues outlined in the modules of our curriculum.

Assessing “The Framework” for Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Biological Evolution

“…Young children possess the cognitive abilities necessary to learn biological evolution while in elementary school (e.g., Berti et al 2010;Carey 1985;Gelman and Baillargeon 1983;Gelman and Kalish 2005;Keil et al 1998;Metz 1995;Nadelson et al 2009;National Research Council 2007;Toyama 2000). Many elementary biological evolution education supporting materials exist that can assist the developers of the Next Generation Science Standards in developing kindergarten through fifth grade biological evolution content standards for the Next Generation Science Standards (e.g., Au et al 2008;Chanet and Lusignan 2009;Eldredge and Eldredge 2009;Hermann 2011;Nadelson et al 2009;Prinou et al 2011;Solomon and Johnson 2000;Understanding Evolution 2011;Venville and Donovan 2007;Wagler 2010). The recommendation from the framework, as the basis for the Next Generation Science Standards, is to not teach biological evolution to kindergarten through fifth grade students in the U.S.…”

“…Recently, supporting materials have emerged from both science educators and science education researchers encouraging the teaching of biological evolution at the elementary level in U.S. schools. These materials include (but are not limited to) elementary biological evolution education research (e.g., Au et al 2008;Nadelson et al 2009;Prinou et al 2011;Solomon and Johnson 2000;Venville and Donovan 2007), research-based position papers calling for the teaching of evolution in elementary schools (Hermann 2011), elementary biological evolution education resources (e.g., Understanding Evolution 2011), and elementary biological evolution education curricula (e.g., Chanet and Lusignan 2009;Eldredge and Eldredge 2009;Understanding Evolution 2011). Furthermore, because the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) did not provide national biological evolution content standards for kindergarten through fourth grade, biological evolution content standards were developed that could be used in conjunction with the National Science Education Standards K-4 life science and K-4 earth science content standards (NRC 1996) (see Fig.…”

Breaking the Cycle of Continued Evolution Education Controversy: On the Need to Strengthen Elementary Level Teaching of Evolution

“…Recently, the need for a curriculum including evolution education for elementary students has been advocated by several science educators. Eldredge and Eldredge (2009) suggest a universal evolutionary curriculum for K-16 students containing several modules that can be modified to fit specific grade levels and local curricular needs. Similarly, Wagler (2010) presents potential K-4 biological evolution standards to be used in conjunction with National Science Education Standards that currently lack K-4 evolution content standards.…”

Education Is Life Itself: Biological Evolution as a Model for Human Learning

“…Rather than seeing education as a preparation for living, we see it as an ongoing process of discovering, creating, rediscovering, and recreating ways of living, both individually and collectively Eldredge and Eldredge (2009). Education is a tool that both derives naturally from that process and that should be deliberately honed to further facilitate it.…”