This study investigated the relations among preservice elementary teachers' ideas about evolution, their understanding of basic science concepts and college science coursework. Forty-two percent of 240 participants did not accept the theory of human evolution, but held inconsistent ideas about related topics, such as co-existence of humans and…

I describe three activities that allow students to explore the ideas of evolution, natural selection, extinction, mass extinction, and rates of evolutionary change by engaging a simple model using paper, pens, chalk, and a chalkboard. As a culminating activity that supports expository writing in the sciences, the students write an essay on mass…

Various aspects of the current evolution/creationism controversy are reviewed including the impact of attempting to remove evolutionary material from textbooks and including creationist material. A number of viewpoints, opinions, and references from current literature are cited. (DS)

As the crusade to outlaw the teaching of evolution changed to a battle for equal time for creationism, the ideological defenses of that doctrine also shifted, from biblical to scientific grounds. The development of "scientific creationism" is described, focusing on the intellectual leaders of creationism, particularly those claiming scientific…

Aspects of the theory of "scientific creationism" are defined and compared to accepted evolutionary theory. Implications of the accommodation of creationism in public school science curricula are then discussed. A history of state legislation mandating the inclusion of creationism as an alternative to the theory of evolution is reviewed, and the…