ERS Charles Darwin and other early evolutionists were fascinated by religious phenomena and how they might be explained from an evolutionary perspective. Nevertheless, evolutionary theory became restricted to the biological sciences and excluded from the study of many human-related subjects for most of the 20th century. Only now is the theory being used to explain all aspects of humanity in addition to the rest of life. The new field of evolutionary religious studies is part of this larger trend. This website provides an introduction to the study of religion from an evolutionary perspective. Please visit the EvoS web site for a more general introduction to evolution in relation to human affairs. This website is funded by a TARP (Templeton Advanced Research Program) grant from the John Templeton Foundation, which is administred by the Metanexus Institute. For questions and comments, contact the program director, David Sloan Wilson.
Interactive Science Notebooks Those of you that follow know that I am just crazy about interactive science notebooks. I especially like the use of 3-d graphic organizers or foldables to help students demonstrate their learning in a creative and meaningful way. First I teach an inquiry based lesson, such as a learning cycle. Entries should have the following information: Title (or Focus Question) Date Explorations (What did I do?) Here are some student pages following a lesson on animal adaptations. The tri-fold give them plenty of room to write their great ideas and conclusions. In a related lesson, student learned about Camouflage and Mimicry. Because the pale moths sat quietly on the pale lichens during the day, predatory birds could not easily see them. Students colored a paper moth and hid it in the hallway for others to find. A piece of newspaper was used to make a small square. šDate šExplorations (What did I do?) šRecording Data: lists, charts, graphs, diagrams, pictures, descriptions, foldables šTeacher Tips
What is a Scientific Hypothesis? | Definition of Hypothesis A scientific hypothesis is the initial building block in the scientific method. Many describe it as an “educated guess,” based on prior knowledge and observation, as to the cause of a particular phenomenon. It is a suggested solution for an unexplained occurrence that does not fit into current accepted scientific theory. A hypothesis is the inkling of an idea that can become a theory, which is the next step in the scientific method. The basic idea of a hypothesis is that there is no pre-determined outcome. A key function in this step in the scientific method is deriving predictions from the hypotheses about the results of future experiments, then performing those experiments to see whether they support the predictions. The primary trait of a hypothesis is that something can be tested and that those tests can be replicated. Upon analysis of the results, a hypothesis can be rejected or modified, but it can never be proven to be correct 100 percent of the time. Related:
ScienceDaily Magazine: Your Source for the Latest Research News in Science, Health & Medicine, the Environment, Space, Technology, and Computers The Skeptic's Dictionary MARE's Build a Fish This resource can be used to complement instruction on ocean habitats as well as a general lesson on adaptations. Make sure that students see that there are a variety of fish that can survive in each habitat, but that some combinations (of body parts, coloration, etc.) are better than others. This interactive is most appropriate for grade levels 3-5 and 6-8. Younger students may wish to take advantage of the “Who Lives Here?” link that provides an example of an actual fish that lives in a particular habitat. Animal Adaptations 3-5 | Interactive Food Webs in the Bay 6-8 | Oceans 6-8 | Hands-On Marine Reserves 6-12 | Audio Coral Reef Adventure Fun Zone 3-8 | Interactive
BCSE : Home Page Neurotheology: This Is Your Brain On Religion Principles of NeurotheologyBy Andrew B. NewbergPaperback, 284 pagesAshgateList price: $29.95 "Neurotheology" is a unique field of scholarship and investigation that seeks to understand the relationship specifically between the brain and theology, and more broadly between the mind and religion. If neurotheology is to be considered a viable field going forward, it requires a set of clear principles that can be generally agreed upon and supported by both the theological or religious perspective and the scientific one as well. It is important to infuse throughout the principles of neurotheology the notion that neurotheology requires an openness to both the scientific as well as the spiritual perspectives. In short, for neurotheology to be successful, science must be kept rigorous and religion must be kept religious. When considering the primary reasons for developing neurotheology as a field, we can consider four foundational goals for scholarship in this area. 1. 2. 3. 4.
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