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Post by ignorantianescia on Sept 1, 2011 15:11:51 GMT
www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/01/richard-dawkins-evolution-children-five"Children in the UK should be taught the science of evolution by natural selection from the age of five, says Prof Richard Dawkins.
The Oxford biologist argues that evolution is so important to our understanding of the world that it should form part of the primary school curriculum. He is dismissive of the notion that evolution is a difficult concept for young children to grasp.
"Evolution is a truly satisfying and complete explanation of existence, and I suspect that this is something a child can appreciate from an early age," he writes in the Times."Does the age of five seem a bit early to anyone else here?
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Post by timoneill on Sept 1, 2011 20:34:31 GMT
www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/01/richard-dawkins-evolution-children-five"Children in the UK should be taught the science of evolution by natural selection from the age of five, says Prof Richard Dawkins.
The Oxford biologist argues that evolution is so important to our understanding of the world that it should form part of the primary school curriculum. He is dismissive of the notion that evolution is a difficult concept for young children to grasp.
"Evolution is a truly satisfying and complete explanation of existence, and I suspect that this is something a child can appreciate from an early age," he writes in the Times."Does the age of five seem a bit early to anyone else here? No. When I was that age I had a kid's book on dinosaurs that had a page on evolution which depicted it very simply. I understood the concept (with some helpful explanations from Dad) just fine. Ah, but Dawkins the Bogeyman is saying this. So it must be wrong. |
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Post by noons on Sept 1, 2011 20:37:55 GMT
I also had dinosaur books when I was that age, and I remember some having charts about dinosaur evolution, though I don't remember anything specifically about natural selection.
Then again, evolution was only interesting if it was about dinosaurs evolving into bigger and badder dinosaurs.
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matt
Clerk
Posts: 18
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Post by matt on Sept 1, 2011 21:42:32 GMT
Hey, doesn't Pokemon teach children of all ages about evolution?
I'm don't think five is too young to learn about natural selection but the real question is, should we make room in kindergarten curriculum for it? Are there other things we should use their time in kindergarten to teach them? Though kids that age will love anything with animals in it...
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Post by himself on Sept 1, 2011 22:46:06 GMT
Five is not too young to learn much of anything, even real science like particle physics. But it is definitely too young to learn to reason about it. It's a good age to inculcate beliefs, however.
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Post by dannym on Sept 4, 2011 15:09:23 GMT
www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/sep/01/richard-dawkins-evolution-children-five"Children in the UK should be taught the science of evolution by natural selection from the age of five, says Prof Richard Dawkins.
The Oxford biologist argues that evolution is so important to our understanding of the world that it should form part of the primary school curriculum. He is dismissive of the notion that evolution is a difficult concept for young children to grasp.
"Evolution is a truly satisfying and complete explanation of existence, and I suspect that this is something a child can appreciate from an early age," he writes in the Times."Does the age of five seem a bit early to anyone else here? Of course it's not too young. Indoctrination can never begin too early. |
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Post by fortigurn on Sept 7, 2011 10:26:38 GMT
Does the age of five seem a bit early to anyone else here? Nope. I was reading children's books about dinosaurs, fossils, and the process of evolution at that age. Weren't most of us? |
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