Because my current schooling program doesn't do much history work, my mother and I are doing some work on history at home. My mom is a history teacher, so she has experience teaching kids this subject. We are starting with a history/science unit on evolution. A few days back, I finished a book called Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman. This book is about Charles Darwin's personal life and his theories' relations to his family and life. I thought this book was okay, because I thought it would be more about the science behind his theories and other scientist related arguments. It did contain some of this information, but the book was mainly about Darwin's wife, kids, and other family/friends. This book did talk about the religious community's problems with it, because his wife was a strong Christan. Overall, I were to rate this book from 1 to 10, I would give it a solid 7, but I may have just expected more science from it then what the author was trying to deliver. Thanks for reading!
I, the grandmother, also read it to share thoughts with Max and Kerri and was interested in the parallels to today when some religious people are unable to accept scientific explanations from the beginning of earth's creatures to global warming. Why do people think that there is a very odd and weird G-d which must defy scientific theories that give a better explanation for what's going on? I'd give it a 6 for the writing but an 8 for the content. That averages out to Max's 7!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that the book _With a Little Luck: Surprising Stories of Amazing Discoveries_ by Dennis Brindell Fradin might interest you. We've been reading parts of one chapter with the 7th-graders in Watertown. Each chapter is about a different scientist and discovery, and it's neat the way it integrates science and history!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this biography quite a bit! There were a number of aspects that I found interesting about this book: 1) that Darwin worked more on natural selection of birds and barnacles than human evolution; 2) the world of 19th century society and the luxury of time that his family wealth allowed him to spend so much time on his science -- and provide for his dozen or so children; 3) how he and his wife, Emma Wedgewood, were able to find love and respect across perspectives so wide. There will be more on this theme forthcoming.
ReplyDeleteMax, did you know that Emma Wedgewood is of the same family that made Wedgewood china?
ReplyDeleteI've always been fascinated by Darwin, for so many reasons:
- As a very young man (age 22), he was willing to go a long ocean voyage, WELL before there was radar and GPS, and at a time that ships were often lost at sea.
- Using just the power of his intellect, he was able to figure out that the various birds on the Galapagos islands had evolved beaks to serve purposes very specific to the foods they eat: strong peaks for cracking open nuts; longer beaks for getting at nectar in flowers; and so on. He also had the vision to expand his theories to the evolution many other species.
- He also carefully withheld publishing his theories for many years because he knew that many powerful people and church officials would consider what he wrote heresy, that is, contrary to what the bible teaches about the creation of the earth and the plants and animals who live on it.
You may also want to read about Alfred Russell Wallace, who independently of Darwin developed a theory of evolution, based on his travels and studies in southeast Asia.
I know this is a long reply, but one more point: there are still MANY important and powerful people in the United States who don't believe in the theory of evolution and who in fact try to have it banned from the classroom! I'm so glad that on your own you're learning about Darwin.
(The other) Charlie
This book mentioned Wallace, as well as his Darwin's (sort of) competition with him. Also, I read that over more people believe in creationism than evolution.
Delete