Nanda
Polyanna
Is that so? Might I peruse your teaching plan for the baboon?
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I need to explain evolution to a six year-old.
- Thread starter Nanda
- Start date
Is that so? Might I peruse your teaching plan for the baboon?
Nanda
Polyanna
Very helpful, thank you!
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
If you've ever had a litter at your house, you could start with the idea that the kittens are not identical, and that if e.g. being striped helped one kitten to survive, it could reproduce and have more striped kittens, something like that. Of course, he already knows about reproduction, right?
Nanda
Polyanna
Yeah, he knows where babies come from. That one was surprisingly easy in comparison.
Well first, get a few bananas....
No, really. The basics are simple:
1. All babies -- kittens, frogs, people --are not the same. Each is a little different from his brothers and sisters.
2. Some of the differences can helpful, and some can be a hinderance.
3. Babies with helpful differences are more likely than their brothers and sisters to grow up to be mommies and daddies themselves.
4. Mommies and daddies with helpful differences are likely to pass these on to their children.
5. After many generations the helpful difference becomes common and eventually almost all the dogs/cats/people have it.
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
Go Seyorni. You may find me using that explanation here on RF.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
There are variety of children's books on Amazon including
Amazon.com: The Human Evolution Coloring Book, 2e (HarperCollins Coloring Books (Not Childrens)): Coloring Concepts Inc.: Books
Amazon.com: Eyewitness: Evolution: Linda Gamlin: Books
and many more.
ultimately the best way is to visit a museum and talk with your kids about science in general. If you show an interest, so will they. ^_^
wa:do
Amazon.com: The Human Evolution Coloring Book, 2e (HarperCollins Coloring Books (Not Childrens)): Coloring Concepts Inc.: Books
Amazon.com: Eyewitness: Evolution: Linda Gamlin: Books
and many more.
ultimately the best way is to visit a museum and talk with your kids about science in general. If you show an interest, so will they. ^_^
wa:do
Nanda
Polyanna
I'm looking to raise a free thinker who respects others beliefs, not an indoctrinated atheist.
Rolling_Stone
Well-Known Member
Tell him people throughout history believed many things. Refer to some of the creation myths that Joseph Campbell is famous for or you can go here or here. There are many more websites.
Evolution and the Big Bang are myths in the sense that their task, like all myths, is to provide explanations that make sense within one's culture. They may or may not be factually correct, but it always reflects the way human beings present their relationship with the universe.
Yerda
Veteran Member
Maybe. Most won't believe it. I certainly didn't.
Tell him to get a book, if he can't understand it he should try harder.
But what about when evolution goes "backwards," when creatures become simpler, more primative?
Evolution has nothing to do with either advancement or increasing complexity. It's adaptation to immediate circumstances; pure expediency -- whatever works.
Tell him that is the most wondrous and puzzling thing about this world. Humans are a mystery. With many mysterious things about them. We appeared around 50,000 years ago so they say. But from where? They have found no missing links as yet so far between even cro-magnon man and humans. Apes are out of the question. They have not proved anything there either except that we are a bubble off on genetics. Tell him someday someone may solve it. Maybe even him.
crystalonyx
Well-Known Member
Tell him that is the most wondrous and puzzling thing about this world. Humans are a mystery. With many mysterious things about them. We appeared around 50,000 years ago so they say. But from where? They have found no missing links as yet so far between even cro-magnon man and humans. Apes are out of the question. They have not proved anything there either except that we are a bubble off on genetics. Tell him someday someone may solve it. Maybe even him.
I think the linage if homo sapiens is pretty well worked out, and we definitely came from some ancestor ape.
Fluffy
A fool
Do it by example:
Once there were no monkeys, just humans. Then one day, a monkey was born without a tail. A hungry lion came along and all the monkey and his brothers and sisters tried to run away. However, the lion was easily able to catch the monkey's brothers and sisters by grabbing their tails. Only the monkey managed to get away because he had no tail for the lion to grab on to. The monkey found another monkey and... oh wait better do that talk first or you are just going to get side tracked.
Once there were no monkeys, just humans. Then one day, a monkey was born without a tail. A hungry lion came along and all the monkey and his brothers and sisters tried to run away. However, the lion was easily able to catch the monkey's brothers and sisters by grabbing their tails. Only the monkey managed to get away because he had no tail for the lion to grab on to. The monkey found another monkey and... oh wait better do that talk first or you are just going to get side tracked.
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
Using "just so" stories is not a good way to teach science.
wa:do
wa:do
Autodidact
Intentionally Blank
Everything you have said is false. Would you care to debate it in a thread for this purpose?Tell him that is the most wondrous and puzzling thing about this world. Humans are a mystery. With many mysterious things about them. We appeared around 50,000 years ago so they say. But from where? They have found no missing links as yet so far between even cro-magnon man and humans. Apes are out of the question. They have not proved anything there either except that we are a bubble off on genetics. Tell him someday someone may solve it. Maybe even him.
Why not debate it here. We are here arn't we? The subject has already been started hasn't it? I can't think of a better place. You first.