10.30 and 13.30
What better way to explore how science works than to plunge your students into one of the greatest scientific revolutions in history? With the awe-inspiring galleries as their stage, students recreate the debate surrounding the publication of On the Origin of Species, becoming animated representatives of key historic characters.
Students are introduced to the debate’s key characters during a brief, lively tour. They are then divided into groups and given structured tasks to prepare presentations on behalf of these characters, either for or against Darwin’s theory. Students use dinosaur or mammal skeletons, or the science of our primate displays, to present their evidence in the galleries.
The activity sets up strong support for the concepts discussed in the plenary session – how theory relates to evidence, how social context can affect the development and acceptance of scientific theory and the process of peer review in validating scientific change.
This workshop supports How Science Works at KS4, AS and A-Level, but we welcome other courses where the teacher feels the content is appropriate.
Visit www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/evolution/gd-index.html for more information, pre-visit material and superb resources for teaching evolution at KS4.
1 hour 45 minutes, 30 places.
The learning themes for this activity are:
• interpretation of evidence and the development of scientific theory
• how uncertainties in scientific knowledge and ideas change over time and the role of the scientific community in validating these changes
• how scientific controversies can arise from different ways of interpreting evidence
• there are some questions science cannot address or currently answer
• communication skills, presenting information and developing an argument
This activity is also available on 13, 20, 27 January, 3, 10, 24 February, 10, 17, 24, 31 March. It is suitable for Key Stage 4 and Post 16+.