Galápagos: Education was developed by the National Science
Teachers Association for teachers and parents who are interested
in educational activities about the Galápagos Islands. Developed
in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution and the Imax film
Galapagos, this Web site supports teaching and learning about biology,
ecology, geology, and the unifying concepts of science. One of those
unifying concepts is evolution—that series of changes, some gradual,
some sporadic, that accounts for the present form and function of
objects, organisms, and systems.
NSTA Position
Statement: The Teaching of Evolution
NSTA supports the position that evolution is a major unifying
concept of science and should be included as part of K-College
science frameworks and curricula. NSTA recognizes that evolution
has not been emphasized in science curricula in a manner commensurate
to its importance because of official policies, intimidation of
science teachers, the general public's misunderstanding of evolutionary
theory, and a century of controversy.
The
Creation Controversy & The Science Classroom
The Creation Controversy &
The Science Classroom features the article "Effective
Strategies for Teaching Controversial Topics" by Craig E. Nelson,
Ph.D. and a revision of our popular publication Modern Science
and the Book of Genesis by James W. Skehan, S.J., Ph.D.
Ecology and Evolution: Islands of Change
Several of the activities featured in this website are adaptations
from NSTA's full-length book Ecology
and Evolution: Islands of Change. Focusing on island biogeography, ecology, and evolution,
the activities use the Galápagos as a theme throughout, but also
make connections to students' local environments.
Science, Evolution,
and Creationism
Both this book and a brochure explaining the position of the National Academies regarding this topic are available to download at no charge from this site. This web page also features a downloadable audio book and a podcast of the book, both of which are free. There is also a link to "Tools for Understanding Evolution," a set that includes Science, Evolution, and Creationism, Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science, and Evolution in Hawaii: A Supplement to Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science.
Voices
for Evolution
Brought to you by the National Center for Science Education and
the American Association for the Advancement for Science, as part
of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, Voices
for Evolution provides extensive links to the legal background
behind the evolution controversy, as well as information provided
by scientific, educational, religious, and civil libertarian organizations.
Theory and History of Evolutionary Thought
This online exhibit at the Museum of Paleontology at the University of
California, Berkeley provides detailed information on the major
players in the history of evolutionary theory.
Galápagos film
In 1998-99 the Smithsonian and Imax Ltd. led expeditions to the
Galápagos Islands to make the 3D film Galápagos. Visit
the Imax Galápagos Web site to learn about the making of the film and where it is
currently playing.
Virtual Galápagos
Take a virtual expedition to the Galápagos with TerraQuest.
Learn about the islands' history, wildlife, geology, and contemporary
social issues.
Galápagos
Galápagos is the home site
to the Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation,
and Galápagos Conservation Trust Web sites.
Voyage of the Beagle
Richard Benz, author of Ecology and Evolution: Islands of Change,
also authored this Access Excellence/Biology Place sponsored Web
site about Charles Darwin and his famous Voyage
of the Beagle. This site is designed for teachers to use directly
with their students.
Explore Galápagos
Explore Galápagos is the Discovery Channel School's site with images,
facts, and games about the islands.
Galápagos Geology
The Department of Geological Sciences at Cornell University hosts
this site on the Web, featuring the geology, climate, oceanography,
and history of the islands.
Galápagos Volcano Tour
Volcano World provides a virtual tour of the hot spot volcanoes
that caused the Galápagos Islands.
Galápagos: Pressures on Paradise
The World Wildlife Fund's Web site on Galápagos conservation, as well as background information on the islands.
Adventures in the Galápagos
Written by Dr. Carole Baldwin, marine biologist from the Smithsonian
Institution's National Museum of Natural History, after her multiple
trips to the Galápagos Islands during the course of filming the
Imax movie Galápagos, this article
can be downloaded in PDF format.
Click
on this icon to download free Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You
will need this program to access materials in PDF format.
