“3. People often claim that creationism is really useful in schools, because it is a good way to teach about “controversy in science”. It is in fact a terrible example: disentangling the claims of the ID movement in particular requires a vast amount of highly technical and marginally useful detail, and the evidence for evolution requires a fair amount of effort too, when you get down to it. Creationism makes for a very unclean teaching case, and the explanations around it require a large amount of specialist knowledge that would not be generally useful.”

What started out as a satire piece and a real letter to the Kansas School Board absolutely validates your point and reasoning.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster
www.venganza.org/

The Letter to the Kansas School Board
www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/

“Open Letter To Kansas School Board
I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. I think we can all agree that it is important for students to hear multiple viewpoints so they can choose for themselves the theory that makes the most sense to them. I am concerned, however, that students will only hear one theory of Intelligent Design.

Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him.

It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories. In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you do not agree to do this, we will be forced to proceed with legal action. I’m sure you see where we are coming from. If the Intelligent Design theory is not based on faith, but instead another scientific theory, as is claimed, then you must also allow our theory to be taught, as it is also based on science, not on faith.

Some find that hard to believe, so it may be helpful to tell you a little more about our beliefs. We have evidence that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. None of us, of course, were around to see it, but we have written accounts of it. We have several lengthy volumes explaining all details of His power. Also, you may be surprised to hear that there are over 10 million of us, and growing. We tend to be very secretive, as many people claim our beliefs are not substantiated by observable evidence.

What these people don’t understand is that He built the world to make us think the earth is older than it really is. For example, a scientist may perform a carbon-dating process on an artifact. He finds that approximately 75% of the Carbon-14 has decayed by electron emission to Nitrogen-14, and infers that this artifact is approximately 10,000 years old, as the half-life of Carbon-14 appears to be 5,730 years. But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage. We have numerous texts that describe in detail how this can be possible and the reasons why He does this. He is of course invisible and can pass through normal matter with ease.

I’m sure you now realize how important it is that your students are taught this alternate theory. It is absolutely imperative that they realize that observable evidence is at the discretion of a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Furthermore, it is disrespectful to teach our beliefs without wearing His chosen outfit, which of course is full pirate regalia. I cannot stress the importance of this enough, and unfortunately cannot describe in detail why this must be done as I fear this letter is already becoming too long. The concise explanation is that He becomes angry if we don’t.

You may be interested to know that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking numbers of Pirates since the 1800s. For your interest, I have included a graph of the approximate number of pirates versus the average global temperature over the last 200 years. As you can see, there is a statistically significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.

In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to hear our views and beliefs. I hope I was able to convey the importance of teaching this theory to your students. We will of course be able to train the teachers in this alternate theory. I am eagerly awaiting your response, and hope dearly that no legal action will need to be taken. I think we can all look forward to the time when these three theories are given equal time in our science classrooms across the country, and eventually the world; One third time for Intelligent Design, one third time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism (Pastafarianism), and one third time for logical conjecture based on overwhelming observable evidence.

Sincerely Yours,

Bobby Henderson, concerned citizen.

P.S. I have included an artistic drawing of Him creating a mountain, trees, and a midget. Remember, we are all His creatures.”

Sometimes the the best way to debunk serious subjects is to descend into satire.

en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bad_Science

There’s a few pages where the format needs sorting out, and the random number game defeats my efforts to transfer it, but it’s a start.

Now, who’s going to be first to add a new topic? MMR? Fish oil ‘research’? Homeopathy?

He teaches high school at an Aboriginal community (total population 880) just east of Kakadu, isolated enough that for 6 months of the year the only way in or out is by light aircraft. Resources of all types are pretty thin on the ground out there, so everything that can help is good to have.

Don’t be surprised if you find your lessons translated into Kunwinjku at some point in the future…

i suggest as an example the wavicle controversy: light’s a particle, no light’s a wave! resolution: it’s a bit more complicated than that. you can probably think of better ones…

creationism is not too complicated to use – it’s just too emotive. people, including adults, can’t listen when they get riled up and upset. better to teach good science first and let them look at such issues for themselves afterwards.

www.ase.org.uk

www.schoolscience.co.uk/e-source_xpress.cfm

It would be good to have an online library of actual classroom activities, free access and all that. Like many teachers who may be reading, I’m afraid although it’s a great idea, I’d have no idea how to set it up or go about running it.

Chapter 7 is now available at:

maccruiskeen.wordpress.com

maccruiskeen@wordpress.com

As a means of “improving” exam results, it strikes me as akin, in ethical considerations, to the cynical pocket-lining machinations that have led to the current financial crisis.

I suspect that those responsible for the Durham “Fish Oil Farce” believe that ethics is a county near London.

Wonder Woman was made of clay. One version of the story has her as the reincarnation of the unborn child of a prehistoric murder vactiim, if I followed. The origin and constitution of other human beings is different.

We’re mostly water – come to think that is not in the bible.

Further information: what’s in the resource?

The lesson plans cover a range of abilities from Key Stage 4 pupils up to A-level. These include:

Roleplay: an exercise where pupils play the different roles of researcher, editor and reviewer, experiencing the different stages that a piece of research must pass through in order to be published.

Science in the media: a look at how science stories are reported in the news using real-life examples such as mobile phones and cancer, cloning, and the HPV vaccine. Students are encouraged to question the nature of the research behind the story, identify who carried it out and most importantly, ask whether it has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The Process and its Challenges: intended for advanced students, this exercise looks at the limitations of peer review. Students learn about real-life cases such as the scandal surrounding Korean cloning expert Hwang Woo-suk, and learn what role peer review has to play in these events.

The resource fits into the curriculum requirement (introduced in 2006) that secondary school children must be taught “how uncertainties in scientific knowledge and scientific ideas change over time and the role of the scientific community in validating these changes.” As part of the new STEM Directories project, details of the resource will be distributed to schools throughout the country

The resource is located at www.senseaboutscience.net

I’ve recently been teaching a bit of human biology to Year 11 kids, 15/16. We were looking at enzymes and the digestive system, trying to explain why it’s important we have a mucus lining in the stomach. I asked what people are made of, hoping to get the idea of protein (i.e. meat!). The answer I got? “Clay.” He’s been taught it and *had no idea* that this was a religious metaphor. Imagine how tricky evolution is!

On a more positive note – and more relevant to Ben’s original post – I have a few resources, worksheets, activities, powerpoints – that I use to try and teach about the real processes of science and how we examine ideas to see if they are useful. Recent examples include “mobile phone masts cause cancer” and “results of the MMR hoax”. I’m happy to email them as attachments if someone can make them accessible to all, ideally with contributions from the many other teachers who are no doubt around…