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From: AIP listserver <fyi@aip.org>
To: fyi-mailing@aip.org
Subject: FYI #16 - New Kansas Science Stds.
Date: Thu, Feb 15, 2001, 3:55 PM
FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy
News
Number 16: February 15 , 2001
Biological and Cosmological Evolution Adopted in Kansas
Education Standards
Yesterday, the Kansas State Board of Education voted 7-3 to
accept Science Education Standards requiring twelfth grade
students to "understand the major concepts of the theory of
biological evolution" and "develop an understanding of the
origin and evolution of the dynamic earth system."
Yesterday's action was in response to a controversial vote by
the board in August 1999 revising the standards to de-
emphasize evolution and remove the Big Bang Theory and the
Earth's age. These 1999 revisions were criticized by numerous
organizations, including the AIP Governing Board which issued
a statement that "The AIP Governing Board views with alarm the
recent action taken by the Kansas State Board of Education to
remove biological and cosmological evolution from the State
Science Standards...." The AIP Board supported other similar
statements opposing the revised standards (see
http://www.aip.org/gov/policy7.html).
The standards adopted yesterday cover all twelve grades, and
are based the on work of the National Research Council, the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the
National Science Teachers Association. These new standards
recognize the controversy, stating "Science studies natural
phenomena by formulating explanations that can be tested
against the natural world. Some scientific concepts and
theories (e.g., blood transfusion, human sexuality, nervous
system role in consciousness, cosmological and biological
evolution, etc.) may differ from the teachings of a student's
religious community or their cultural beliefs. Compelling
student belief is inconsistent with the goal of education.
Nothing in science or in any other field shall be taught
dogmatically."
Under an introductory section, "Unifying Concepts and
Processes in the Kansas Science Education Standards" there is
a paragraph entitled "Patterns of Cumulative Change." As
examples of such change are the "biological theory of
evolution," "fossilization," and that "patterns of cumulative
change also help to describe the current structure of the
universe."
The eighth grade standard includes material on biological
evolution and earth processes. About the latter, "students
should know" that "Earth's history is written in layers of the
rock, and "Some fossil beds enable the matching of rocks from
different continents, and other fossil beds show how organisms
developed over a long period of time."
One of the twelfth grade life science standards is that "all
students will develop an understanding of . . . biological
evolution." "Students will understand the major concepts of
the theory of biological evolution," with one of the
"indicators" being "That the theory of evolution is both the
history of descent, with modification of different lineages of
organisms from common ancestors, and the ongoing adaption of
organisms to environmental challenges and changes . . . " A
related "example" for one of the indicators is that "patterns
of diversification and extinction of organisms are documented
in the fossil record. The fossil record provides evidence of
simple, bacteria-like life back as far as 3.8+ billion years
ago." Another example: "Natural selection and its
evolutionary consequences provide a scientific explanation for
the fossil record that correlates with geochemical (e.g.,
radioisotope) dating results. The distribution of fossil and
modern organisms is related to geological and ecological
changes (i.e. plate tectonics, migration.)" At this point,
the standards add, "'Understand' does not mandate 'belief.'"
The twelfth grade earth and space science standard states
"students will develop an understanding of . . . the formation
and organization of the earth system and the organization and
development of the universe." "Students will develop an
understanding of the origin and evolution of the dynamic earth
system." "The students will understand . . . the geological
time scale and how it relates to the history of the earth."
In addition, "Students will develop an understanding of the
organization of the universe, and its development." "The
students will understand" "expansion of the universe from a
hot dense early state." Regarding the later, examples given
are that "By studying the light emitted from distant galaxies,
it has been found that galaxies are moving apart from one
another. Cosmological understanding including the Big Bang
Theory is based on this expansion." Also required is an
understanding of the "organization and development of stars,
solar systems, and planets." As an example, "Nebula, from
which stars and planets form, are mostly hydrogen and helium.
Heavier elements were, and continue to be, made by the nuclear
fusion reactions in stars. The sun is a second generation
star, which along with its planets was formed billion of years
after the Big Bang."
The introduction to the revised set of standards states:
"These standards should not be viewed as a state curriculum
nor as requiring a specific local curriculum. A curriculum is
the way content is organized and presented in the classroom.
The content embodied in these standards can be organized and
presented with many different emphases and perspectives in
many different curricula." The standards are to be used in
"assessing students' progress" and "they will serve as the
foundation for the development of state assessments in
science."
The standards may be viewed at http://www.ksbe.state.ks.us/
###############
Richard M .Jones
Public Information Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
(301) 209-3095
http://www.aip.org/gov
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