Darwin and Evolution for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities

by Kristan Lawson

Overview

Darwin and Evolution for Kids traces the transformation of a privileged and somewhat scatterbrained youth into the great thinker who proposed the revolutionary theory of evolution. Through 21 hands-on activities, young scientists learn about Darwin’s life and work and assess current evidence of evolution. Activities include going on a botanical treasure hunt, keeping field notes as a backyard naturalist, and tying knots for ship sails like those on the HMS Beagle. Children also learn how fossils are created, trace genetic traits through their family trees, and discover if acquired traits are passed along to future generations. By encouraging children, parents, and teachers to define the differences between theories and beliefs, facts and opinions, Darwin and Evolution for Kids does not shy away from a theory that continues to spark heated public debate more than a century after it was first proposed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556525025
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	10/01/2003
Series:	Chicago Review Press For Kids Series , #16
Edition description:	ACTIVITY
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	691,497
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	1060L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kristan Lawson is the author of California Babylon, Weird Europe, and The Rules of Speed Chess.

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent resource." —Children's Literature



"Very readable and interesting biography." —Science and Children

"Explores the theory of evolution in a straight-forward and scientific manner." —Connect

From the Publisher

"Explores the theory of evolution in a straight-forward and scientific manner."

Connect

Very readable and interesting biography.

Science and Children

Darwin and Evolution for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities by Kristan Lawson explores Darwin's life and work, from his historic trip around the Galapagos Islands, which helped shape his controversial theory of evolution, to an explanation of the theory itself to the challenges the theory raised... and continues to face. Hands-on activities encourage budding scientists to explore some of the concepts themselves, from going on a Botanical Treasure Hunt to making fossils and more. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 5-9-A thorough introduction to the life and work of this naturalist and thinker. The book begins with a description of Darwin's family life, privileged childhood, and education. His five-year voyage on the Beagle, during which he collected specimens to send back to England, is vividly described. The author places Darwin's ideas in context with those of other philosophical and scientific thinkers, tracing the work of both his predecessors and contemporaries. Lawson also explores how his subject's theories were accepted or rejected by others and discusses how the disagreement among scientists and creationists continues to the present time. The writing is consistently clear and lively. The text is supplemented by related activities, including how to develop a taxonomy, tying nautical knots, and making geological strata. Brown-and-white photographs and reproductions create a sense of the Victorian era. A list of resources for further research encourages students to delve deeper into the topic. This book covers the same material as J. Edward Evans's Charles Darwin (Lerner, 1993; o.p.), but is more comprehensive.-Ann Joslin, Erie County Public Library, PA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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