Project 0, from Isabel

Many years had passed but until now, when we talk of evolution there were so many unanswered questions arises where actually our world begun.

There is a big conflict between Science & religion in discussing evolution. Sometimes I’ve been very much confused because I believed in God, the creature and science also do explain my questions and gave scientific facts but there were times also that even science can not explain. Religion has its own way of explaining the idea and science has also its own way.

When I was in my elementary grade during our Religion subject. I am very fond of listening to our teacher about the story on how God created the whole world including Adam and Eve for one Week. It really amazed me and thinks how powerful our creator to balance everything and made man as one of his special creations that will take good care of all the things that he made.

During my childhood years, the question on the chicken and egg which comes first is just a part of a simple discussion of the children but if we really think of it, we cannot easily explain its origin.

Times passed and my high school years gave me an idea on the evolution, one particular topic that gives an unended questions is the Charles Darwin’s Evolution of man. Like what I’ve said earlier that I am very amazed on the creation of God and then there is a subject that explains and give scientific facts where actually man originates. I understood that through a gradual changes happened in our environment, there is a new species that formed resulting from the changes from the ancestral forms. The illustration on the gradual changes on the features of man from ape to java up to the present shows and explains clearly the evolution. It is another theory that amazed me but the idea is very far from the ideas that I’ve got from my religion class in my elementary grade. They say that science and religion have a big conflict that’s why they are taught separately to eliminate conflicts. They have its own way of explaining things based on its own way of explaining things based on its own ideas

When I saw the movie Jurassic park, there were different species that are really unbelievable. I asked myself if it is really true. But based on the fossils that of those big animals, It gives us an idea that those animals are living millions of year ago. How long those big animals lived and how come that there were no creatures that are like them that are living today. How is it happened that people survived with those frightening creatures .

In our present times, there were times that we saw some organisms that are new to us. How is it formed? Where is it come from? The idea of evolution is not included in the elementary grade curriculum. Like me, in my elementary years. My pupils idea is just come from their religion teachers, but being their science teacher, even if it is not included in their curriculum, I will give them theories that will explain evolution.

Bio-E will help me a lot to gain more knowledge and ideas about evolution. I don’t want to be a page ahead of my pupils in explaining the topic. I am hoping that this subject will help me enlighten my mind about the evolution, so that I can share enough knowledge on my pupils even in their elementary years.

Project 0, from Myla

It’s been a month since we had our last study session in Genetics. And now it’s a new semester once again. “Expect the unexpected” that’s what I always inculcate in my mind. For I know that this semester will be a challenging one this is because we do not have our face –to-face session in Bio-E and we need to go online through IVLE. Honestly, I am not yet prepared for this semester this is because of so many activities that we go through in our school. But since semester has already started, I need to convince myself that I have to study more and as much as possible, divide my module into portion and have a quality time reading two (2) modules. As I have said before, I am not a science major so I need to have a lot of time to read and study.

When I heard the word evolution, the first thing that comes into my mind is Charles Darwin. I can still remember hi theory “The Evolution of Species” But before that, let me define first Evolution. Evolution is defined as a gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually a better and complex form. Evolution as stated in the book, It is a process of change and diversification in organisms through time. It refers to any change from one generation to the next in terms of the proportion of different genes.

In my personal point of view, I strongly disagree from the modern theory concerning evolution of man which proposes that humans and apes derived from an apelike ancestor that lived on earth a few million years ago. The theory states that man through a combination of environmental and genetic factors emerged as a species to produce a variety of ethnicities. In some of the book that I have read before, man obviously shared common ancestry with the modern apes such as gorilla and chimpanzee. That was the belief that I have learned from my teacher. It stated that there are many characteristics that are shared between apes and man. Apart from obvious anatomical and behavioral similarities, the two groups also have many proteins and other biochemical characteristics in common. Aside from these, a comparison of the skulls of gorilla and a modern man illustrate the main trends that have taken place in human evolution from an apelike ancestry. I think it was based largely observations.

In theory, evolution is believed to have taken billions and billions of years which was frequently conflicted with the religious beliefs of many. GENESIS chapter I verses 27-28 stated that God Created man in HIS own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Chapter 28, the God blessed them, and God said to them, “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” PURE science and pure Religion do not contradict each other. Evolution is a scientific Theory; it is not a pure science. God has created rules and follow them. God is logical, He does not contradict Himself. It’s only pure if it is true. If it is not a fact, it is a theory only. And theories are proven false till proven true. As for the theory of evolution, It is just that a theory. It is basically like, trying to guess what a picture is by only looking at only less than I% of the whole picture. And since religion gives the only other alternative I go with the BELIEF that we ARE Created by God. There is only one God, the creator of heaven and earth, the creator of the whole universe.

I have been teaching science IV for three years and science V for three months but it is totally different from the evolution of man. In grade IV, they have learned how some parent animals reproduced their young. Some animals are hatched from eggs like the turtle, crocodile and bird. They develop outside the womb of their parents. In Science V, the organs of reproduction have already started. Reproduction here is the ability of any living things to produce any other living things of its kind. Like animals, human being is capable of reproduction. The reproductive system enables the human species to continue and grow in numbers. The reproduction of human being is a long process. It involves a male and female. The male reproductive system produces and carries the sperm cells. The female reproductive system is for child bearing.

Project 0, from Remy

There are two contrasting views on how living things came into existence. One is on the religious point of view which is the creation and the other one is evolution. Evolution will always be credited to Charles Darwin, who produced scientific proofs and of course his famous book “The Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection.The natural Selection is the main or central theory that explains Evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. Based from what I remember this theory wasabout how organisms struggle for life,which was I tend to associate with the survival of the fittest.

Evolution as we all know is the process by which all living things have developed from simple organisms through changes occuring over a long period of time or possibly billion of years ago. This process occurs from the interaction of living things with its environment resulting to changes that includes adaptation.

According to the New International Websters Dictionary,evolution is a continuous change from simple to more complex form,the theory that all living things have changed in response to environment conditions by the natural selection of randomly occuring mutations,developing from simplest forms to complex forms which are more prolific and stronger due to their better adaptation to their environment.

Sincerely speaking,my idea of evolution is a result of how our professor presented/discussed and from printed materials such as book in Biology specifically in Bio A.And as part of my understanding,I perceive evolution as gradual changes ,all living things evolve from single cell and from this single cell living things developed and changes happen because of their needs they have to adapt to survive. In particular based from the evidences presented by the science of paleontology or by paleontologist, who study the life in the past through fossil remains ,we can be convinced that evolution really exists.. I was vividly showed that the fossils found were not exactly the same of what were found in modern times.

I will never forget our professor in Anthropology. He traced the evolution Of human ancestry in the evolution of vertebrates. He mentioned about species. This species evolved because they need to be fiited to the available environment resulted to the gradual changes of their anatomical structure.

Let say for example cancer, HIV, diabetes as part of evolution .Doctors and scientist discovered treatment or remedy for these kind of menase but another strain of virus evolve ,an example of this is dengue. Before we have malaria due to destruction of our virgin forest, mosquitoes carry virus are force to go to low land because of their habitat are destroyed by men caused by rapid deforestation. It is part of damages that everyone, every human being ,every living things in its surrounding. Every little thing evolves. Before you don’t see or hear it, now, it is a part of your/our daily life.

Culturally, some of our ancestors, those who are not religiously inclined tendsto believe that human beings originates from the apes. However why is it up to now there are apes such as monkey, gorillas, orangutan and others.. They should have been extinct by this time. If they are really origins of our ancestors. Through evolution changes in the physical,physiological characteristics of the apes are affected by its interaction with the environment. This was also discussed to us during college times .

Religious person like me tends to have some doubts about evolution,as Christianity teaches the creation of earth and all living things are done or created by Almighty God in a short period of time.

If evolution really happens, where did the first single form originate? Did this come from non living things or inorganic matter? What I know from Science is that living things originated from organic matter of living things also.

Cockroach as far as I know don’t have changes on its characteristics for a very long period of time which means it is not very much affected by changes on its environment which must have an effect on this particular species ,so why how come that that there are different changes for different species. Do some species have the capabilities to be stagnant?

Teaching evolution to a Christian country like Philippines is an important thing in the field of science. Evolution must be presented very carefully in such manner that it will not resulted to confusion but rather into more intellectual perception. This topic should be discussed based on the scientific explanation, facts and evidences. I can teach evolution in tracing the evolution of vertebrates on which human beings are included. It is very timely to discuss evolution in relation with anatomical structure or system of the human body. Children should realize how evolution important to us tt the same time creation as Christian people.

Project 0, from Riza

It is not easy or perhaps not possible, to know what precisely happened in the past. However, there are evidences and data gathered about the origin od evolution.

Based from what I've known about the theory of evolution way back. I have read that present day species of plants and animals evolved from other species that existed in the past.
If so, did humans also evolved from other species of animals? From here, Did we really come from the family of apes? Did man descend from the apes? These are the question that arouses my interest about evolution.

For me, Evolution is a process that results in heritable changes in a populution spread over many generations. It is also a belief that, multiplied millions of years ago, life began by natural causes from non-living matter, then gradually that original life changed till from it came all the modern kinds of plants and animals including man.

I'm a Christian and I don't believe in evolution it is not a reality. I believe

the biblical account of creation. God said; let there be light and there came the universe. I have nothing againts people who don't believe in Genesis. True Christian know Jesus Christ and have faith. Faith is being sure of what is hope for and certain of waht you cannot see. God made us to evolve. It is the only way a species to survive in a world of predators and bacteria.

I taught evolution in my class. I remember the little pictures of the apes going from the left to right, stand up taller and having less hair until it was recognizable man a very right hand side. I'll show that pictures but I explain that this is only a theory and not proven.

The origin of the species convinced most biologist that species are the products of evolution. Plants, animals and humans change over a long period of time through the process of evolution. There are many questions about how and why living things in the geological period have changed and why some of them have become extinct.

Changes in the traits and characteristics of organisms through long periods of time may lead to the change of the individual into new species.

Why is evolution measured in terms of geologic time? Does evolution imply gradual changes?

The geologic time scale is one of the longest time wise and supposedly represents the Earth's natural history. The surface of the earth has undergone many changes throughout history. Even today, changes continue to happen due to volcanic eruption,earthquakes, wind and rain. You may have seen or read about the changes in the geographic features of Central Luzon because of lahar depossit, farm, bridges and houses.

Livings things also died out or have change during the long period of the earth's existence. Plants and animals on the earth today are quite differrent from those that existed million of years ago.

It is interesting to know. However, that there are some animals that have changed very little. The cockroaches and horseshoe crab are two of such animals.

Some people speculate that we can believe both the Bible and evolution. Does evolution necessarily contradict the Bible? Can a person defend evolution and still be a faithful Christian? Various theories used to explain these and other observations on what idea that comes into their mind.

Project 0, from Lynda

I see evolution as two different things depending on which “mode” I am in.

If I am in my “Christian-Catholic Mode”, I see evolution as the work of God prepared in 7 days.

But if I am in my “Science teacher Mode”, I see evolution as the continuing process of how life continues to exist. My understanding of evolution is pretty elementary, honestly speaking. I can even express it in an equation: Evolution=Charles Darwin=Survival of the Fittest. For my husband, he defines evolution as the “scientific explanation of the diversity of all living things on earth.” Is his definition better than mine? Or maybe both our definitions, when combined, may come close to what evolution really is.

I am quite amazed at the depth on how my classmates have discussed this question in the IVLE. Nelson defined his understanding of evolution as “The scope and utility of evolutionary theory goes far beyond the discussion of human origins” while Lloyd remarks “I don’t consider that evolution is true.” Their remarks are for them to defend. As for me, I see evolution as an on-going progress of changing and adapting to one’s environment.

Charles Darwin has opened a Pandora’s box when he began writing about “The Origin of Species”. At one end of the spectrum, this book has “become the central organizing principle of modern biology, relating directly to topics such as the origin of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, eusociality in insects, and the staggering biodiversity of Earth's ecosystem.” (Wikipedia) On the other end, it has come to be also known as an Atheist book because it completely negated the existence of a Supreme Being, a concept that is the foundation of many religions around the world.

When it comes to evolution, the one thing that interests me the most is how it can be explained if one takes into consideration one’s religious beliefs. Will evolution and religion be always at the opposite end of a spectrum? Proponents of “Creation Science” argue that because of the complexity of the beginning of life, there IS an all-powerful creator that made order out of the chaos of the Universe[1]. But Scientists (as scientist are!) explain on the basis of what is observable using the scientific process. They create their theories and laws with these. Can we say the same if one is to explain evolution from a religious point of view?

I hope to increase my knowledge of Evolution beyond the equation that I have given at the beginning of this text. Unlike Lloyd, I do not have any doubts regarding evolution. It is all around us. It is the reason why we are now bipeds and not in four legs, it is the reason why we have adapted to our environment and its is the reason for our existence and the continuation of life. If given the chance to teach evolution, I would like to first find out what my students think of evolution and then guide them on seeing how it continues to be a part of our existence. ---------------------------------
[1] Creative Design has now been replaced by „Intelligent Design“. Intelligent Design “implies” that there is a Creator while Creative Design was more explicit in stating that there must be a God that designed the Universe.

Project 0, from Jun

Hi! I am JUN M. DUMARAOS, presently teaching grade IV pupils at Mauban North Elementary School I, Mauban, Quezon.

I am one of your students in Bio A and Bio D. And still your student in Bio E. Ang Saya-Saya! Di ba?

I can be reached at 09182217883 or jmdumaraos@yahoo.com

Science! How I love to teach it. Yet, I still wish to be better updated about science – in its many aspect. But, how?

As teacher of science, perhaps, the most fundamental challenge to me is to create an effective learning environment that promotes a spirit of inquiry and caters for the differences in learning abilities, interest and characteristics of my pupils. This means I need to know my pupils well. I need to know what material and human resources are available to help us create such environment.

It is my responsibility to assess my pupils’ understanding both to provide constructive feedback and to plan effectively to support the pupils in future learning. I need to allow pupils to demonstrate their conceptual understandings effectively and I need to assess and report their progress in realistic and relevant ways. These how I teach science and all other learning areas.

What is Science? There are many definitions of science as there are persons who define it. Science is commonly associated with an accumulation of facts, concepts and theories. It is even confused with technology. In my own point of view, science is an ever-changing body of knowledge and an ongoing process of investigating and thinking. As science teachers, we should help our young learners to expect change and to have a positive attitude for such change. Science should be reflected in our teaching – learning activities. It should be emphasized that there is no single and best method of teaching science. Different science topics call for different methods of teaching.

In 1857, Britist naturalist Charles Darwin published his influential book “On the Origin of Species”. In this book, he argued that animals and plant species had changed, or evolved, through time under the influence of a process that he called natural selection. Based on my readings, natural selection. Darwin said, acted on variations within species, so that some variants survived and reproduced, and other perished. In this way, new species slowly evolved even as others continued to exist. From these I eventually conceptualized that evolution is a progression or development of various plant and animals species branch of to become entirely new species and that species of living thing originate, evolve and survive through natural selection in response to environmental forces.

Moreover, species do not changed overnight or even in the course of one lifetime. Rather, evolutionary change usually occurs in tiny almost imperceptible increments over the course of thousands of generation periods that range from decades to millions of years.

However, my cultural concepts on evolution holds that young born to any species complete intensely for survival. Those young that survive to provide to produce the next generation tend to embody favorable natural variations and these variations are passed on by heredity. Therefore, each generation well improved adaptively over the preceding generations and this gradual and continuous process is the source of the evolution of species.

As much about the development of cultural behavior it is about changes in physical appearance. Their social life also develop, they live in social groups of carrying size and complexity. Within their groups, individual often have multifaceted roles based on age, sex, status, social skills and personality.

Evolution is not new to me. But still there are some questions playing on my mind and need a scientific and factual answers. How did life originate? How scientists study evolution? When, where and how and human evolve? Is the ability to learn language as unique to human as people have always assumed? Or is it possible that other primates, such as chimpanzees, also have language? Hope these questions will be given corresponding answers before this semester has finally ended.

The origin of life on earth has a source of speculation among philosophers, religious thinkers and scientist for thousands of years. Many human civilizations used rich and complex creation stories and myths to explain the presence of living organism. Ancient Greek philosophers and scientist were among the earliest to apply the principles of modern science to the mysterious complexity and variety of life around than. Bur during early Christian times, ancient Greek ideas gave way to creationism the view that a single God created the universe, the world and all life on earth. As a Christian, which between these two principles is factual and relevant. There are many questions in the theory of evolution and Divine Creation, needing for an answer with acceptable evidences. This is what I doubt for.

For decades, the teaching of evolution in schools has been a flash point in the conflict between science and religion. In this point, I have never tried to impose my views on both science and religion. in any human being. I have the right to my own view, and I try to hard to protect the right of every man to his views as I do to protect my own. Likewise, evolution is not being taught in the classroom because it is not included in the Basic Elementary Curriculum being implemented by the Department of Education. Although there are some topics, perhaps some how related to evolution but is just only given little importance.

I do expect from this subject are: to answer all my questions in mind regarding evolution have a new views on evolution and on life, have a clearer understanding on the origin and of life, useful and relevant information’s from my classmates and vice-versa and most of all apply what I will be learned, from the module, readings and classmates, in the teaching-learning process and in my life as well.

Project 0, from Jun

Hi! I am JUN M. DUMARAOS, presently teaching grade IV pupils at Mauban North Elementary School I, Mauban, Quezon.

I am one of your students in Bio A and Bio D. And still your student in Bio E. Ang Saya-Saya! Di ba?

I can be reached at 09182217883 or jmdumaraos@yahoo.com

Science! How I love to teach it. Yet, I still wish to be better updated about science – in its many aspect. But, how?

As teacher of science, perhaps, the most fundamental challenge to me is to create an effective learning environment that promotes a spirit of inquiry and caters for the differences in learning abilities, interest and characteristics of my pupils. This means I need to know my pupils well. I need to know what material and human resources are available to help us create such environment.

It is my responsibility to assess my pupils’ understanding both to provide constructive feedback and to plan effectively to support the pupils in future learning. I need to allow pupils to demonstrate their conceptual understandings effectively and I need to assess and report their progress in realistic and relevant ways. These how I teach science and all other learning areas.

What is Science? There are many definitions of science as there are persons who define it. Science is commonly associated with an accumulation of facts, concepts and theories. It is even confused with technology. In my own point of view, science is an ever-changing body of knowledge and an ongoing process of investigating and thinking. As science teachers, we should help our young learners to expect change and to have a positive attitude for such change. Science should be reflected in our teaching – learning activities. It should be emphasized that there is no single and best method of teaching science. Different science topics call for different methods of teaching.

In 1857, Britist naturalist Charles Darwin published his influential book “On the Origin of Species”. In this book, he argued that animals and plant species had changed, or evolved, through time under the influence of a process that he called natural selection. Based on my readings, natural selection. Darwin said, acted on variations within species, so that some variants survived and reproduced, and other perished. In this way, new species slowly evolved even as others continued to exist. From these I eventually conceptualized that evolution is a progression or development of various plant and animals species branch of to become entirely new species and that species of living thing originate, evolve and survive through natural selection in response to environmental forces.

Moreover, species do not changed overnight or even in the course of one lifetime. Rather, evolutionary change usually occurs in tiny almost imperceptible increments over the course of thousands of generation periods that range from decades to millions of years.

However, my cultural concepts on evolution holds that young born to any species complete intensely for survival. Those young that survive to provide to produce the next generation tend to embody favorable natural variations and these variations are passed on by heredity. Therefore, each generation well improved adaptively over the preceding generations and this gradual and continuous process is the source of the evolution of species.

As much about the development of cultural behavior it is about changes in physical appearance. Their social life also develop, they live in social groups of carrying size and complexity. Within their groups, individual often have multifaceted roles based on age, sex, status, social skills and personality.

Evolution is not new to me. But still there are some questions playing on my mind and need a scientific and factual answers. How did life originate? How scientists study evolution? When, where and how and human evolve? Is the ability to learn language as unique to human as people have always assumed? Or is it possible that other primates, such as chimpanzees, also have language? Hope these questions will be given corresponding answers before this semester has finally ended.

The origin of life on earth has a source of speculation among philosophers, religious thinkers and scientist for thousands of years. Many human civilizations used rich and complex creation stories and myths to explain the presence of living organism. Ancient Greek philosophers and scientist were among the earliest to apply the principles of modern science to the mysterious complexity and variety of life around than. Bur during early Christian times, ancient Greek ideas gave way to creationism the view that a single God created the universe, the world and all life on earth. As a Christian, which between these two principles is factual and relevant. There are many questions in the theory of evolution and Divine Creation, needing for an answer with acceptable evidences. This is what I doubt for.

For decades, the teaching of evolution in schools has been a flash point in the conflict between science and religion. In this point, I have never tried to impose my views on both science and religion. in any human being. I have the right to my own view, and I try to hard to protect the right of every man to his views as I do to protect my own. Likewise, evolution is not being taught in the classroom because it is not included in the Basic Elementary Curriculum being implemented by the Department of Education. Although there are some topics, perhaps some how related to evolution but is just only given little importance.

I do expect from this subject are: to answer all my questions in mind regarding evolution have a new views on evolution and on life, have a clearer understanding on the origin and of life, useful and relevant information’s from my classmates and vice-versa and most of all apply what I will be learned, from the module, readings and classmates, in the teaching-learning process and in my life as well.

Project 0, from Marlyn

“From dust we came”, this is a short catchy biblical sounding title used by Dr. Pacifico Payawal in his leaflet about the essential minerals found on rocks (calcium, iron, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, potassium, iodine, nitrogen, sulfur, magnesium) which we human indirectly benefit from these, that, when our breathing ends, we get back to where we came from. It sounds like symbolic term equates scientific explanation.

How do I see evolution?

Living organisms have gradually and dramatically changed in their long history. The process of gradual changing is referred to as evolution. As stated in the World Book Encyclopedia, the idea that living things evolved from non living matter and changed through the ages is called the theory of evolution. Accordingly, the first single-celled organisms appeared about 3 or 4 billion years ago, soon after the earth’s crust had formed and cooled. As time passed, more complex organisms gradually developed specialized characteristics that helped them adapt to their environment. This evolutionary process eventually produced all the species that inhabit the earth today.

The theory of evolution today is the most important fundamental concept in biology but, as relevant as it is, acceptance to its underlying principles created a great universal conflict.

Accordingly, this theory of evolution was attacked by many scientists, religious orders and other groups. Many denounced the theory because it conflicted with the Biblical account of the creation. They opposed the idea that human beings were related to lower species. The teaching of evolution was banned in United States. However, many people accept the basic principles of evolution within the framework of their religious beliefs. Some biblical scholars interpret the story of creation as a symbolic rather than literal account of the origin of human beings and other living things.

In as vast as those contradictions laid by some great men before, what can a single mind express about it? With what is the truth and not, is never an issue (as I see it). The pressuring struggle is how one sees evolution, how one feels about it and how he believes on it.

Actually, its sometime in 2005 when I got a chance of asking a professor I met in UP about which one – Darwinism or creationism she believed on. She’d rather not reply. Apparently, this calls for measuring how much one knows about it, give evidences as proof or rather lead a debate instead or swallow the whole time leaving other works undone.

Numerous evidences to evolution were million times printed on books. Fossils of ancient life, a key to knowing the great mystery of the organisms that lived on earth million years ago where found. Information on fossil ages can be determined through radio carbon dating. We almost moved nearly to knowing the gaps towards the truth that the theory of evolution offers us but convincing myself that human races evolved from lower species like chimpanzees, gorillas orangutans or gibbons is difficult to accept. In the New Book stated, “Human beings are the highest product of evolution. Human intelligence is far superior to that of any other organism. In structure, the human body is closely related to that of apes, but this does not mean that human beings evolved from any of these apes.” More fossils of early human beings are being discovered from time to time and accurate ways of determining its dates are being developed but scientists still do not know the complete history of evolution with uncompleted and puzzling evidences, gaps were hindering the possibility of drawing conclusions from clues, to end up the whole story. From those missing links of the past, my hopes were – human beings were not descendants of those lower species.

An encyclopedia cited – “over million of years, by small changes, species gradually evolved. The new forms of life were not really new. They were improvements of earlier models. The improvements were helpful in meeting demands of a changing earth.”

Accordingly, the similarity of cell structures as to plants and its varieties, cell structures of animals as to human beings were found related to . These connections lead scientists to conclude the idea that ancestry play a relevant role in evolution. That, as stated above, present forms of life were not new, only these are improvements of the past. It’s easy to understand how human developed their thinking skills and improved their lives through inventions and technologies they engaged into. They learn to produce body enhancements, they were able to lengthen life spans through operations and surgeries, they learn to adapt to their environment, to their fast. Changing societies and make there lives comfortable but for plants, for specific animals, to change and improve structures for its own adaptation to its environment is hard to believe. For one reason, a plant like cactus for its struggle for existence, (I think) cannot do something to improve its structures for predators not to easily feed on them. Can it do augmentations to survive? Varieties of cactuses existed maybe due to geographical differences.

Some maybe deprived of gigantic sizes or amount of thorns structured in them maybe because of changes in the climate but not avoidance or protection to predators, so they automatically evolved into newer and better variety.

In the studies of Charles Darwin to bird varieties in Galapagos Island, he found that animals in the island were different from what he have seen before and much varieties were existing there. From puzzling state of mind, he was able to suggest at later studies that there’s a process by which life may have evolved. The process as he called, is natural selection. For him, the nature “selected” those organisms best suited to survive in their thrive for existence. Thus, those with better traits were able to lived longer and have more offsprings.

The nature selected. Any organism can react and adapt but I don’t think a nature can select which, how, what, when and why, or maybe my understanding towards natural selection is too narrow.

In as much as I believed, somebody manages all these, plans all these and created all these as confused as those groups in the past, I may conclude that two disciplines, science and religion should not overlooked each other’s views. Both science and religion have their own views which we, can discern with. Both disciplines maybe conformable to fact and not at certain degree.

In every strand of everything, from unicellular unit of life up to the vast solar bodies, science can enumerate scientific explanations regarding occurrences of these or disappearances of those but still, numerous phenomena exist and yet, no courageous attempts could explain them. (Maybe only resolving them through acceptance of the creator’s supernatural power and no more).

Science existed to mobilize quality of living, improve our way of life and comfort us with its inventions and technologies while religion is I think a different dimension of life which at certain manner guards us, saves our thinking. Utterances and actions from evil thoughts and deeds (only if we submit ourselves and commit ourselves to the Divine Creator)

I think, both science as justified by evolution and creationism, a pillar for our religion is actually associated with each other. Evolution inculcated in us views and concepts in literal manner while creationism conveyed to us views and concepts in symbolic, biblical manner.

Yet, the only thing which keep me stay in my preference (that God created us humans, disregarding how plants or animals evolved) is the fact that we people, in as much us we could, try avoiding sinful, worldly actions because we believed eternal life awaits after death. We try conforming to what our religion taught us and have guilty feelings when we made sinful odd things. If God do not exist, why are we trying to be good?

Project 0, from Lloyd

EVOLUTION!!!

It is very sad to say that I dont have any idea about evolution because as far

as my belief is concern I dont consider that evolution is true. In our teaching

we believe that God created the heaven and earth and all the things that exist in

this world.Evolution put our heart away from God.

Hmmmm!!! But for the sake of Bio F I will try to open my mind and heart

about evolution.

As what I know EVOLUTION is a matter of change over time . It is a

modification of living things. For example human in evolution they believe that

man are from monkeys. They believe that the solar system is from big bang

theory. In evolution all the creatures in this world are distant cousin. I mean like

me and my cousin we are from one grandparents.

But if it is true that man is coming from monkey why until this day there are

monkeys? How life exist? How plants grow in systematic way? Who take care

of the animals and plants in wild? What are the reason why there is love if there

is no God who guide and love us?

The truth is as I wrote this assignment I feel exited to learn more. I feel

again the hunger in information.That's why I expecting this subject will help me

a lot to open my mind and heart in the theory of evolution. In the world of

scientific knowledge which I tried to denied for a very long time.

Project 0, from Maricris

During my College days, Evolution was one of the subjects that were not clearly explained to us, to me. My Professor was not available and so, knowledge about the subject was not properly imparted to us.

Our professor seldom meets us for the reason that I forgot to recall why. It seems that we are taking distance education where in fact we are just starting to know the topics and we need to be guided.

During midterm examination and final examination, I can still remember that our professor was just giving us the topics and the references for us to read. No discussion took place, that’s why concepts were not properly understood. We tend to copy the important words and its definition from the book and end up memorizing it without comprehension just for us to have answer to the test given.

I grasped knowledge but is not enough to make me confident. In handling my classes, I end up using the traditional way of teaching (lecture method) whenever Evolution is the topic.

Considering Evolution on its lighter side, we tend to ask questions that are not clear to us. Where did human come from? What was the first form of life? These were few questions that come into our mind when we became aware of our existence. When we try to think about it, we can’t help but compare ourselves to the other forms of life. Humans really look the same as the chimpanzees. And very different from the fishes, but through careful observation, we have cope up with the idea that we both share the characteristics of all living things.

According to Charles Darwin, the proponent of the Theory of Evolution , organism changed from simple to complex forms, and thet humans evolved from an ancestor of the apes. But he received lots of opposition, especially from the Catholic Church.

There are many explanations and theories regarding the origin of our existence. But perhaps only Darwin’s theory gave a logical explanation that’s why it was widely accepted by the scientific community.

Inside the classroom, the hardest question that I encountered was; “If the Theory of Evolution is true and Organism changed to a better form and that humans evolved from monkeys, then why do monkey’s still exists?”

I admit that the question was difficult, add to it the bias that we have because our faith dictates that we must believe that human was created by God. While Science dictates that we must not believe any statement that is not supported by experiments or evidences. Science dictates that we should believed only statements that were the results of scientific study.

As the scientists and at the same time a devoted Christian we teachers are caught in the middle of two opposing beliefs. How can we teach evolution when deep in our hearts we believed it is not true.

Upon taking BIO E, I am looking forward to

• Understand concepts about origin of life
  
• Answer questions regarding evolution
  
• Teach evolution in the classroom confidently

Project 0, from Carrie, Part II

So what really is evolution? Based on the some dictionaries, evolution is

…the gradual process by which the present diversity of plant and animal life arose from the earliest and most primitive organisms, which is believed to have been continuing for the past 3000 million years.”

...the doctrines according to which higher forms of life have gradually arisen out of lower."

"...the development of a species, organism, or organ from its original or primitive state to its present or specialized state; phylogeny or ontogeny.” (http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-definition.html )

These definitions can be considered as a source of debate especially for the non-believers of the theory.

A very good definition of evolution is stated by a most respected evolutionary biologist,

"…In the broadest sense, evolution is merely change, and so is all-pervasive; galaxies, languages, and political systems all evolve. Biological evolution ... is change in the properties of populations of organisms that transcend the lifetime of a single individual. The ontogeny of an individual is not considered evolution; individual organisms do not evolve. The changes in populations that are considered evolutionary are those that are inheritable via the genetic material from one generation to the next. Biological evolution may be slight or substantial; it embraces everything from slight changes in the proportion of different alleles within a population (such as those determining blood types) to the successive alterations that led from the earliest protoorganism to snails, bees, giraffes, and dandelions."

- Douglas J. Futuyma in Evolutionary Biology, Sinauer Associates 1986

The word evolution has received so many bad comments and persecutions from different groups especially the religious ones, especially towards the person who bring this theory into existence, Charles Darwin. But in one article it says that this dreaded “E” word was avoided by Darwin himself.

…The name Darwin is considered by most people as synonymous with evolution, but in the Origin of Species the word "evolution" does not appear! Back in 1859 the word "evolution" had a very different meaning than what comes to mind today. Charles Darwin did not avoid using the word because he did not want to offend and incite the religious majority of his day. Rather, Darwin refers to the mechanism behind biological speciation as "descent with modification." He avoided using the word "evolution" because it did not convey the precise meaning he wanted. Ironically, the original definition of evolution implies a process more in keeping with Divine creation – that is, destiny or predetermination, if you will! (Stephen Jay Gould in his most recent essay, Natural History, February 2000)

Ironically, the original definition and view of evolution conforms to those religionist or particularly Creationist (well maybe in one sense I can consider myself as such), that is, evolution is the also the outcome of a predetermined events and not altogether the product of random mutation and selection. Although due to the extreme definitions of Modern Biologists and Geneticists, evolution has become very negative to these conservative people. They forgot to take into consideration predetermination. They rely more on the randomness of evolution not taking into consideration that there should be the interaction of random (selection) and predetermined. Therefore evolution is not completely random by itself but is forced in predictable directions by limitations imposed by other factors. These restrictions could be the environment where they live in.

The air, land and water impose limitations. Organisms try to have different strategies to be able to travel through these media. In water, large organisms develop a body form suitable for swimming, fins, flippers, adaptive body to the crushing forces of water at depth, and sensory location of objects and food in low levels of light. Animals who are on land and develop limbs for walking may have returned to the ocean and develop these structures like whales and dolphins of the mammals. Among birds are the penguins.

An animal whose locomotion is through air places has even more constraints on body form and appendage shape. They have become adapted for gliding or powered flight through their wings and have had to develop appendages that conform to aerodynamic laws. Their bodies had to reduce weight, such as hollow bones in birds. They also develop feathers as a form of insulation or maybe as a camouflage. Among mammals there are the bats, which evolved very early. Insects had to evolve wings and appendages which could propel them in controlled flight.

On land is not any different. Insects, because of their exoskeletons, small size, and segmented bodies, evolved more than two pairs of legs and they cannot evolve into super giants like we see in Hollywood. But animals with endoskeletons evolved only two pairs of legs. Land animals with six legs would require 50% more energy (ATP) than would animals with four legs (muscles eat up ATP). Thus, land animals with endoskeletons and two pairs of legs are evolutionarily favored.

The predator-prey relationship also imposes limitation that will lead to evolution. There are fossil remains of giant millipedes maybe because there was no predator for these slow-moving prey but the time came that predator exists and made them extinct and could not evolve again from their tiny cousins.

So, where God will come into the picture of evolution? Another article states;

…"For too long the Theory of Evolution has been taught as fact and as an undeniable truth. Scientists and educators have taught with fervor and passion that all life originated on Earth. Obviously there is some evidence that species change to adapt to the situation around them. But it is a giant leap of faith to assume we all came from some primeval ooze and gradually developed into complex life forms. I have had the luxury of seeing the complexity of just one cell. It is doubtful that life happened by chance. The logical conclusion is that there was a Creator. I receive many letters from scientists who claim to be experts in the field of genetics, who admit they are afraid to speak up. They are frankly afraid of losing their jobs, if they verbalize their own findings that the Theory of Evolution is in error." (THEORY OF EVOLUTION MINDSHIFT, Filer's Files #06 -- 2000, MUFON Skywatch Investigations, George A. Filer, Director, Mutual UFO Network Eastern February 12, 2000, Majorstar@aol.com (609) 654-0020 Web Site at www.filersfiles.com. -- Chuck Warren Webmaster.)

These are two contrasting views. So, is evolution really true or not? It is true because of evidences laid before us but it is not an absolute fact in a sense that it does not apply to all situations. There are always exceptions to the rule. Evolution is provisional. It is not absolute. Evolution does happen but still there is a Creator that predetermines everything. It is like the argument if God is preeminent why didn’t He anticipate that sin that will be committed by Adam or Eve. Why did He permit it to happen? Well we are endowed with a free-will which God cannot control or else He will not be a just God. But even though He knows man will fall He made a provision which is salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

This is how I see evolution and this is what I want to discover in this course. I don’t know what really evolution is in a much broader sense but I want to expand my view. This desire is for me to be convinced of the theory much more than I am now and to be very clear with this as I teach the lesson to my students. This desire is also for my students, so I can be a teacher who is not only theoretically sharing to them the knowledge but letting them see and judge for themselves what evolution is and what is the connection of this in their lives.

I also am expecting to learn from this course how to effectively teach the topic. As of now I am giving injustice to this branch of Biology because as I said I am not an advocate of it especially if you will just base it on textbooks. As of now I do not include this topic in our course syllabus maybe because my coordinator told me not to do so because she said this topic is already tackled in Social Studies. Well they maybe tackling the part of the evolution of Homo sapiens from Homo erectus or from Java man but not the scientific part of it, which I know is my responsibility to teach as a Biology teacher. So after this course I know I am more convinced and more apt to teach this topic. I may include this as an introduction to Taxonomy which is the part I can say I really do justice in teaching.

Project 0, from Carrie, Part I

(I have taken the liberty to shorten it for easier reading. I am posting it in 2 installments. - Sol)

Before whenever I come across the term evolution, the first thing that comes into my mind was that man came from apes. Well maybe because that was the most controversial part of the theory of evolution. And of course being a Christian I am not an advocate of evolution much less than the idea that man came from apes because based on the Bible man was made according to the image and likeness of God (Gen 3:16). So we all came from God and not from the apes.

I still stick to my conviction that man never came from apes but being a science teacher and a Science avid I also support the idea of evolution on lower forms of life (when I say lower form, I am referring those that are not human kind). This is because of the fossil remains and other scientific evidences that strongly support the theory of evolution. Especially after taking up Genetics (Bio D) and teaching the topic on mutations, I cannot help but be convinced that there really is such theory as evolution because of mutations. I always tell my students, the word mutation always has a bad connotation. But we should think otherwise. It is always associated to abnormalities like Harelip, Down syndrome, different diseases like hemophilia, colorblindness, and other very negative abnormalities. We do not like to be abnormal, or different from the “normal”. But what about Elizabeth Taylor’s violet eyes? Aren’t that an abnormality? But that is a very beautiful abnormality. What about dimples or cleft chins? Those are abnormalities too. But they even accentuate the beauty of a person. So, not all abnormalities are bad. Not all mutations are bad either. Mutations even happen for the advantage of an organism, in order to cope up to the changing environment. In order to survive they need to change, to evolve to a sturdier, more resistant, tough organism that is able to survive and perpetuate its own species and that is what evolution is for.

(She goes on to enumerate the different proofs for evolution)

With these proofs as the premise for consideration of evolution and really these proofs being convincing, what else can convince a non believer of the theory. As what is stated in one article I read, “When someone claims that they don't believe in evolution they cannot be referring to an acceptable scientific definition of evolution because that would be denying something which is easy to demonstrate. It would be like saying that they don't believe in gravity!” (http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-definition.html)

But as evolution is said to be a theory, therefore it is not taught as an undeniable truth. It is a theory based on scientific observations using scientific observations. It is not a blind faith. Despite the overwhelming data which support it, it is still theory. If it is proven beyond doubt then it would be called the Fact of Evolution or the Principle of Evolution and not the Theory of Evolution.

Project 0s in the Blog

Hi classmates!

It looks like an IVLE-free weekend once again... I'm posting all the Project 0's received so far for all of you who have not yet been able to access the IVLE. Also, let's keep up the discussion here until the IVLE normalizes its operations.

I'm looking for a way by which any of us can create a new post, I think it's possible, I just have to figure out how...


Anyway, here's to our Project Zeroes!

Thinking Spot 1

This is for all of us who cannot access the IVLE yet:

Module 1 thinking spot:

Why is evolution measured in Geologic time?

Does evolution imply gradual changes?

classmates, you are entering an intellectual mine field!
prepare to be challenged...!

The more the merrier

I was surprised that many of our classmates emailed me their Project 0 instead of posting them in the IVLE. It appears that many of us are still having IVLE problems. Anyway, those who have submitted by email I have taken the liberty of posting your papers in the IVLE. For the moment, let's use the blog for our online correspondence.

In line with this, I have sent our classmates the address for the blogsite. With this, I expect more of our classmates in the blog, eh?

Talking glossary!

Guess what I found? A Talking Genetics Glossary courtesy of the National Institutes of Health in US. It was created specially for laypersons who have little background on genetics, suffice to say I believe it would be a great help for us Biology teachers. You will need to download Real Player to play the files.

http://www.genome.gov/10002096

there are nice illustrations, too!

IVLE boards up and running!

Hi classmates,

the IVLE boards are now up and running! see you there...

Welcome to our class blogsite!

Hi classmates!

Wecome to BIO E and welcome to our class blogsite!

I've put up this blog so that everyone can still discuss if and when the IVLE bogs down (like today!) I'll write a short introductory note or the questions for the week and then you can post your comments and answers to this original thread. I will be the only one authorized to make threads but everyone can comment.

To be able to comment, first you have to create your own account. So that it will be easy to remember, please put in your real name or nickname and use a password that is easy for you to recall. Then, you can add a picture so that everytime you post, your picture comes up with your posting, giving it a more "face-to-face" feel.

You can comment as often as you want, I hope at least once a week.

When the IVLE comes back on, I'll be posting the class questions in the IVLE but we can still use this board for "chika" purposes :)

Best regards,

Sol