Science+and+the+Courts

Wiki unit for Science and the Courts


 * TASK**:


 * Students will work in small groups to produce a collaborative wiki space that illustrate an understanding of topics discussed in the unit, how to research court cases, and explain how science applies to the American justice system in the past and present. The wiki space should incorporate the use of at least three technology strategies that you have learned during the technology program. **

Day 1 = Day 1 Objectives: = 1. Define Evolution in their own words 2. Evaluate social, cultural, and political events of the early 1900s
 * // Students will be Able to //** :

This is the link to our Day 1 assignment.

In my opinion the objective of the video we saw was to explain in a visual manner the theory of evolution. The Simpsons' character starts out as a tiny cell that multiplies more and more until he becomes an organsim. He then becomes a fish-like creature and eventually starts walking on land. He then evolves to a dinosaur, rodent, monkey, then man. 1. Is this Darwin's theory of evolution? 2. Is this idea widely accepted by people? 1. It was Darwin's Thoery of Evolution which revolves around the idea that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor. 2. According to a Gallup pole taken in 2009 only about 39% of people actually believe in evolution. It is however more widely accepted by scientists.
 * Opener: **
 * Questions:**
 * Answers:**


 * Activity 1: **

** Activity 2: **

We also filled out a graph to help us understand what evolution is, as well as a few examples.



Here's a second Wordle we made after the lesson that encompasses everything we learned.



​ My impression of the 1920's = both good and bad because there were certain laws that did great things but some of the peoples' responses to what was going on was radical and negative.
 * Activity 3 **

Here's an interactive timeline we made on the events that occured during the 1920's with a brief explanation on each of them.




 * Do you think that scientific research and discovery might be in conflict with some values and ideals of the 1920's? Why or why not? Provide evidence from today's activities to support your response.**

I do think that scientific research and discovery might be in conflict with some values and ideals of the 1920's. For instance, through scientific research and discovery scientists have come up with theories and reasons to explain evolution, and many times those explanations clash with strong religious beliefs and opinions that came about around the 1920's. There was even an event known as the Scopes Trial in which John Scope (a teacher) was put on trial for teaching his students the theory of evolution. I think there's a lot of conflict between these two things because usually people aren't very open to change, and that's really because they don't know what that change is.


 * Identify parallels between this topic and conflicts/events that are going on today**.

Womens Rights Movement, Civil Rights Movement, Ku Klux Klan organization


 * Make an argument for or against the theory of Evolution supporting your argument.**
 * For: the Theory of Evolution**

There have actually been many studies that support the Theory of Evolution. For instance, there are homologous structures, which are similar structures between animals (example: human arm, monkey arm). In addition there is the fossil record that shows how evolution has taken place through the fossils of different of animals (example: fossils that show amphibians evolved from fish that were capable of breathing air and moving on land). You'll even notice that different species today share many similar features, which would suggest that they inherited those features from a common ancestor. - similar embryos between different animals - protein studies: similar amino acid sequences between different animals - vestigial structures - geographic distribution
 * More supportive studies:**

​**- the Bible/Bible creationism (which people only believe in based on their religion) - Creationism (religious belief that everything is the creation of some supernatural power)
 * Arguments against the Theory of Evolution:

​ Day 2 = Science Clashes with Society in the 1920's: = = Tennessee v. John Scopes (1925) = = "Scopes Monkey Trial" = = Day 2 Objectives: = 1. Explain the controversy of teaching evolution in schools 2. Identify the different views about teaching evolution in schools 3. Evaluate the impact of the Scopes trial in America
 * // Students will be Able to //** :

A political cartoon on the Scopes Trial + Theory of Evolution
 * Extended Opener: I See/It Means **




 * Activity 1: The Simpsons Tackle Evolution**


 * 1. What was the message of this cartoon clip?**

The cartoon clip was trying to show its audience the public's initial reaction to the idea of teaching non-biblical science in schools. The logical idea in the clip was clearly to teach Darwin's Theory of Evolution as well as the religious explanation but the church (looking to expand its congregation) wanted to eliminate every other teaching besides the one in the Bible because they clearly did not want to believe any alternative reason to their existence other than the one that they were taught their entire lives.


 * 2. Do you think something like this could actually happen?**

I do think something like this could actually happen and it has (the Scopes Trial). People respond strongly when it involves something they truly care about, such as religion. It's almost like saying everything you believe is wrong, and when you do that people are automatically defensive and angry.

Here's a link to a document we read and marked up about the teaching of the Theory of Evolution (which was banned) in Tennesee in 1925.
 * Activity 2a: The Scopes Monkey Trial**



Here's the discussion my group and I had about our markups and opinions.



After that we were assigned a specific person or organization significant to the case and my group was assigned William Jennings Bryan. Here's a link to our PiratePad discussion about William Jenning Bryan online. I also added a link to a Word document below which is all on the PiratePad already but I wanted to add just in case there were any technical difficulties with PiratePad.









Here's a link to the glog I made on the Scope's trial

Day 3

Day 3: Objectives: //Students will be able to:// Explain how their Glog/Slide represents the signifcance of events that occurred during the Scopes Trial Identify and explain the connection between science and the justice system in today's world

Opener: Scopes trial; case about creationism v. Evolution; Butler Act Symbol illustrating the connection between Science and the Courts



Day 4

Here's a link to our day 4 assignment, which was basically to make another wiki explaining the connection between science and the courts. We had to use atleast three different tools that we've learned over the past few weeks and of course explain them and add commentary to it.

Our wiki is called Science and the Courts 101 -

http://scienceandthecourts101.wikispaces.com/