LETTER tram the EDI
This is a very science- an logy-orien~d issue.
2009'Year,and ail around the world people will be payingtribute to the immense breakthrough this great man achieved. 1 used to have my stu- dents read a short extract tram Darwin's autobiography, found in a textbook, ln which he explained that
1he hated school and would rather 1 play truant, chasing rabbits in the school grounds, than learn his Latin conjugations... That opened new prospects t06!
So we will read about the stir that the Theory of Evolution first caused, net only in scientific circles but aise in religious and social cnes. And the debate has never really disappeare,(j, sinGe seme schools now prefer to teach "Intelligent Design". You'lI
find material to hel pupils
at bath lower and upper intermediate levels learn' about the theory and its impact on Victorian society.Australia was part of Darwin's field investigations in the southern hemisphere and so we have chosen it as our second main topic. Besides, December is always a good period for European pupils to study the Antipodes, the reversai of seasons and life in the Bush.
Discoveries and inventions always elicit debate.
Modern technology is no exception, and as Google cele- brated its 10th anniversary recently, questions inevitably arose. What about censorship on the web? Who are the
titans
of high tech who shape our virtual environment?What raie will technology - including robots - have in our
lives soon?
1We include audio interviews with bath scientists and school-children at a science museum, and an on-JinG video documentary about on-JinG teaching in Australia and a tale from the Aboriginal Dreamtime.
Pedagogy has pride of place too: from a very practical, real-life experience with groupesde compétences to our
"Interaction" column, which is becoming more and more popular.
As the year is drawing to a close, 1 hope yeu enjoy a JiUle article about how much
"Christmas has "evolved" sinr.e the first
millennium! H- 1.
