Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Living Fossils–Evolution: The Grand Experiment Vol. 2

imageLiving Fossils – Evolution: The Grand Experiment Vol 2  (Student and Teacher’s manuals)
Written by Dr. Carl Werner
Published at New Leaf Publishing Group

About the books

Student Book

In 1938, the discovery of a large, unusual fish turned the scientific community on end. Dubbed a "living fossil," the discovery of a coelacanth in South Africa shocked scientists around the world who thought this type of fish had died out millions of years prior during the process of evolution. Today, living fossils are organisms preserved in the fossil record that still exist in similar form today. Their existence challenges the core concepts of evolution and create a fascinating debate among scholars. Do they indicate a younger earth than some have thought, placing the millions-of-years evolutionary timeline into question?  Or do living fossils represent a deep mystery? Living Fossils, Vol. 2, Evolution: the Grand Experiment delves into these provocative questions. Includes 700 color images presented in an easy-to-read format. Ideal as a standalone study unit for schools and homeschoolers or easily integrated into existing

Teacher’s Manual

This Teacher’s Manual is designed for students from junior high to college and is intended to accompany the book Living Fossils. The student will learn how animals and plants are classified, how fossils are named, and how many modern-appearing animals have been found with dinosaurs. The material presented in this course contains interviews with over 16 expert scientists from some of the most highly acclaimed scientific institutions, universities, and museums of the world.

This Teacher’s Manual contains all of the tools needed to assist in lesson preparation including:

  • Purpose of Chapter: To summarize the purpose of each chapter for the instructor
  • Class Discussion Questions: To stimulate student interest in the chapter material
  • Objectives of Chapter for Students: To assist students in preparing for examinations
  • Chapter Examinations:  To assess if students adequately understand the materials
  • Sectional Examination: To prepare students for the comprehensive final examination
  • Comprehensive Final Examination: To assure students retain the information

A thorough study of the current evidence both for and against the theory of evolution is timely. As one of the most controversial topics of our day, it is appropriate for learning institutions and home educators to address this issue, and advantageous for students to be part of this important discussion.

BONUS FEATURE! Perforated test pages makes administering student exams easy!

http://livingfossilsbook.wordpress.com/

My Thoughts

I am speechless by the quality of these books.  It is definitively perfect for homeschooling your older kids on the subject of Evolution.  

The photos included in this book are stunning (both of the real animal and the fossil).   The author takes the time to compare a fossil with a live animal for every fossil pictures in this book.   While I was discovering the book one evening, I could help but show my husband what I was learning.   I think I might have stopped him about 20 times if not more that night.   *grin*   He was astonished by what I was reading him.    The book was very informative and the author has included comments to each comparison that he is presenting through the pages of this book.  Honestly, if someone goes through this book and still believes in Evolution I would be speechless.    This book is proving with the help of pictures that so-called fossils believed to be species that have disappeared is in fact fossils of species still living on Earth today.    My favourite one is the dragonfly – so

The book is divided in 25 chapters through which the author will demonstrate via stunning picture that the fossils of so-called extinct species might not be as dead as many might think….   Here’s an idea of the subjects for each chapter in the book:

Chapter 1:  Learn the story of the author
Chapter 2: How can  you verify Evolution?
Chapter 3: The naming game
Chapter 4: Echinoderms
Chapter 5: Aquatic Arthropods
Chapter 6: Land Arthropods
Chapter 7: Bivalve Shellfish
Chapter 8: Snails
Chapter 9: Other types of Shellfish
Chapter 10: Worms
Chapter 11: Sponges and Corals
Chapter 12: Bony Fish
Chapter 13: Cartilaginous Fish
Chapter 14: Jawless Fish
Chapter 15: Amphibians
Chapter 16: Crocodilians
Chapter 17: Snakes
Chapter 18: Lizards
Chapter 19: Turtles
Chapter 20: Birds
Chapter 21: Mammals
Chapter 22: Cone-Bearing Plants
Chapter 23: Spore-Forming Plants
Chapter 24: Flowering Plants
Chapter 25: Conclusions

The Teacher’s Manual contains everything you need to guide your students in the discovery of living fossils.   For each chapter of the book, you will be able to read the purpose of the chapter, a class discussion as well as the objective of the chapter.   Three tests and their answers are also included. You will also find a Student Test Record for the tests you will administrate.   The pages are perforate which makes it easier to give the test to a child.   Personally, I don’t want my kids to write in this manual so I will probably ask them to write their answers in a different notebook.  But this teacher’s manual is very well organized and will relieve you from much stress in the end.   

This curriculum is geared towards grades 6-8 students.   Now that I have these books in hands, I am thinking I should get the previous book from the same author – Evolution: The Great Experiment.

Living Fossils – the student and teacher manuals are available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: I received these products from New Leaf Publishing Group for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

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