The Evolution of Creationism:  Critically Appraising Intelligent Design

The Final Assignment - there are two assignments to choose from.  Pick one!

Option 1. SC Curriculum Standards Policy Statement

Write a formal policy statement for the state of South Carolina regarding the question of whether or not ID should be included in (or added to) the South Carolina Department of Education's Science Curriculum Standards (click on link to view science standards) as a valid alternative to the current standards on evolutionary theory taught in high school biology classes (Biology I and II).  Including ID in the South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards would require that teachers teach its tenets in science classrooms as another scientifically valid explanation for life's diversity and complexity.  Your policy statement should definitely include (but not necessarily be limited to) the following:

1. A brief summary of the tenets of ID, and of evolutionary theory.  Additionally discuss how they differ with regard to their explanation of life's diversity and complexity.
   
2. A clear justification for why the State of South Carolina should or should not include ID in the Biology Curriculum Standards as expressed above.  This justification should discuss
   
• how ID either does or does not  adhere to the process and nature of scientific thinking, reasoning, explaining.   You should use concepts that we have been discussing in class for this!
  
• the specific biological examples/evidence/ideas that proponents of intelligent design use to argue that ID is a valid alternative to evolutionary theory.  It should also address specific biological examples/evidence/ideas of how critics of ID (i.e. evolutionary biologists) challenge or refute the claims of ID.  
3. A concluding paragraph with your specific policy recommendations how ID should be handled in the SC Curriculum Standards, and therefore by teachers in high school biology classes.  (For example, if your policy statement supports teaching ID in biology classes...how should it be taught?  On the other hand, if your statement rejects teaching ID, then how should a teacher handle this topic if it is brought up by a student in a biology class?)
   

Some specific guidelines for the assignment

• For each of the points above, you should not simply list evidence/ideas/examples, but rather you should EXPLAIN them. 
  
• You MAY use anything from your research summaries!
  
• The audience you are writing for here are mostly politicians (state legislators) who will have very little science background, so it will in part be your job to inform them about the specifics of this issue. 
  
• Although you are certainly welcome to discuss other related topics that speak to this issue (i.e. legal, constitutional, religious, historical etc...), the bulk of your policy statement should address points 1-3 stated above.   The majority of your grade on this assignment will be based on how well you argue these points.
• You may use anything from your learning issues summary...cut and paste whole sections is fine, as long as they fit grammatically and stylistically with your statement.  Be sure to address concerns that I wrote on your graded learning issues summary before you put any text from it in your policy statement.
  
• This policy statement should be ~1.5 - 2 pages typed.  (1 full page = 1" side margins, 1.5" top and bottom margins, and SINGLE spaced!)
  
• Cite your sources in the body of the statement, and a works cited using APA style citation formatting.  I will take one full letter grade off AUTOMATICALLY if you do not cite or sources of use improper formatting.
  

Note - I am seeking your honest, but informed ideas on this issue in your policy statements.  YOU WILL NOT be graded off, if your ideas on this issue conflict with mine.  Remember...this is a biology class, so at the very least, your policy statement must show me that you understand the nature of science and evolutionary theory as they relate to this issue.

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Option 2.  Write a dialog between two (or more) individuals discussing the evolution - ID controversy.

For this assignment, you should write a dialog between two individuals who are informed on each side of this issue.  One individual should be a proponent of including Intelligent Design as a valid alternative to evolutionary theory in SC high school biology classes. This would mean that the South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards would require that teachers teach the tenants of ID in science classrooms as another scientifically valid explanation for life's diversity and complexity.  The other individual is a evolutionary biologist who is opposed to including ID in the science curriculum standards.   In the dialog, your characters should discuss the following

1. A brief summary of the tenets of ID, and of evolutionary theory.  Additionally discuss how they differ with regard to their explanation of life's diversity and complexity.
2. Justifications on each side for why the State of South Carolina should or should not include ID in the Biology Curriculum Standards as expressed above.  In your dialog you must use your characters' discussion to argue
   
• how ID either does or does not  adhere to the process and nature of scientific thinking, reasoning, explaining.   You should use concepts that we have been discussing in class for this!
  
• the specific biological examples/evidence/ideas that your proponent of intelligent design uses to argue that ID is a valid alternative to evolutionary theory.  The evolutionary biologist character should address specific biological examples/evidence/ideas of how critics of ID (i.e. evolutionary biologists) refute the claims of ID.  (Note - you should include the notions of irreducible complexity in this discussion, but you should also include at least one other example/idea/evidence used to support ID, and how critics refute or can't refute it.)
3. You may conclude your dialog in what ever way you wish (i.e. the characters simply agree to disagree, or one side caves in and agrees with the position of the other).  However if you decide to conclude your dialog in this way, it will be imperative that you show me that you at least understand the nature of science, evolutionary theory, and the evidence supporting this theory.
   

Some specific guidelines for the assignment

• For each of the points above, your characters should not simply list evidence/ideas/examples, but rather they should EXPLAIN them. 
  
• You MAY use anything from your research summaries!
• Although your characters are certainly encouraged to discuss other related topics that speak to this issue (i.e. legal, constitutional, religious, historical etc...), the bulk of your policy statement should address the 3 points stated above.   The majority of your grade on this assignment will be based on how well they argue the scientific/biological points.
• This dialog should be ~1.5 - 2 pages typed.  (1 full page = 1" side margins, 1.5" top and bottom margins, and SINGLE spaced!)
• Since this is a dialog, you DO NOT need to formally cite your sources in the body of the dialog.  Instead, if your characters are using the ideas/discoveries of another person, simply have them make mention of that person (or group) in their statement (i.e. According to the Discovery Institute, ID is...).  Please DO include a list of "References" at the end of the dialog. 
  

Note - I am seeking your honest, but informed ideas on this issue in your dialog.  YOU WILL NOT be graded off, if your ideas on this issue conflict with mine.  Remember...this is a biology class, so at the very least, your dialog must show me that you understand the nature of science and evolutionary theory as they relate to this issue.