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Kathryn
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| Posted: Sept 17 2013 at 4:27pm | IP Logged
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So, I admit that science is BY FAR my weakest subject. I am least knowledgable, never really liked it and cringe every time I think about "teaching" it.   So, all that aside, I like to use a lot of the library videos to emphasize (what I consider) the technical, detailed information that I have a hard time explaining. DS was at a co-op until this year so now science really does fall to me. This year I'm trying to cover life science and don't have everything mapped out but here are topics of videos I found...DNA, cells, ecosystems, biology, life cycles etc.
I guess the "problem" for me is these are all done without any belief or mention of God. I think there's a lot of valuable information but how do I address some of the conflicts with a DS that loves the cold, hard facts of science that might be in contrast with our faith? Honestly, how will I even know what those are aside from the obvious evolution stand that we came from apes?
I have the Apologia General Science book that DD used at the co-op that I thought about using the Life Science portions in that. Maybe that will help address some of my concerns at least from a Christian view. ???
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Kathryn in TX
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JennGM
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| Posted: Sept 17 2013 at 5:06pm | IP Logged
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As a Catholic you are allowed to believe in Evolution, with small guidances along the ways.
I'm forgetting the obvious document that lists these areas. One is that God was at the beginning of any form of Creation theory (so if you believe in the Big Bang, the matter would have been created by Him).
Two is that He created one man and one woman in His Image. (If you believe in hominid or evolution of man, at one point God intervened and infused a soul into one man and one woman.)
Maybe someone can help me point the correct direction where these teachings are written.
One book on Creation that might be helpful is In the Beginning…': A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Some is his educated opinion, but very short and easy to read.
How we teach is that I teach it as a theory. It is unproven, some might make sense, but it still needs to be viewed as a theory. Any text I just have my son be aware that sometimes it is written as accepted fact, and he just needs to sort it out, using those guidelines given by the Church.
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millermom1110
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| Posted: Sept 18 2013 at 6:25pm | IP Logged
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The Church leaves a lot of wiggle room for personal interpretation when it comes to evolution. So long as God is the source of life, the Creator of all things, the Church doesn't really define much about what or how we are to believe. I found this article to be really helpful. It's lengthy, but I thought it was so great that I actually printed it up to keep a hard copy: Evolution: A Catholic Perspectivehttp://www.ewtn.com/library/humanity/evolutn.txt
I'm still in the beginning stages of my own learning as a convert, but I just wanted to say that you're not alone. I'm approaching things similarly to what Jennifer above mentioned. Evolution is a theory. That's the thing about pre-history. There aren't written records, and as of now, there's no way to prove just exactly what went down. When it comes to your son wanting cold hard facts, I think the best thing is to be honest and just tell him that we don't have all of the facts. God is mysterious and creative. The best we can do is match up the information we receive with the Church's teachings, and weed out what doesn't align. It's a good opportunity to teach him that books aren't the end-all be-all, and that we still need to use discernment, even when it seems like the author seems quite certain that (s)he has the "facts" down. 
I've heard good things about Apologia, so I'd imagine you'd be safe there. I don't have any personal experience with them yet as my oldest are only 5 & 6. I hope something here was helpful!
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 18 2013 at 6:58pm | IP Logged
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JennGM wrote:
| Maybe someone can help me point the correct direction where these teachings are written. |
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Humani Generis, an Encyclical Letter of Pius XII (1950)
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Mary M. in Denver
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Sept 18 2013 at 10:36pm | IP Logged
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One thing that I used to "miss" when this topic would come up - is that "theory" is defined different by scientists and non-scientists.
Theory for most of us is an unproven potential fact, with a good deal of plausible evidence, but still too many unknowns.
Theory for scientists is very, very, very close to a "law". It is pretty much accepted as fact, due to that plausible evidence; we just might not be able to explain every facet of the concept.
Just something to consider when reading through the great deal of literature available on this topic. :)
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SallyT
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Mary Daly's Creator and Creation (from Ye Hedge School) is a good "mom" background read taking up these questions. I actually had my science-y son read it as part of his 7th-grade life science.
Sally
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SallyT
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PS: I know a lot of people don't like it, but this same son ADORED the Michael Spear All Creatures Great and Small life-science work text (available from CHC). It's . . . not exciting in presentation, to put it mildly. And it's a lot -- we did it over two years. But as a spine for life science, even to give you some organizing principles and framework for talking about things, I think it is a worthwhile *Catholic* resource.
And although my oldest child loathed it, my son the nascent biologist credits it for awakening his love of biology. So . . . go figure.
Sally
eta: We did All Creatures in grades 6 & 7. And he did read the Mary Daly book in 7.
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Kathryn
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SallyT wrote:
PS: I know a lot of people don't like it, but this same son ADORED the Michael Spear All Creatures Great and Small life-science work text (available from CHC). It's . . . not exciting in presentation, to put it mildly. And it's a lot -- we did it over two years. But as a spine for life science, even to give you some organizing principles and framework for talking about things, I think it is a worthwhile *Catholic* resource.
And although my oldest child loathed it, my son the nascent biologist credits it for awakening his love of biology. So . . . go figure.
Sally
eta: We did All Creatures in grades 6 & 7. And he did read the Mary Daly book in 7. |
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CHC is apparently rewriting or reworking that exact book and I was waiting for it to come out (prob. next Spring) in the full color format.  I looked at the current one and thought...blah, blah, blah LOL and then saw the new one coming and thought it must be 2 completely different books!! So, maybe it will be good once they get it and they do recommend using it over 2 yrs.
I'll admit that earlier today I finally just opened that Apologia book to the What is Life section and read through it with him trying to summarize and stick to the main points and we both actually enjoyed it! Atoms, molecules, DNA, photosynthesis, metabolism...oh my...who knew that even I could understand what all that means and make it interesting and enjoyable for both of us.
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Kathryn in TX
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: How to explain evolution etc. ?
