Making Sense of Science and Religion: Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond - Softcover

Shane, Joseph W

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1681405768 ISBN 13: 9781681405766

Publisher: NSTA, 2019

Synopsis

It s inevitable: If your lessons deal with evolution, genetics, the origin of the universe, or climate change, some students are bound to question whether they can reconcile what you teach with what they believe about religion. Making Sense of Science and Religion is the book that will help you anticipate and respond to their questions and help students learn science while maintaining their religious beliefs. Understanding that science and religion can co-exist can also make students more willing to learn, regardless of messages to the contrary that they may hear outside of your classroom. This book is divided into three parts: (1) some historical and cultural background as well as a framework for addressing science-religion issues in a legal, constitutional manner; (2) guidance on teaching specific scientific concepts at every grade level; and (3) advice for engaging families, administrators, school boards, policy makers, and faith communities. The book s authors are all personally and professionally invested in the subject. They are a mix of K 12 teachers, college professors, and experts from organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. As the preface notes, their hope is that you ll find the concise yet comprehensive nature of this book useful to your everyday work and to your greater understanding of science and religion.

About this title

Review:

I have been hoping for a volume like this for a long time. Making Sense of Science and Religion marshals the best scholarship on science and religion toward the deeply practical aim of helping science teachers understand what is at stake for both religion and science in the science classroom. This volume should be read by anyone who cares about making science more accessible." --Elaine Howard Ecklund, author of Secularity and Science: What Scientists Around the World Really Think About Religion

A thoughtful and thorough guide to navigating the interface between science and faith, Making Sense of Science and Religion combines the elements of a legal handbook and a how-to manual to create a common-sense guidebook for holding respectful conversations on this controversial topic. It s a must read for scholars, educators, and anyone interested in the impact of science on religious thought. --Dr. Kenneth Miller, Professor of Biology, Brown University

This book is at once thoughtful and practical. The authors make a compelling, well-researched case that respecting students religious beliefs and addressing their faith-motivated questions not only is ethical and legal, but actually leads to better learning outcomes in the public school science classroom. Their gentler, humbler approach will be useful for teachers of any belief who want to reach all students in their science classrooms. --Deborah Haarsma, astronomer and president of BioLogos

About this edition

• Publisher: NSTA
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1681405768
• ISBN 13: 9781681405766
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 217