"Are dinosaurs still alive?"
"No, honey, they all died. They're extinct."
"Oh. Did dinosaurs have trains?"
"No, that's just pretend on TV. Only people can build trains and people weren't around yet when the dinosaurs were alive." (Suck it, Ken Ham!)
"Well, how did the people get here?"
"Well, after the dinosaurs died, there were other animals left that changed over time and became people other different animals."
"You mean they changed like frogs and caterpillars?"
"Well, that's a little different. When caterpillars and tadpoles become butterflies and frogs, that's called metamorphosis."
"Mefamorphis?"
Anyway, I tried to explain a little better, but wasn't sure how to present concepts like super-fecundity, natural selection, and the passing on of genes in ways that an almost-six-year-old could grasp. (Also at the back of my mind was that this conversation could easily segue into having "the Talk.") So I got on the internet to see what age appropriate books on the topic might be available. I've got it narrowed down to two. This one:
Or this one:
Has anyone read either of these and can offer me any useful information about them? My child's educational future is in your hands. Thanks!
I have the first, but not the second. It could work, though it might be more appropriate for an older child. Couldn't hurt to try, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteJust a thought: One thing that might help is to start with microevolution first, then move on to macroevolution. Also domestication. Dogs, pigeons, etc. are great examples of how organisms can change over relatively short periods of time. Dogs have been domesticated longest, show a whole lot of variation, and are something a bit more tangible than dinosaurs and proto-mammals.
Hope that helps :)
Thanks, Paul!
ReplyDeleteOur Family Tree is excellent with great colors but it kinda skirts around dinosaurs in favor of the mammal-like reptiles that are more directly involved in our vertebrate lineage.
ReplyDeleteIf you're not too opposed to used books, It's worth seeking out the long out of print Giant Golden Book "Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Reptiles." The science may be out-dated, but it's a wonderful shared reading experience (with a handy pronunciation guide in the index) coupled with the peerles painted illustrations by the great Rudolph F. Zallinger.
On a related note, don't forget They Might be Giants "Here Comes Science" CD/DVD for when they're a little older. It's the School House Rock of the 21st century.
Hemant Mehta (The Friendly Atheist) posted on this on his website. . . here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://friendlyatheist.com/2009/01/05/evolution-books-for-children/
Enjoy.
Have not read either one but have had lots of those conversations. And ones about god and religion. Yesterday my son said "I don't know the truth about god..." and I said "Me either honey.."
ReplyDeleteOh look! I came here to respond, and Tim Butler already responded. He read Our Family Tree to my daughter.
ReplyDeleteI liked the book a lot and I plan to buy it. I haven't looked at the other book. Can you check them out of a library and preview them to see if you or your son like them?
It's so funny you posted this. I'm also looking for books of alternative ideas to put in our kids' library. If my Christian relatives insist on buying my children Christian books, the least I can do is make sure they're well-rounded with ideas of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, etc.
If you're looking for a fun primer to Hindu deities:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Hindu-Deities-Goddess/dp/0452287758
I'm not sure about what's suitable for explaining the concept of evolution clearly and truthfully. As a kid, I always had misconceptions about evolution even after reading dozens of encyclopedias, which I only found about like, last December?
ReplyDeletePlus, I had problems explaining the concept even to my friends (they're all teenagers already), so it may be hard to explain the concept to kids. But anyway, I wish you good luck in finding a good book to explain evolution successfully! :-)
I agree with Paul about micro- before macro-evolution. I have Daniel Loxton's book and my 9-year old cousin was able to make it through the book - but only with a *lot* of questions and a dictionary! The images in "Evolution" are very good. I liked his explanation of the evolution of eyes :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Paul about micro- before macro-evolution. I have Daniel Loxton's book and my 9-year old cousin was able to make it through the book - but only with a *lot* of questions and a dictionary! The images in "Evolution" are very good. I liked his explanation of the evolution of eyes :)
ReplyDeleteHemant Mehta (The Friendly Atheist) posted on this on his website. . . here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://friendlyatheist.com/2009/01/05/evolution-books-for-children/
Enjoy.
Our Family Tree is excellent with great colors but it kinda skirts around dinosaurs in favor of the mammal-like reptiles that are more directly involved in our vertebrate lineage.
ReplyDeleteIf you're not too opposed to used books, It's worth seeking out the long out of print Giant Golden Book "Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Reptiles." The science may be out-dated, but it's a wonderful shared reading experience (with a handy pronunciation guide in the index) coupled with the peerles painted illustrations by the great Rudolph F. Zallinger.
On a related note, don't forget They Might be Giants "Here Comes Science" CD/DVD for when they're a little older. It's the School House Rock of the 21st century.