Since virtually all credible science materials, particularly those related to the life sciences, support current thought on origins of life and modern cosmology this list could be endless. Instead we have chosen to present resources that have been recommended and used by MAST members. If you have suggestions to add to this list or have found errors, please contact us. A resource with a * next to it is one of our favorites.

 

Books:

Many of these books can be found in bookstores or school and public libraries. Ones that are out of print can often be located using a good book purchasing website via the internet. The following books fall into several categories:

E = explains evolution and the evidence supporting its working mechanisms

A = contains activities designed to teach evolution

D = discusses attempts to inject religion into science education

 

Elementary  (many of these can also be used in middle school )

• How Whales Walked Into the Sea by Faith McNulty (E)*
• An Early Start to Ourselves and Evolution by Roy Richards (E)(primary) *
• Evolution by Joanna Cole (E)*
• Early Humans by Roy Gallant (E) *
• Evolution by Alvin Silverstein (E, D) *
• Meg and Dad Discover Treasure in the Air by Lisa Peters (E)(primary)
• Evolution by Andres Ruiz (E)
• The Tree of Life: The Wonders of Evolution by Ellen Jackson (E)(primary)
• Atlas of Human Origins by Henri De Saint-Blanquat  (E)
• From the Water to the Land by Renato Massa  (E)
• To the Beginning of Time by Nicholas Harris (E)
• The Beast in You; Activities & Questions to Explore Evolution by Marc McCutcheon  (E, A)
• The Story of Life on Earth by Nicholas Harris (E)
• Searching for Human Origins by Jean-Loup Craipeau  (E, D)
• The Extraordinary Story of Life on Earth by Piero Angela (E)
• Before the Sun Dies: The Story of Evolution by Roy Gallant (E) *
• Eyewitness Science: Evolution by Linda Gamlin  (E, D)
• How Dinosaurs Came to Be by Patricia Lauber  (E) *
• Dance of the Continents by Roy Gallant  (E) *
• Digging for Bird Dinosaurs: An Expedition to Madagascar by Nic Bishop  (E) *
• Digging up Tyrannosaurus Rex by Jack Horner  (E) * 
• Creation by Ann Pilling  (a nice collection of creation myths)
• Raptors, Fossils, Fins & Fangs by Ray Troll & Brad Matsen  (E)
• Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution by Steve Jenkins (E) *
• Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon by Jeannine Atkins (E) *
• The News About Dinosaurs by Patricia Lauber  (E)

 

Secondary (and beyond)

• The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (E) *
• The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin (E) *
• The Book of Life: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Life on Earth by Stephen Jay Gould et. al. (anything by Gould is a good resource) (E, D) *
• The Creation Controversy & the Science Classroom by James Skehan & Craig Nelson (NSTA) (E, D, A) *
• Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science by the National Academy of Science (E, D, A) *
• Ecology and Evolution: Islands of Change by Richard Benz (NSTA) (A) *
• Evolution’s Workshop: God and Science on the Galapagos Islands by Edward J Larson (E)
• The Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner (E) *
• Epperson V. Arkansas: The Evolution-Creationism Debate by Jonathan Thorndike (D)
• The Evolution Book by Sara Stein  (E, A) *
• Evolutionism and Creationism by Ben Sonder (D)
• Origins of Life by Freeman Dyson (E)
• Sudden Origins: Fossils, Genes, and the Emergence of Species by Jeffrey H. Schwartz (E)
• Human Evolution by Robert Gardner (E, D)
• The Autobiography of Charles Darwin and Selected Letters edited by Francis Darwin (E, D)
• Darwin and the Beagle by Alan Moorehead (E, D)
• Evolution and the Myth of Creationism by Tim Berra (E, D)
• Hominids: A Look Back at Our Ancestors by Helen Roney Sattler (E)
• The Darwinian Revolution; Science Red in Tooth and Claw by Michael Ruse (E, D) *
• Evolutionary Wars: A Three-Billion-Year Arms Race-The Battle of Species on Land, at Sea, and in the Air by Charles Kingsley Levy (E) *
• The Triumph of Evolution by Nils Eldridge (E, D) *
• The History of Science and Religion in the Western Tradition; An Encyclopedia by Gary B. Ferngren ed. (E, D)
• The Kingfisher Book of Evolution by Stephen Webster (E)

 

Curricular Frameworks:

• National Science Education Standards by the National Academy Press (see National Academy of Science)
• Benchmarks by the American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Delaware State Science Standards – strong, overt emphasis of evolution throughout curricula

 

Internet:

Please keep in mind that websites are subject to change with little or no notice.

• National Center for Science Education* (great place to start)
• Cal Berkeley Evolution Portal **(super for teachers)
• Voices for Evolution (support for science from a variety of sources)
• National Academy of Science Evolution page *
• NSTA Evolution resources*
• AAAS Evolution Webpage* (great resource page)
• Evolution Journal (peer reviewed)
• Natural History magazine (always a good article or two)
• Science and Creationism (NAS report)
• Talk Origins Archives*
• ENC Evolution Weblinks* (lesson plans too)
• PBS Evo site* (great resources)
• Evolution and the Nature of Science Institute (very teacher friendly)
• BBC Evolution page
• Fordham Report* (great info from a conservative source)
• Becoming Human
• Darwin Day* (good resources)
• Education Weekly article (compare your state standards to others)
• Evolution and the Fossil Record* (AGI geology text)
• Evolution vs. Creationism forum
• BioMedia Associates (weblinks for teachers)
• About Darwin
• Skeptics Society
• Students for Science & Reason*
• Scientific American article* (intelligent responses to creationist nonsense)
• Bob Riggin’s homepage (interesting personal webpage) 
• Creation “Science” Debunked (personal webpage)
• Evonet
• Darwin’s Webring
• Evolution Webring
• Evolvefish (buy fun stuff)

 

 

 

Professional Associations:

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• National Science Foundation
• National Academy of Science
• National Science Teachers Association
• National Association of Biology Teachers
• National Association of Geoscience Teachers
• Maryland Science Supervisors Association
• Maryland Association of Biology Teachers