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Loons on a Lake

Loons on a Lake

Thursday, March 7, 2013

How to capture a class' attention



As part of our discussion on the history of the earth’s rocks and life forms one of my students asked me yesterday if I thought it would really be possible to bring back dinosaurs like happens in Jurassic Park. I was delighted to find this article, posted yesterday on the National Geographic website. I shared the article with the class this morning, and then asked the students what they thought.



Should we de-extinct animals?
S
“I think so only if they have plans for it like where it would live and not disturb our life. So don’t just make a mammoth and then set it free. Have it be controlled.”
W
“I think that if it was because of people that the animal went extinct, then it should be our responsibility to bring them back.”
K
“Umm, I think it would be really cool to be able to do that. But sometimes I think it would be a bad thing, like bringing a sabre-tooth tiger or something back it would compete with today’s animals and maybe even prey on them. But I think some animals might be good to bring back.”
K
“I think the technology is amazing. To think that this may be a possibility, but I don’t believe it is necessary. I don’t think extinct animals should be brought back.”


I think that the next step in this process is to share this article:
I wonder whether they will have though more carefully about their responses by tomorrow.
This would make a fascinating discussion if the students have continue to have conflicting opinions and are willing to back up their opinions with knowledge. It might even work for the Sabbath School class on environmental stewardship I've been asked to teach!
 

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