Re: Physical anthro at the high school level

Joni R Beaulieu (JRB8947@UTARLG.UTA.EDU)
19 Aug 1995 15:35:06 GMT

Eryn Picard (at693@FreeNet.Carleton.CA) wrote:
: Irwin Cohen (ic@primenet.com) writes:
: > I am currently assembling material to be used for a textbook on physical
: anthropology for high school students. Anyone out there have any experience
: in this area? If so, would appreciate any suggestions you have
: regarded formHat, content or approach.

: Well.. I started taking physical anthropology in my second year of
: university. I really don't see how you could cover the material needed to
: explore this subject fully because of the bacground in biology/chem &
: physics needed.. perhaps an overview.. but I think it's alot to handle at
: the high school level..
: Eryn

Eryn,
I disagree. Don't underrate the level of education high school students
have. Physical anthropology covers a lot of topics: genetics, evolution,
anatomy, biology, etc., etc. Even the Intro level college courses do
not fully explore the topic. Only those students wanting to specialize
in physical anthropology really delve into these topics with the levle
of expertise needed. I believe one CAN develop a descent introduction
course at the high school level.

Irwin,
I do not have experience in the area of teaching high school students,
however, if I were to attempt the project, I'd collect a number of Intro
to Physical Anthropology texts and pick three or four general topics
to look at in the class. With physical anthropology you have a chance
to be very visual -- casts of fossils, comparison of chimp and human
bone structure, genetics. These re wonderful teaching aids.
The experience I do have teaching is as a TA. In taught Intro to
Anthropology at the college level. I was expecting a lot of flack
when I discussed evolution. Got a little. It may be more difficult
with high school students. If you include evolution, you may want to
get a form with the parents permission for their child to be exposed
to this information. What I was surprised at was that most people
objected to the fact that there is no "race" in H. sapiens! Go
figure.....
Good luck. You should enjoy teaching this class. It sounds like
fun.

: --
: The witching hour has come ... Blessed Be =)

--

Joni Renee Beaulieu                :  Your reason and your passion

University of Texas at Arlington   :  are the rudder and the sails

Email: JRB8947@utarlg.uta.edu      :  of your seafaring soul.  <Gibran>