Bicentenary of Darwin's birth

The year 2009 marks the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and 150 years since the publication of On the Origin of Species.

The Charles Darwin Trust

The Charles Darwin Trust (CDT) has already developed Darwin Inspired Learning resources for schools and professional development programmes for teachers.

Darwin Inspired Learning draws attention to Plants associated with Darwin, ranging from foxgloves and cabbages to tropical orchids.

Educational visits during 2009 may be used to emphasise Darwin's ways of working and establish some of his experiments to develop children's thinking, debating and reasoning skills. Simple experiments that underpin Darwin's theories can be illustrated in school gardens.

To find out more about The Charles Darwin Trust
Click here

Darwin CPD day

The RHS Wisley is hosting a special professional Development Day for Secondary School Teachers and school technicians to celebrate Charles Darwin’s Bicentenary. Read more:

'Darwin 200'

Darwin200 is a national programme of events celebrating Charles Darwin’s scientific ideas and their impact around his two hundredth birthday on 12 February 2009. To find out more click here

Exploring Evolution

The Wellcome Trust has commissioned two major national education initiatives, with free activities available for all primary and secondary state schools.

For primary schools

A 'Darwin Treasure Chest' packed with everything needed to help children follow in the footsteps of Darwin.

Children will learn key scientific skills through:

• exploring habitats
• collecting seeds
• growing plants and
• going on nature walks in and around their school grounds.

For more information and to register your interest click here:

www.greatplanthunt.org

For Secondary schools

Three kits are available for different age groups, to enable Darwin-inspired experiments on:

• natural selection in predator-prey relationsihps (using 'spaghetti worms' and wild birds)
• sexual selection (looking at mate choice in brine shrimp)
• evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

For more information and to pre-order click here:

www.survivalrivals.org