TABLE 3.

Examples of ReCCEE activities that could be implemented when teaching evolution

Activity	Description	ReCCEE practice
Surveys	Survey your students on their beliefs about religion and evolution so you know your audience and can acknowledge them. Are they religious? Which religious denominations do they identify with? Do they see a conflict between their religious beliefs and evolution? Do they accept evolution? Then acknowledge the different views that students have in class while keeping specific student beliefs confidential.	Acknowledge, explore
Journals	Assign students a journaling activity to encourage them to reflect on their stances about religion and evolution. Possible prompts include, “In your view, do you see a conflict between your personal beliefs and evolution?,” “Have your views on the relationship between religion and evolution changed? Why or why not?”	Explore
Reading	Assign students to read biographies of scientists who are religious and accept evolution. Try to have students read biographies of scientists from different religious denominations so that each student (or as many as possible) can see his or her identity reflected in at least one scientist. To make sure readings are representative of all students in the class, including those without religious beliefs, also include secular scientists who accept evolution.	Provide role models who accept evolution, highlight potential compatibility
Instructor presentation	Show the official stances of different religious denominations on evolution. For instance, the Catholic church officially supports evolution, while the Mormon church is silent with respect to evolution. It is best to know which religious denominations your students identify with to be relevant to most of your students.	Outline spectrum of views, highlight potential compatibility
Group work	Make a list of questions such as “Does God exist?,” “How old is life on Earth?,” “Did God create humankind?,” and “Do humans share a common ancestor with chimpanzees?,” and have students categorize and discuss which questions are subject to scientific analysis, which are not, and why.	Teach the nature of science
Instructor presentation	Show different positions on the relationship between religion and evolution, including special creationism, theistic evolution, agnostic evolution, and atheistic evolution. Distinguish which of these positions is philosophically compatible with the evidence from science and which are not.	Outline the spectrum of views, teach the nature of science, highlight potential compatibility
Guest visitors	Have religious scientists visit the class and talk with students about how they reconcile religious beliefs and evolution.	Provide role models, highlight potential compatibility