Darwin Day is a celebration to commemorate the birthday of Charles Darwin on 12 February1809. The day is used to highlight Darwin's contributions to science and to promote science in general. Darwin Day is celebrated around the world, but for Australians, Darwin has a special place as he visited in 1836 and it was Australian flora and fauna that got Darwin thinking about why our animals are so different.
Sydney was just one of many ports of call for the Beagle on its five-year round-the-world surveying voyage. Before departing the antipodes two months later, Darwin was to have a revelation that would eventually inform his grand theory of evolution by natural selection. Read this article.
Talking about Charles Darwin with students always elicits much discussion about his work and there are always requests for books so they can read more. These books are a good start but there are many picture books on evolution that are easy enough for eight year olds to begin an interest in evolution.
What Mr Darwin Saw by Mick Manning and Britta Branstrom
This book follows the journey of HMS Beagle, showing life on-board the ship for Darwin, the captain, crew and the expedition's artist. The reader sees Darwin discovering and observing insect life in Brazil, fossils in Argentina , earthquakes in Chile and turtles in the Galapagos Islands. The reader is therefore able to follow the steps which led to Darwin's inspired theory of evolution.
What Darwin Saw: The Journey that Changed the World by Rosalyn Schanzer
In 1831 a 22-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin stepped aboard the HMS Beagle as a traveling companion of an equally youthful sea captain called Robert FitzRoy. The Beagle's round-the-world surveying journey lasted five long years on the high seas. The young Darwin noticed everything, and proved himself an avid and detailed chronicler of daily events on the Beagle and onshore.
Charles Darwin's Around the World Adventure by Jennifer Thermes
In 1831, Charles Darwin embarked on his first voyage. Though he was a scientist by profession, he was an explorer at heart. While journeying around South America for the first time aboard a 90-foot-long ship named the Beagle, Charles collected insects, dug up bones, galloped with gauchos, encountered volcanoes and earthquakes, and even ate armadillo for breakfast!
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of the Species by Sabina Radeva
A picture book adaptation of Charles Darwin's groundbreaking On the Origin of Species, lushly illustrated and told in accessible and engaging easy-to-understand text for young readers.
Darwin & Hooker by Alexandra Stewart and Joe Todd-Stanton
On 24th November 1859, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was first published, selling out almost immediately. Describing the now well known theory that humans evolved through a process called natural selection, it became an instant classic and cemented Darwin as one of the greatest biologists of all time. However, he couldn’t have done it without the support, encouragement and advice from those who believed in him. None more so than Joseph Hooker, his friend, confidant and fellow collector, who supported and helped Darwin when he didn’t dare ask anyone else.
Biographies such as these and picture books that explain evolution in more simple ways for a young audience.
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