The Great evolution trial: Use of role‐play in the classroom

Abstract

Abstract This article gives both the pedagogic and scientific thinking that guided the construction of a classroom role‐play—The Great Evolution Debate. This role‐play is about the publication of Darwin's The Origin of Species , which is supposed to be on trial for blasphemy. Historical characters are used to show the range of ideas which were current at that time. The literature on learning history, and on learning about the nature of science, is discussed, leading to an examination of historical empathy as a classroom objective. The reasons for including the various characters in the role‐play are explained. The exercise has been used by 15 to 16‐year‐old students in British high schools with considerable success, and some tentative findings about learning from role‐play are drawn from its observation.