This is a two page message, skip if busy. I found a web site for ecology education. It was interesting to see what they left out and what they included. Things like nuclear were included and a brief scan gave me the impression they liked "things" which can be measured and put in a box. The URL is: http://scrtec.org/track/tracks/f00533.html In another email someone listed the phases childen go through in learning about life. I could relate to some of it and possibly each of us go through these stages with new subjects. Three to four olds are simply sorting out categories, such as, "what goes in the various boxes (right, wrong, politics, fun, etc. ) They don't have too many value judgements, except those based on personal preference/experience, but will verbally reflect back what they have been told. Stories of magic are accepted as true. Five to eight year olds are creating maps to help fit the categories together. They will accept ideas of authorities (especially people they emotionally care about, such as parents) as more or less as true. Concrete images are good. Folk tales and stories are helpful for this group. Unless you have given them a strong counter culture, The dominant culture will have given them the definitions and models for life. Eight to ten year olds become very concerned with fairness, ("It's not fair!" is a favorite expression), ideas of good and bad and rules of right and wrong. The mind at this age understands readily the idea that "either you are for me or against me." Either God exists or doesn't, there are no gray areas. At this stage of thought ethics are mostly about keeping everything fair and equal. At Age 11- 14 Something that was in the background rises to the forefront; that is, concerns about fitting in, being liked and included by others. The rules that are universal and all important have to do with social norms; the clothes, language, interests, etc. of the groups you and others hang with. Older Teens are seeking to set their place in the adult world, while not yet able to take that place. They may begin to talk about principles and grey moral areas and dialogue between different religions, or not, depending on their development. At some point older teens or young adults may begin to step out side their own culture and wonder if anything is really true or real. jeff
