This past week we learned about animal adaptations from two points of view, from a creationist and from an evolutionist point of view. LJA students watched a video de-scribing the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant and their work recording various Finch beaks on the Galápagos Is-lands. They concluded that the beaks of Finches change size and shape when there is a change in the environment. These changes were due to natural section or “the survival of the fittest.” This is a common evolutionist point of view.

Our Creationist science books explain that the changed beaks were an inherent characteristic already present in the finch population. The different beak sizes, which were al-ready present in the population, allowed some finches to survive during drought conditions. Creationists call this microevolution.

Dr. Tim Standish, who works at the Seventh-day Adventist Geoscience Research Institute http://grisda.org/, has includ-ed faith connections throughout our science books. When learning about animal adaptions, Dr. Standish compares the inherited changes to the changes God will help us make in our characters and our attitudes. These are the changes that help us serve others.

Our science books routinely invite us to serve others. The By Design science books combine science standards-based learning with Christian faith growth.

Susan Zimmermann