{"id":2492,"date":"2010-09-24T22:41:33","date_gmt":"2010-09-25T05:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bspcn.com\/?p=2492"},"modified":"2010-09-24T22:41:33","modified_gmt":"2010-09-25T05:41:33","slug":"top-10-lies-your-teachers-told-you-in-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/2010\/09\/24\/top-10-lies-your-teachers-told-you-in-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Lies Your Teachers Told You in School"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by degreescout<\/a><\/p>\n

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Via bbc.co.uk<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

The peppered moths of Britain evolved from light to dark because of the pollution caused by the industrial revolution.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

Teachers love this little story because it makes it so easy for students to understand the concept. The image of the light and dark moths on light and dark surfaces is simple to grasp. Too bad the tale is more black and white than the moths.<\/p>\n

Peppered moths came in a variety of shades, from light to dark and have existed as such since before the industrial revolution. By oversimplifying the situation, natural selection is painted as a life-or-death situation.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Middle school students don\u2019t really need to grasp the complexities of natural selection. Further explanation in later grade levels builds on this basic, but not complete concept.<\/p>\n

9. Van Gogh\u2019s ear<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Crazy Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear and gave it to a girl as a token of his love. Did we mention that he was crazy?<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the crazy part is a fact, and the gift giving part may be true, Van Gogh did not cut off his own ear. He actually lost it in a fight with friend and fellow artist, Paul Gauguin.<\/p>\n

Why It Should Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

People don\u2019t need to think Van Gogh was crazier than he was.<\/p>\n

8. The Scientific Method<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Via Sciencebuddies.org<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scientists follow a rigid procedure called the \u201cscientific method\u201d for every experiment conducted.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is no one method or procedure. Science isn\u2019t a wash, rinse, repeat kind of thing. While hypothesis-experiment-conclusion is a method used by scientists, it is one of many.<\/p>\n

Why It Should Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

By telling such a lie, children are led to believe that there is no creativity or imagination in science.<\/p>\n

7. Pocahontas<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pocahontas was an adult Powhattan princess who saved John Smith\u2019s life and later fell in love with him.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

First and foremost, Pocahontas was twelve at the time that John Smith and his crew landed in the New World. That takes care of the adult and, hopefully, the romance pieces of this tale. Furthermore, there were no witnesses to the part about her saving John Smith\u2019s life. Last but not least, John Smith had a well recorded tendency to exaggerate and embellish stories.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Disney remake would be far less magical.<\/p>\n

6. Salem Witch Trials<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Witches were burned at the stake in Salem, MA.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

While many accused witches were burned at the stake in England, British law did not allow the punishment in their colonies. Instead, witches were hanged if they managed to survive death row.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

The method of death is far less important than the reasons for the deaths. While factually inaccurate, the important information about the events doesn\u2019t have to do with the manner of death.<\/p>\n

5. The Founding Fathers\u2019 religious beliefs<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Via wilsonsalmanac.com<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Founding Fathers were all Christians.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Founding Fathers held a wide array of religious beliefs, ranging from Christianity to Deism. Thomas Jefferson rejected the concept of the Trinity and loathed the idea of a national religion.\u00a0 Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were Deists.<\/p>\n

Why It Should Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is important that the reality of our founding fathers beliefs be understood, but it is most important that the emphasis of the separation of church and state be taught.<\/p>\n

4. Ben Franklin and the Kite<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Via ushistory.org<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity by flying a kite in a lightning storm and, subsequently, getting struck by lightning.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Benjamin Franklin did propose the idea of a kite experiment, he never actually went through with it. If he had, he would likely have died.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children already know being struck by lightning will kill you. They can keep this story.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>George Washington and the Cherry Tree<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Little George Washington chopped down his father\u2019s cherry tree. When called out on it, he confessed to being a pint-sized pain in the butt.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

George Washington\u2019s biographer inserted the made-up story, and other tall tales of the late President, into his two books. He did this, presumably, for his own amusement.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ironically, it teaches kids that they shouldn\u2019t lie.<\/p>\n

2. Thanksgiving<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Native Americans and Pilgrims had a potluck dinner\/lovefest filled with fat turkeys and corn. Everyone lived happily ever after.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

The entire story is a romanticized version of history. While the Pilgrims and Native Americans did break bread many times, it was never a tradition or annual occurrence.<\/p>\n

Why It Should Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Learning the reality of the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans would give students a better historical insight into the foundations of America, and the impact of our arrival here on the Native American way of life.<\/p>\n

1. Newton and the Apple<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Via telegraph.co.uk<\/p>\n

Lie Told<\/strong><\/p>\n

Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity when an apple fell on his head.<\/p>\n

Why It Is a Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

This story was never mentioned by Newton. It didn\u2019t come into existence until around sixty years after it allegedly happened. The lie was first told by John Conduitt, who was most likely using the apple as a literary device. The part about the apple viciously attacking Newton\u2019s noggin was added later.<\/p>\n

Why It Shouldn\u2019t Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

It gives children hope that one day they could have that \u201clightbulb moment\u201d just like one of mankind\u2019s geniuses.<\/p>\n

Bonus: Coolest Dad Ever<\/strong><\/p>\n

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source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by degreescout Via bbc.co.uk Lie Told The peppered moths of Britain evolved from light to dark because of the pollution caused by the industrial revolution. Why It Is a Lie Teachers love this little story because it makes it so easy for students to understand the concept. The image of the light and dark […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2492"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2492"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2494,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2492\/revisions\/2494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}