2011 JAMES RANDI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION 1.0 "--3*()543&4&37&%Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr © 2011 James Randi Educational Foundation All Rights Reserved
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JREF IN THE CLASSROOM MODULE 001 / v 1.0 / 06/2011 001 DO YOU HAVE ESP? ©2011 JAMES RANDI EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION 1.0 "--3*()543&4&37&%rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr © 2011 James Randi Educational Foundation All Rights Reserved TEACHERS: Did you use this educational module? Tell us so! Please visit http://bit.ly/module-feedback and let us know how you used it in your classroom. Your responses will help us improve our educational materials and raise money to continue providing them at no cost to teachers. 2=G=C6/D33A>- ! @3D7A32 6/1/11 BCPVUUIFJREF Our mission is to promote critical thinking by reaching out to the public and media with reliable information about paranormal and supernatural ideas, which are widespread in our society today. The James Randi Educational Foundation was founded in 1996 to help people defend themselves from paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. The JREF offers a still-unclaimed million-dollar reward for anyone who can produce evidence of paranormal abilities under controlled conditions. Through scholarships, workshops, and innovative resources for educators, the JREF works to inspire this investigative spirit in a new generation of critical thinkers. Your support helps the JREF to . ([SRVHSDUDQRUPDODQGSVHXGRVFLHQWLILFIUDXGVLQWKHPHGLDDQGKROGPHGLD organizations accountable for promoting dangerous nonsense. 6XSSRUWVFLHQWLILFUHVHDUFKLQWRSDUDQRUPDOFODLPV 3URYLGHJUDQWVDQGIUHHWHDFKLQJPRGXOHVWRKHOSHGXFDWRUVLQVSLUHDQLQYHVWLJDWLYH VSLULWLQWKHQH[WJHQHUDWLRQRIFULWLFDOWKLQNHUV $ZDUGVFKRODUVKLSVWKDWHQFRXUDJHVFLHQWLILFVNHSWLFLVPDPRQJVWXGHQWV 6XSSRUWJUDVVURRWVVNHSWLFV·JURXSVZLWKWRROVWRKHOSWKHPRUJDQL]HDQGSURPRWH skepticism and critical thinking. 'LJLWDOO\SXEOLVKWKHLPSRUWDQWZRUNVRIVNHSWLFLVPIRUGLVWULEXWLRQRQWKHL3DG.LQGOH and other e-readers. 2UJDQL]HPDMRUFRQIHUHQFHVDQGRWKHUJDWKHULQJVWKDWEULQJWKHHQWLUHVNHSWLFDO community together. AC>>=@B7<5B63E=@9=4B638/;3A@/<2732C1/B7=</:4=C<2/B7=< The James Randi Educational Foundation relies on the support of people like you in order to carry out its mission. Whether it is our renewed support of grassroots skeptic outreach, our investment in re- VRXUFHVIRUHGXFDWRUVDQGVWXGHQWVRXUH[SDQGLQJGLJLWDOHGXFDWLRQDORIIHULQJVVXFKDVGLJLWDOERRNV DQGYLGHRVRU5DQGL·VOHFWXUHWRXUV\RXUILQDQFLDOGRQDWLRQVKHOSPDNHRXUSURJUDPVSRVVLEOH <RXPD\VXSSRUWWKH-5()E\MRLQLQJXVDVDFRQWULEXWRURQOLQHDWrandi.org. You may find that you can be more generous by making a pledge of monthly support. For more information about pledges, please contact [email protected]. 'RQDWLRQVDUHWD[GHGXFWLEOHIRU86UHVLGHQWVWRWKHIXOOH[WHQWRIWKHODZ " 2=G=C6/D33A>- @3D7A32 6/1/11 5IJTNPEVMFGSPNUIF+BNFT3BOEJ&EVDBUJPOBM'PVOEBUJPOFYQMPSFT UIFIJTUPSZBOENFUIPETPGSFTFBSDIJOUPUIFFYJTUFODFPGFYUSBTFOTPSZ QFSDFQUJPO &41 "GUFSSFWJFXJOHUIFPSJHJOTPGNPEFSOQBSBQTZDIPMPHZ± UIFTUVEZPGQTZDIJDBCJMJUJFT±TUVEFOUTXJMMDPOEVDUBTFSJFTPGUSJBMT EFTJHOFEUPUFTUGPSQTZDIJDBCJMJUJFTVTJOHNFUIPETFTUBCMJTIFECZUIF QBSBQTZDIPMPHJDBMSFTFBSDIDPNNVOJUZ4QFDJBMFNQIBTJTJTQVUPOUIF QJUGBMMTPGQPPSFYQFSJNFOUBMEFTJHOBOEUIFEJGGJDVMUJFTBTTPDJBUFEXJUI UFTUJOHTVDIDMBJNT5IFBDUJWJUZBMTPPGGFSTBOJOUSPEVDUJPOUPUIFLFZ DPODFQUTPGIZQPUIFTJTUFTUJOHBOETUBUJTUJDBMTJHOJGJDBODF 5@/23:3D3: This activity is designed for grades 9 through 12. 1=<B3FB 7KLVH[HUFLVHLVVXLWHGIRUVWXGHQWVLQDQ\VFLHQFHFODVVWKDWDGGUHVVHVUHVHDUFKPHWKRGVRUWKH scientific process. The activity can be completed in one or two class periods. This time will vary depending on the depth of the introduction and the number of trials performed. </B7=</:A173<131=<B3<BAB/<2/@2A/22@3AA32( 8QLI\LQJ&RQFHSWVDQG3URFHVVHV6WDQGDUG 6FLHQFHDV,QTXLU\ 6FLHQFHLQ3HUVRQDODQG6RFLDO3HUVSHFWLYHV +LVWRU\DQG1DWXUHRI6FLHQFH ///AA173<13:7B3@/1G03<16;/@9A/22@3AA32( 7KH6FLHQWLILF:RUOGYLHZ 6FLHQWLILF,QTXLU\ 7KH6FLHQWLILF(QWHUSULVH /19<=E:3253;3<BA 6RPHNH\FRQFHSWVDQGPHWKRGVSUHVHQWHGLQWKLVDFWLYLW\DSSHDUHGLQTest Your ESP Potential, a ERRNOHWDQG(63WHVWNLWZULWWHQE\-DPHV5DQGLDQGRULJLQDOO\SXEOLVKHGLQ 'DQLHO&KLS'HQPDQDQG%DUEDUD'UHVFKHUPDGHVLJQLILFDQWFRQWULEXWLRQVHVSHFLDOO\LQWKH VHFWLRQVUHODWHGWRH[SHULPHQWDOGHVLJQ 7KDQNVWR0DWW/RZU\DQG.\OLH6WXUJHVVIRUUHYLHZLQJWKHSUHOLPLQDU\PDQXVFULSWDQGPDNLQJ important recommendations. 2=G=C6/D33A>- # @3D7A32 6/1/11 )BWFZPVFWFSGFMUMJLFZPVLOFXXIBUTPNFPOFXBTHPJOHUPTBZCFGPSF UIFZTBJEJU 0SUIBUZPVIBEBGFFMJOHUIBUUIFQIPOFXBTHPJOHUPSJOHBOE JUEJE )BWFZPVIBEBQTZDIJDUFMMZPVTPNFUIJOHBCPVUZPVSTFMGUIBUTIF DPVMEOULOPXXJUIPVUSFBEJOHZPVSNJOE )BWFZPVFWFSUIPVHIUZPVIBE BTJYUITFOTF 8IBUFYQMBJOTUIJT .BOZIBWFFYQFSJFODFEPOFPSNPSF PGUIFTFFWFOUT EFTDSJCFEUIFNBTFYUSBPSEJOBSZ BOEBUUSJCVUFEUIFNUP FYUSBTFOTPSZQFSDFQUJPO &41 E6/B7A3A>- 7KHWHUP´(63µZDVLQYHQWHGE\'U-%5KLQHDQGXVHGE\KLPWRUHIHUWRVXSSRVHGDELOLWLHVVXFKDV telepathy, which involves the ability to know the thoughts of another person without the use of the recognized VHQVHV&ODLUDXGLHQFH SHUFHSWLRQRIVRXQGVQRWGHWHFWDEOHWKURXJKWKHFRQYHQWLRQDOVHQVHRIKHDULQJ FODLUYR\DQFH VHHLQJWKLQJVUHPRYHGIURPWLPHDQGVSDFH DQGSUHFRJQLWLRQ NQRZOHGJHRIIXWXUHHYHQWV DOVRIDOOXQGHUWKLVWHUP(63LVDWHUPZLGHO\XVHGE\WKHJHQHUDOSXEOLFWRGHVFULEHDQ\RIDQXPEHURI paranormal abilities. Those in the psychic advice industry use this WHUPWRGHVFULEHWKHLUPHWKRGRIDFTXLULQJSULYLOHJHGLQIRUPDWLRQQRW available to those restricted to the five traditional senses. 3V\FKLFDELOLWLHVKDYHDOVREHHQXVHGDVFKDUDFWHUWUDLWV and thematic elements in American pop culture and most prominently in comic books and science fiction writing. Most of us are familiar with well-known fictional telepaths including the Jedi of Star Wars0U6SRFNRIStar TrekDQG$TXDPDQ ;@A>=19;7<2;3:2A7< µ/2/553@=4B63;7<2¶ AB/@B@39(B63=@757</:A3@73A '$%>/@/;=C<B /?C/;/<<¡ '$ 211=;71A $ 2=G=C6/D33A>- @3D7A32 6/1/11 %HOLHILQSDUDQRUPDOFODLPVUHODWHGWR(63UHPDLQVZLGHVSUHDG7KH*DOOXS2UJDQL]DWLRQ FRQGXFWHGDVXUYH\RIWKHEHOLHIVRIWKHJHQHUDO8QLWHG6WDWHVSRSXODWLRQDERXWSDUDQRUPDOWRSLFV LQ7KHVXUYH\IRXQGWKDWSHUFHQWRIWKRVHSROOHGEHOLHYHGLQH[WUDVHQVRU\SHUFHSWLRQDQG 26 percent believed in clairvoyance. Thirty-one percent of those surveyed believed in telepathy or psychic communication. 3DUDSV\FKRORJLFDOUHVHDUFK WKHVWXG\RISV\FKLFDELOLWLHV KDVEHHQJRLQJRQLQODERUDWRU\VHWWLQJV SULPDULO\LQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVDQG8QLWHG.LQJGRPIRUPRUHWKDQ\HDUV7KHILHOGVDZLQFUHDVLQJ LQWHUHVWDQGLPSURYHGWHFKQLTXHVWKURXJKLWVSHDNLQWKHV$WGLIIHUHQWWLPHVRYHUWKHODVW century, laboratories searching for evidence of paranormal abilities could be found in many top XQLYHUVLWLHVLQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVDQG(XURSH 7KH8QLWHG6WDWHVPLOLWDU\DQGLQWHOOLJHQFHFRPPXQLWLHVDOVRKDYHORQJKLVWRULHVLQSV\FKLFUHVHDUFK 'HFODVVLILHGGRFXPHQWVGHVFULEHPDMRUUHVHDUFKSURJUDPVOLNHWKHRQHDWWKH86$UP\·V)RUW0HDG 7KH)RUW0HDGSURJUDPZDVGHYHORSHGWRH[DPLQHWKHSV\FKLFSKHQRPHQRQNQRZQDV´UHPRWH YLHZLQJµ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few still consider these studies to be of any scientific value. The results have been attributed to PLVLQWHUSUHWDWLRQRIUHVXOWVDQGIODZHGH[SHULPHQWDOGHVLJQ:KHQVFLHQFHLVGRQHULJKWUHVXOWVDUH always open to the scrutiny of other scientists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µT5IF4VSWJWBMPG.BO3IJOFXPVMECFDMPTFMZBTTPDJBUFEXJUI $POBO%PZMFBOEPUIFSQSPNJOFOUTQJSJUVBMJTUTVOUJMBOJOWFTUJHBUJPOFBSMZ JOIJTDBSFFSQVUIJNBUPEETXJUINBOZJOUIBUDPNNVOJUZIFGPVOE .BSHFSZ$SBOEPO BXFMMLOPXONFEJVN UPCFBGSBVE ,Q5KLQHEHFDPHDFTXDLQWHGZLWK'XNH8QLYHUVLW\SV\FKRORJLVW'U:LOOLDP0F'RXJDOODQGVRRQ WKHWZREHJDQIRFXVLQJRQWKHGHYHORSPHQWRIQHZ´VFLHQWLILFµPHWKRGVIRULQYHVWLJDWLQJSDUDQRUPDO phenomena. They would describe their research area as parapsychology to intentionally distinguish it from traditional psychology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extrasensory perception (63 (63 EHFDPHWKHSULPDU\IRFXVRIWKHODEDQGDPDVVLYHERG\RIGDWDZDVSURGXFHG7KH\FRQGXFWHG H[SHULPHQWVZLWKPRUHWKDQRQHPLOOLRQWULDOV6HYHUDOVWXGLHVUHSRUWHGVWDWLVWLFDOO\VLJQLILFDQWUHVXOWV LQVXSSRUWRI(63 B637@>:/137<A173<13 Many agree that Rhine's work was pioneering and that he was sincerely dedicated to the search IRUHYLGHQFHRI(638QIRUWXQDWHO\KLVSDVVLRQIRUWKHVXEMHFWFRXOGQ·WRYHUFRPHWKHORZTXDOLW\RI his research or his failure to produce any compelling evidence to support his claims. Today, few mainstream scientists give any serious consideration to the contributions made by Rhine and his