Well for my technical writing class, I have to write a 5 paragraph essay about why evolution needs to be taught in public schools. Its really only 3 paragraphs, the 1st is an intro and the last is a concluding.

So far I have an emotional appeal of how not having evolution can spawn ignorance in children who are strictly taught creationism. Not to say creationism is bad, but that evolution in addition to creationism would be a plus.

I also have an example of specific evolution. An orchid species in the rainforest has a 12 inch long stem, which Darwin hypothesized there must have been a moth with a mouth long enough to reach the nectar. There exists such a creature. Only problem is, I can't seem to find a name for it.

As for a 3rd reason to keep evolution in school, I'm stumped. And since we have quite a few evolution fanatics here, I figured one of those people could help me out.

I wrote a paper on Epperson v Arkansas which dealt with teaching evolution in schools for law class, and maybe this would work for you:

For freedom of religion.

Before evolution was able to be taught in schools, laws were passed banning the teachings of it because it was "against the Bible." Later it was decided that freedom of religion and speach should let you be able to teach whatever you want.

So maybe I'm right or wrong, but it's more of a smybolic thing to me. Maybe that's not what you're looking for.

For more info:
Scopes Trial
Epperson v Arkansas

The scopes trial topic gave me a jog in the right direction. I found the engel vs vitale case, which ruled on the seperation of church and state in public schools.
And since I had no luck finding anything on the moths, I will instead use spruce moths in england during the industrial age.

Glad to be of assistance.

Ok, state that for our society to advance in a technological and intellectually correct direction, we need to be teaching theories with the most evidence and fact supporting them, not just theories which have no evidence at all.

Also say that Evolution shows how, why and where different organisms came from and it gives a pretty comprehensive description and map of the history of life on Earth. However, you may want to note that estimates put the total number of known species living or extinct at 2% of the total number of species that exist(ed).

Also Cypress, you may want to use the transition between Bird and Dinosaur for your example, it is more well known and I'm sure more has been written on the subject. Also, who doesn't like dinosaurs?

Anything more you would like to know just post.

Ah yes, dinosaurs into birds. I turned that topic into it's own paragraph, talking about similar bones, scales to feathers, and how birds and dinosaurs have near identical air sacs in the anterior and posterior.
And I used the technological and intellectual advancement line in accordance with a more modern example of evolution, that being the spruce moths. But I'm not trying to put religion down.(at least not in this essay )