Sailing the backyard beagle:Darwin-inspired voyages of discovery in backyard and schoolyard

Abstract

Charles Darwin returned home from his five-year voyage around the world aboard HMS Beagle in October 1836. As transformative as the experience was for him, the voyage he embarked upon in the coming months and years was even more so: By turns Darwin became convinced of species change, or transmutation, discovered its mechanism in the form of natural selection, became a respected member of several London scientific societies (and elected Secretary of one), published his first accounts of the Beagle voyage and a plethora of scientific papers, and became a devoted husband and father of two — all in the space of the five years following his return home.