The publisher, Hillside Education Press, wanted to do a faithful reprinting of the text, so they did not update the information to current knowledge. One point of which you should be aware is that the author conveys the misconception that people at the turn of the 20th century held about Christopher Columbus: Everyone else thought the world was flat, and he alone figured out it was round. In fact, all learned people of his time knew the earth was round, even back to the Ancients, who had accurately calculated its size. Columbus misinterpreted some the ancient calculations, and so the trip took longer than he expected. This lends itself well to a discussion about changing discoveries in historical research.

There is also a section at the very beginning of the book that deals with the origins of man. It discusses Adam and Eve in relationship to what was at the time considered the most up-to-date science, including "Java man" and the skeletal remains of early men as similar to monkeys. It does not state that man was descended from monkeys, but that many learned scientists of the time thought that it could be true. You will want to pre-read this section to make a decision as to whether you want to skip over it or use it as the basis of discussion with your student about the relationship of science and reason, the changes in scientific ideas over time, and what the Church does and doesn't say about human origins.

Excellent references for you to learn more about Church teaching on the subject of creation and evolution are:

In the Beginning: A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall by Pope Benedict XVI

Creator and Creation by Mary Daly