COLUMBUS - The debate over the teaching of evolution appeared ready to move from the state school board to courts following the board's approval Tuesday of an evolution lesson plan over the objections of several scientific organizations.

Critics of the lessons say a lawsuit challenging the plan's constitutionality is almost certain. They say it contains elements of intelligent design, the theory that says a higher power must have been involved in the creation of life.

``They're standing in line -- high school teachers, board members, parents, the students themselves,'' said PatriciaPrincehouse, a Case Western Reserve University philosophy professor who has led lobbying efforts against the lessons.

The plan is an optional set of lessons for schools to use in the teaching of science standards for the new 10th-grade graduation test.

The board voted 13-5 in favor of the plan, titled ``Critical Analysis of Evolution.'' Earlier, the board narrowly rejected an attempt to delay the plan for further study.

Michael Cochran, a suburban Columbus lawyer and elected board member, questioned what further delay would achieve. He noted that scientists had spoken on both sides of the issue.

``The entire scientific community is not monolithic and are not all of one mind,'' Cochran said. ``Multiple sides of that community deserve to be heard and have a lesson that can be challenged on a scientific basis.''

Deborah Owens Fink, an elected board member from Akron who voted in favor of the lessons, said the plan did not contain the intelligent design elements claimed by its critics.

``It is good science,'' she said.

Robin Hovis, an elected board member from Millersburg, said the plan was still a veiled attempt to introduce intelligent design into schools.

``I am convinced this is a religious effort cloaked as science,'' Hovis said.

The vote was applauded by the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, which supports scientists studying intelligent design and says states should teach both evolution and scientific criticism of evolutionary theory.

The vote ``is a significant victory for students and their academic freedom to study all sides of current scientific debates over evolutionary theory,'' said Bruce Chapman, Discovery Institute president.

Critics of the lesson plan say it includes many of the concepts found in Icons of Evolution, a book by Jonathan Wells, a senior fellow at the institute.

The state board removed a reference to Wells' book from an earlier draft.

Sam Schloemer, an elected board member from Cincinnati, said the lessons go against state efforts to improve Ohio's educational achievements.

The plan ``further erodes the status and the value of Ohio's public education system because it is without scientific evidence,'' he said.

But James Turner, like several board members, said he was impressed by the number of scientists in favor of the lessons.

He said some opponents were ``allowing their fear of what this lesson could lead to'' to affect their views, rather than ``what this lesson says.'' Turner, of Cincinnati, was appointed by Gov. Bob Taft.

The board voted after hearing about six hours of testimony from dozens of people for and against the plan.

Several scientific organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences, are opposed to the lessons. Many scientists supporting the lessons spoke individually in favor of them.

Steven Gey, a Florida State University law professor, told board members the lessons were unconstitutional and would almost certainly be struck down if they reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

At issue is 22 pages out of more than 500 pages of optional lesson plans that schools can use to teach new science standards approved last year for all grades.

No student will be tested on intelligent design, said board President Jennifer Sheets.