THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

Activity 1 Brainstorm – “What is Science?”

Activity 1 Based on your own experiences, write down four ideas/statements about what science is.

Activity 1 Based on your own knowledge, list four things that scientists do.

Activity 1 Share your ideas with a partner. Revise your lists by adding, deleting & clarifying items.

Activity 1 Read the following quote.

How is this quote similar to and different from your previous list?

“Science is more than a body of knowledge, it is a way of thinking.”

Activity 1 Write your own definition of science based on your experiences, the quote, and ideas you obtained in class.

Activity 2 Asking Scientific Questions

Activity 2 What scientists do:

Scientists start their work by asking questions about the natural world. You will be doing the same in this activity.

Activity 2 Lab procedure : Follow the

instructions on your handout. “Uranium Dioxide Lab”

Be sure you record all information, procedures, results and observations

Answer every question

Activity 2 Scientific problem solving:

Make observationsForm a question based on those observations

Form a hypothesis that attempts to explain the observations

Activity 2 Scientific problem solving:

Test the hypothesis (This may require doing more observations, making measurements, or reworking the original question.)

Develop an explanation based on the results of the test

Activity 2 Quotes It seems to me that there is a lot of

ballyhoo about scientific method. I venture to think that the people who talk the most about it are the people who do least about it. Scientific method is what working scientists do…and there are as many scientific methods as there are individual scientists.

-- Percy Bridgman

Activity 2 Quotes The well planned experiment is by

far the most frequent one and has generally t he best chance of success; yet successful scientists have often not mapped out a tentative plan of attack, but have instead let their enthusiasm, their hunches, and their sheer joy of discovery suggest the line of work.

-- Gerald Holton

This is a false science stereotype.

Activity 3 Scientific Explanations

Scientific explanations tie together many observations in an attempt to explain the natural world.

Activity 3 The purpose of science:

To develop concepts, theories & laws that function as enduring explanations.

That is, they assume the concept, theory or law will be true for all similar situations now & in the future.

Activity 3 Alternatives to science:

Sometimes people have questions that cannot be answered by scientific explanations or by using methods of science.

Activity 3 Religion

A system of beliefs often centered on a divine or supernatural power(s) to be obeyed and worshiped as God and/or other ruler(s) of the universe

Activity 3 Philosophy

The study of the processes governing thought & conduct. It includes the study of beauty, ethics, logic & metaphysics.

Based on the belief that clear logical reasoning reveals some truths to humans.

Activity 3 Scientific Habits of MindThe habit of skepticism

Activity 3 Scientific Habits of MindThe habit of honesty

Activity 3 Scientific Habits of MindThe habit of uncertainty

Activity 3 Scientific Habits of MindThe habit of openness to new ideas and change based on new evidence

Activity 3 The habit of skepticism

While browsing the Internet, junior high school student Nathan Zohner came across disturbing information about a dangerous chemical in our environment.

Read the informational bulletin about Dihydrogen Monoxide—the Unrecognized Killer and answer the questions.

DHMO Questions 1. Think about the scientific

information provided in the Internet fact sheet. Do you think that action should be taken to ban the release of DHMO into the environment? Why?

2. Should the banning of DHMO be done at the local, state, federal, or international level? How should such a ban be enforced?

Activity 3 The habit of Honesty

In its purest form, science is the pursuit of truth about the natural world. Read or listen to the story about Dr. Summerlin and be ready to discuss it.

Activity 3 The Habit of Tolerating

UncertaintyThe results of science depend on measurement and data analysis.

Neither measurements or scientists are perfect. For this reason, science must allow for elements of uncertainty.

Activity 3 The Habit of Openness To New

Ideas and change based on evidenceThe results of science depend on measurement and data analysis.

Neither measurements or scientists are perfect. For this reason, science must allow for elements of uncertainty.

Activity 3 The Habit of Openness To

New Ideas and Change based on evidenceComplete the activity: Dogs and Turnips

Remember to keep an open mind

http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/chec.lab.html (another similar activity)

VIDEO: The Search For Solutions

Episode 1: Understanding ScienceEpisode 2: Creativity, Serendipity & Aha!Episode 3: Science & TechnologyEpisode 4: Exploration, Investigation & Evidence - Part IEpisode 5: Exploration, Investigation & Evidence - Part IIEpisode 6: Modeling & Prediction - Part IEpisode 7: Modeling & Prediction - Part IIEpisode 8: Application, Adaptation & Design - Part IEpisode 9: Application, Adaptation & Design - Part IIEpisode 10: Explanation, Theory & Argument

Head Jam Series Video HEADJAM Series

Science, math and critical thinking skills come to life in HEADJAM, the award-winning, educational, six-episode video series for middle school students. These zany, brainy programs explore multi-disciplinary skills in a highly entertaining way. Request Videos

Teaching guides are available for all six episodes:

1) go figure… Math goes to work in the real world, where problem solving happens in unlikely places. 22 minutes Teaching Guide (677KB .PDF)

2) the truth about H2O… From the hydrologic cycle to water audits and micro-organisms, great things happen when students hook up with the environment. 22 minutes Teaching Guide (620KB .PDF)

3) slinky® science... Kids see gravity, inertia and centrifugal force from a whole new angle when you combine Slinky® with engineering concepts. 20 minutes Teaching Guide (470KB .PDF)

4) think smart... Decision making takes a ride when students see how to analyze situations using science-based skills and strategic thinking. 22 minutes Teaching Guide (471KB .PDF)

5) crude energy... Students receive a backstage pass to the world of petroleum where science and energy come together. 22 minutes Teaching Guide (451KB .PDF)

6) bird brained... The amazing world of our fine-feathered friends proves that birds aren’t just for old folks anymore. 22 minutes Teaching Guide (513KB .PDF)

7) applied here... A scientific look at what questions FBI investigators must try to answer during a criminal investigation. 20 minutes Teaching Guide (1.6MB .PDF)

Activity 4: Solar energy Experiment

Use your new knowledge regarding science to follow scientific method for the following lab.

Lab is found at http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.org/collection/cub_/activities/cub_environ/cub_enviro

Contributors: Amy Kolenbrander, Jessica Todd, Malinda Schaefer Zarske, Janet Yowell. Lesson is part of Teach Engineering curriculum Copyright

© 2005 by Regents of the University of ColoradoThe contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0226322

THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

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