http://www.u-digfossils.com/gallery/index.html

Scaphognathus crassirostris(fat snout) (~150 MYA)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaphognathus

Avoiding De-Natured Science by Lederman

How much evidence do we need in science?

How can we trust science if it is changing?

What in the world happened here?

What is Science?Science assumes that the natural world

can be understood by gathering evidence.

Science attempts to explain the natural world and these explanations are tested using evidence.

No magic, gremlins or

other supernatural explanations

needed!

Perhaps a natural explanation is that the continents used to be arranged differently in the past

Can you fit them together in order to make sense of the evidence?

What in the world happened here?

Pangea

More Evidence!

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/alumni/Magazine/Winter2001/ewing.html

Ewing & Tharp at Columbia University around 1950

1. Age of the Ocean Crust (deep red is youngest)2. Ocean Crust is Basalt, Heavier than Continental Crust

Emergence of a Theory

• Read• Draw a picture that summarizes each ‘chunk’

of text.

Plate Tectonics

Plate Tectonics

Plate Tectonics

How does a pendulum work?

How do these activities model science inquiry?

How are they different?

General Activities:Small group discussion, hands-on, modeling, readings, etc.

Scie

nce

Activ

ities

Brunsell, Fall 2009

General Activities:Small group discussion, hands-on, modeling, readings, etc.

Science inquiry:5 Essential Features

Scie

nce

Activ

ities

Brunsell, Fall 2009

General Activities:Small group discussion, hands-on, modeling, readings, etc.

Science inquiry:5 Essential Features

Experiment:“Fair Test” / cause & effect

Scie

nce

Activ

ities

Brunsell, Fall 2009