What Is A Scientist?And more importantly, how can I become one?

PowerPoint by Veronica Gould

Before we can know what a scientist is, we have to understand science.

Science is systematic knowledge of the physical world gained through observation and experimentation.

What Is Science?

Using our senses, we observe things happening in the world around us every day, like:

• a thunderstorm• a bird flying to its nest• two paint colors mixing to form a third • shivering in the wintertime• the sound a cricket makes

Observation

A scientist observes these things, too!

When scientists make their observations, they always write them down.

Scientists write their observations • in science journals• on data sheets• on experiment sheets

Observation

What’s the difference between any person doing an experiment and a true

scientist?

a) A scientist has a PhD.

b) A scientist has the proper equipment.

c) A scientist writes down observations.

d) A scientist wears a lab coat.

A scientist ALWAYS writes down their observations!

Even though many scientists have PhDs and special technology — even a lab coat — the most important tool any scientist could have is a notebook to write down their observations!

In fact, when you write in your science notebook, you join the scientific community as some of the youngest scientists. Welcome!

Before you can become a scientist, there are a few things you need to know about performing science experiments.

1. Scientists work in groups or teams.2. Scientists use experiments to try to answer

questions.3. Scientists follow steps in an experiment.4. Experiments can be a lot of FUN, and

scientists always use experiments to learn.

Performing An Experiment

Is this an example of an experiment?

...It Might Not Be!

Although lab equipment is often used in scientific experiments, equipment alone does not indicate experimentation.

So how do we recognizeexperiment?

So how do we

recognize an

experiment?

An experiment does the following:

o Attempts to answer a question about the physical world

o Follows a procedureo Tests an idea or hypothesiso Uses models or controlled systems

Experimentation

You perform experiments every day without even knowing it!

An experiment doesn't always use fancy lab equipment. Sometimes it’s as simpleas testing a pen on a piece of paper to see if it will write.

Can you think of any other examples of experiments?

Everyday Experiments

So who is a scientist?

Margaret Mead, anthropologist who observed and wrote about Samoan culture.

Nikola Tesla, engineer who worked with electricity. James Watson,

biologist who developed a model for DNA.

Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, virologist who identified HIV

as the cause of AIDS

George Washington Carver,botanist who invented over 100 uses for the peanut.

You are!

Who else is a scientist?