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| Dallas Zoological Society Partnership : Elementary Experiment and Discover |
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Topic Overview
Quick Facts
Historically, the scientific method is traced to
Alhazen, a medieval Muslim scientist from Basra,
Iraq who emphasized
gathering information through experiment in his Book of Optics.
An example of a seven step scientific method is:
1) state the problem, 2) research the problem, 3) state the hypothesis, 4) test
the hypothesis, 5) analyze the results, 6) state the conclusion, and 7) repeat
the work.
Engineers often use a different set of steps
than scientists. One example is as follows: 1) define the need, 2) establish
design criteria, 3) do background research of what has already been done, 4)
prepare preliminary designs and material lists, 5) build and test a prototype,
6) retest and redesign, 7) present results.
Nobel physics laureate P.W. Bridgman once said,
“It seems to me that there is a good deal of ballyhoo about scientific method.
I venture to think that the people who talk most about it are the people who do
least about it…Scientific method is something talked about my people standing
on the outside and wondering how the scientist manages to do it…In short,
science is what scientists do, and there are as many scientific methods as
there are individual scientists.”
Pictures of dinosaurs in the media are constructed
from a combination of scientific theory and filling in the gaps with artistic
imagination.
Aristotle supposedly provided long arguments as
to why men and women had different numbers of teeth, without bothering to
verify his assumption.
A scientific law describes how something works.
A scientific theory describes why something works.
Popular Science magazine selected the “10 worst
jobs in science.” Number two involved some incredibly skilled observers – those
who inspect the 1.5 billion tons of manure produced by livestock each year in
order to learn about how to eliminate the bacteria E. coli from our food
supply.
It is estimated that 50-100 million animals are
used worldwide for experiment (including a large number of fruit flies and
mice). Most of these animals are either killed during the experiment or
subsequently euthanized.
Approximately 30 years ago, Viking 1 sent back
images from Mars that looked remarkably like there was a giant face of a man on
the Martian surface. Theories of alien civilizations filled the popular press.
NASA was also seduced by this pseudoscience, as the “Face on Mars” became a
priority for Mars Global Surveyor 1997.
A scheduled flight over the region proved that the image
it was just a landform and not an alien artifact.
Begin the Lesson
Students learn about the steps of the scientific method.
Students explore each component and then apply the process in various learning
situations.
Whole Class Introduction to the
Lesson
You will need at least one
computer with Internet connectivity and a projection device, a classroom with
more than one computer, or access to a computer lab.� This introduction will take approximately 10
minutes to complete.
Use optical illusions to introduce the differences between
human perception and reality and how scientific analysis can help us determine
what is true. Optical illusions highlight the challenges of measurement and
observation. The sites:
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/percep.html, http://www.eyetricks.com, and http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/illusion/illusions.htm provide visual examples to present to the class. Sample Questions:
What do you see in the picture?
How would you determine if your observations are
true?
Why do you think your eyes see something
different that reality?
What do your experiences with optical illusions
tell you about relying solely on your senses for observation?
Can two different observers arrive at different
conclusions?
How can scientific methods ensure that your
observations match reality?
As part of the introduction, you
may want to review some of the glossary terms in advance of students going
online. At this point you can launch the WebLesson as whole-class activity
using a projection device, or you can assign students to work individually or
in teams in a computer lab.
WebLesson Sites
Introduction Have you ever participated in a science fair? Are you planning to participate in one soon? If so, you will need to know the scientific method. It is the way scientists prove facts and make new discoveries. The scientific method is used to develop new medicines, improve technology, make safer products, and even solve crimes. It works.
The scientific method was used in ancient times, and it is still used by researchers today. In a real sense, it is a way of learning how to learn. Scenario As you learn about the scientific method, think about some of the things you have questions about. Here are some examples: Why do cats use a litter box but dogs don't? Why do birds lay eggs instead of giving birth? Why does milk go sour? Think about the questions you have that you want to find answers to. What kind of experiments would you use to investigate these questions?
Lesson Pages
The Scientific Project Flow Chart
http://www.makeitsolar.com/images/chartmethod002.jpg
The Scientific Method
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=45
Film: How It All Started
http://www.internetcampus.com/frtv/frtv001.htm Conclusion & Project
Conclusion Scientists are curious. Galileo wanted to study and understand the earth's gravity. Edward Muybridge wanted to know if horses lifted all four hooves when they ran. Paige and Nick wanted to know how animals responded to scent.
If you have a curious mind and are willing to do some work to find the answers, you would make a good scientist. The scientific method is a tool you can use to find answers to questions and share what you learn with other scientists. Even if you don't become a professional scientist, you can still use the scientific method to find answers to common problems you face every day. Project Go back to the last page in the lesson, the Dragonfly TV Do It page, and choose an experiment that interests you. If you are doing this WebLesson as part of a class activity, choose an experiment that you can do at school with materials in your classroom (Bag on a Stick is a good one). Read about the experiment, and then think of your own question about it. Following the steps of the scientific method, write your question, your observations, and your hypothesis. Explain what experiments you would do (or what you did do) to find an answer.
Glossary
evidence - something that provides proof of a fact or hypothesis
objectively - based on evidence instead of opinion or personal bias
subjectively - based on opinion or personal bias instead of evidence
valid - a correct or proven hypothesis
quantitative - based on objective data (numbers)
qualitative - based on subjective qualities: good, nice, beautiful
misperception - incorrect understanding
acceleration - to speed up, move faster
projectile - something thrown forward through the air
inclined plane - a sloping ramp
sequentially - one after another
interval - the amount of time between two events
scent - something with a strong smell
scat - animal poop
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