Unit 1: Science, Technology and Engineering Lesson 1: “What is Science” Pg. 4-13

Testable Ideas How are scientific questions different from other types of questions?

Testable Ideas ** They can be proven wrong! Results of scientific questions can be measured and compared

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 1) What does the inside of Earth look like? 2) Will I make the sports team? 3) How hot is the sun?

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 1) What does the inside of Earth look like?

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 1) What does the inside of Earth look like? Scientific

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 2) Will I make the sports team?

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 2) Will I make the sports team? Unscientific

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 3) How hot is the sun?

Testable Ideas Lets go through a few examples and determine if the questions are scientific or unscientific. 3) How hot is the sun? Scientific

Testable Ideas Let’s take another look at question 2. Will I make the team? Can we rewrite this question so that it is testable and, therefore, scientific?

Testable Ideas Let’s take another look at question 2. Will I make the team? Can we rewrite this question so that it is testable and, therefore, scientific? YES! Instead we can write… Will I make the team if I do all of my exercises?

What is a Scientific Explanation? A scientific explanation describes a natural process, and relies heavily on evidence from direct observation and testing. Scientists use empirical evidence to support a scientific explanation

How is a Scientific Explanation Evaluated? After learning a scientific explanation describing a particular problem or phenomena, scientists evaluate the explanation using a series of steps. 1) Look at all empirical evidence supporting the explanation, including past experiences 2) Consider if the explanation is logical. Does it contradict anything you know? 3) Think of other experiments to support ideas 4) Evaluate the explanation. Has it stood up to logic and testing?

Empirical Evidence Think about different explanations you have heard about various topics. Some explanations are probably stronger than others. What qualities distinguish strong evidence from weak evidence?

Strong: logical, based on facts, can be observed, and be reproduced and prove Weak: confusing, doesn’t seem logical, is based on opinions and feelings, cannot be reproduced or proven

How is a Scientific Explanation Evaluated? Let’s discuss your answers to the scientific explanation of how popcorn pops on pg. 9 of your books.

How do Scientists Show Creativity? Although scientists rely on observations and practice logical thinking, they can be creative in designing experiments and drawing explanations from them.

How do scientists show creativity? Why do scientists need to use creativity in their work?

How do scientists show creativity? Why do scientists need to use creativity in their work? Scientists have to be able to think creatively to design experiments that will help them answer questions they have about the world around them. They also have to be creative when they interpret and explain their observations. Data and information don’t say much unless someone can explain what it means.

How do scientists show creativity? What creative qualities do the bluegill example and the gravity example (pg. 10) have in common?

How do scientists show creativity? What creative qualities do the bluegill example and the gravity example have in common? In both cases, the scientists involved were thinking of ways to answer questions by thinking about things in ways that people hadn’t tried in the past.

In Explaining Observations Creative minds can put old evidence together in new ways. New explanations are as important as new observations. What did Isaac Newton witness that many had seen before and how did he explain it in a new, creative way?

In Explaining Observations Newton took the falling of an apple and used it to explain gravity in a way that many could understand. He did this by comparing the apple being pulled to Earth to the moon being pulled to the Earth.