What is the Scientific Method? a presentation by heather ahtone Research Associate Diversity in Geosciences School of Geology and Geophysics College of Geosciences University of Oklahoma
What is Science? Science is the word used to describe “what we know.” It comes from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge" or "to know.”
What is Science? People all over the world have science in their cultures, including Native Americans. All cultures have learned about their local environment and base their knowledge on their experiences. When cultural communities have similar experiences, their science can be related.
Why is Science Important? By understanding how the physical world works, natural science seeks to explain the natural world. Science can be used to understand what happens to the Earth, including where we live.
How Do We Use Science? What is now, has been before. We look at the records of history -- found in the rocks, the air, the water, and ice to understand what has happened before. This creates a greater understanding of what has happened before and helps us to estimate what will happen in the future. This is called PREDICTION.
What are the Natural Sciences? There are many fields of natural science, among them... Earth sciences studying what is in the ground, the water, and the weather. Life sciences studying the creatures on this planet. Space sciences studying the stars and solar systems.
What are the Natural Sciences? Each of these fields uses knowledge that is shared through: Math (language) Physics (energy) Chemistry (matter) Systems (relationships )
Who Can Be A Scientist? Anyone can enter the sciences. If you are interested in the earth, weather, or rivers/oceans, please consider studying the geosciences at college. Skills that are especially valuable include: Math Reading Creative Thinking Patience Curiosity
What is the Scientific Method? Scientific method is the process used to develop scientific knowledge. It is used in all cultures and can be used by anyone to learn about their natural environment.
Steps of the Scientific Method
Experience of Natural Phenomena
Observation
Form an idea about how things are and why they act as they do If you found this kind of rock bed, how would you describe it? Why do you think this looks this way? Why are these rocks organized like this?
Test this Idea Ask your partner what they observed. What does it look like? What color is it? What does it feel like? How does it smell? How hard is it? Are your answers similar? How are they different?
Incorporate New Evidence and Experiences If you look closer at the rock, what do you see that you did not see before? When you shared information, what new information did you learn?
Share this Information Share your information with your friends.
Thank You! This presentation is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation. When thinking about college, please consider The University of Oklahoma College of Geosciences School of Geology and Geophysics check out our website: for more about this program and opportunities