What is Science? Observation and Inference

What is Science? “Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.” “Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself.” Richard Feynman Physicist Nobel Prize Winner “Science is an internally consistent set of lies designed to explain away the universe.” Art Beaucoup Paleobiologist

3-Aspects of Science Scientific Knowledge Nature of Science Processes Facts Concepts Models Laws Theories

3-Aspects of Science Science Processes Scientific Knowledge Nature of Science Process Skills: Questioning Observing Measuring Inferring Predicting Classifying

3-Aspects of Science Scientific Knowledge Nature of Science Processes Science as a way of knowing.

3-Aspects of Science Scientific Knowledge Nature of Science Processes

Process vs. Nature of Science Observation- –Using your 5 senses to gather information about your surroundings –What you “see” happening Inference- –A conclusion based on evidence –An “educated guess” –What you “think” is happening

Comics in the Classroom Make observations and inferences about the following cartoons.

HIDDEN SLIDE: Have students make an observation and an inference regarding the cartoon. Ask for them to share once most have finished. This will help those less confident either find their way or affirm their work. After you have several inputs from students on the observations and the inferences move to the next slide that shows the actual caption of the cartoon.

“Notice all the computations, theoretical scribblings, and lab equipment, Norm….Yes, curiosity killed these cats.”

HIDDEN SLIDE: Have students make an observation and an inference regarding the cartoon. Ask for them to share once most have finished. This will help those less confident either find their way or affirm their work. After you have several inputs from students on the observations and the inferences move to the next slide that shows the actual caption of the cartoon.

What’s the Point? Good way to practice making observations and inferences (process skills) Reinforces concept that scientific knowledge is based on observations and inferences (nature of science)

“Field Science” 201 Your science class is on a field trip to a fossil bed in Alberta, Canada. While exploring the site, you discover a slab of rock covered with interesting impressions. Your instructor invites the class to make observations and inferences about the imprints…

HIDDEN SLIDE: This next practice is a sequence of 3 parts of a whole that simulates gaining knowledge and understanding, while making observations and inferences along the way. Have students make an observation and an inference regarding the portion of the picture. Ask for student input before moving to the next part of the diagram. Repeat until they have all 3 parts to the picture. This is an excellent time to discuss how their observations were true, their inferences most likely were subject to change as they received more of the picture…true in science as we make more discoveries, it doesn’t change the observations we have already made but it usually changes how we interpret what we saw. Sometimes, a scientist will get it right from the beginning and further discoveries only serve to solidify understanding and it moves from inference to fact, reinforcing the changing nature of inferences.

Conclusion Points Scientific knowledge is a combination of observation and inference. Inferences are tentative. As you get new data, your inferences can change.

“Candle” Demo This slide is hidden during presentation and serves as an instruction on how to set up the cheese candle demo. I used a short piece of string cheese (one piece cut into 3rds since I have 3 classes per day). I also found that other nuts work. You can use almonds or brazil nuts…probably others. There is enough oil in the nut to burn for about 30 seconds or so. I have them make 1 observation and 1 inference before lighting the candle. While they are making the inference, I light it and tell them to make one other observation and inference. When a majority of the class has stopped writing, I ask them if they’re done, that usually gets the last ones looking and then I pop it into my mouth and then tell them to put any comments in the “Final Conclusions” section and say no more about it. If asked, they are told to think about what they saw, how it changed what they thought about their observations and inferences and make think about how it changed their thinking.

Process vs. Nature of Science If observations is using your 5 senses to gather information about your surroundings Observe This and Make Observations & Inferences!