1. Write the Question on page 22 and Answer the following in the left side of your Interactive Journal on page 21
What role does science play in the study of life?
5 minutes
Quick Write

2. Class Norms Honor time limits Actively participate
Listen respectfully to your colleagues
Place cell phones on vibrate or silent mode
Participants may write burning questions on a sticky note and place on the parking lot
BE PRESENT

3. Parking Lot
Burning Issues
Questions
Comments
Ideas to Share

4. Common Board Configuration
DATE: August 17, 2014
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How can you tell the difference between science and non-science?
Objectives:
Differentiate between phenomena that are scientific and things that are not.
Explain the criteria for categorizing phenomena as science (Consistent, Observable, Natural, Predictable, Testable, and Tentative).
Home Learning:
Read pages 4-6 Chapter 1.1: The Study of Life: Students will identify 3 things they already knew, 2 things they learned and 1 thing they have question about
Bring in your interactive journals to the next class

5. Agenda Introduction to what is science? (Think-Pair-Share)
Interactive Journal Quick Setup
Walk through CONPTT
Complete CONPTT Worksheet
Science Article (Jigsaw)
Exit Ticket

6. ESSENTIAL QUESTION How can you tell the difference between science and non-science?

7. What is Science?

8. Science is limited to studying only the problems of the natural world that can be understood by using the processes of science
Scientists must be able to use their senses to observe and evaluate
Assumes that the universe is orderly, reasonable, and testable
Theories are subject to change and does not have all the answers or solutions
Science Defined

9. “CONPTT” How can we tell Science from Non- Science?
Using 6 criteria we will be able to recognize the difference between Science and Non-Science
“CONPTT”

10. Consistency (paste ½ sheet on Right Side)
The results of repeated observations and/or experiments concerning a naturally occurring event are reasonably the same
Consistency (paste ½ sheet on Right Side)

11. Consistency (write on left side)
Reality Check #1 – Which one is not a scientific statement?
Green plants will grow towards a light source
Walking under a ladder will cause bad luck
Consistency (write on left side)

12. The event under study can be observed and explained
The event under study can be observed and explained. Observations are limited to the basic human senses.
Observability

13. Observability Some plants eat meat
Reality Check #2 – Which of the following is a scientific statement?
Some plants eat meat
Extraterrestrial beings have visited the Earth
Observability

14. A natural cause must be used to explain why or how the naturally occurring event happens. Scientists cannot use supernatural explanations as to why or how naturally occurring events happen
Reference to the supernatural is outside the realm of science
Natural

15. Natural Green Plants convert sunlight into energy
Reality Check #3 – Which of the following is a scientific statement?
Green Plants convert sunlight into energy
With a rod, Moses parted the sea so his people could cross to the other side
Natural

16. The natural cause of the naturally occurring event can be used to make specific predictions
Predictability

17. Reality Check #4 – Which of the following is not a scientific statement?
Without sunlight (or comparable artificial light), green plants will die
If you are a “Scorpio”, your horoscope for today is “You’ll be saying ‘I feel rich!’ Lunar position highlights a refund from an accounting error”
Predictability

18. The natural cause of the naturally occurring event must be testable through the processes of science
References to the supernatural events or causes are not relevant tests
Testability

19. Reality Check #5 – Which of the following is a scientific statement?
The Bermuda Triangle causes ships and planes to sink and disappear
Life comes from life and cannot come from non-life
Testability

20. Scientific theories are subject to revision and correction, even to the point of the theory being proven wrong.
Scientific theories will be continue to be modified to consistently explain observations of naturally occurring events
Tentativeness

21. Reality Check #6 – Which of the following is and which one is not a scientific statement?
1 – The number of human chromosomes was once known to be 48, but is now considered to be 46
2 – Living things were once grouped into 2 major groups, then 3, then 4, and now 5, because the criteria used for classifying living things has changed
3 – We know that the world began about years ago, and nothing will change that
4 – At one time, it was thought the heart pumped blood out of a large container as an “open system”, but now it is known that blood “circulates” in a closed system
Tentativeness

22. “Emerging Science” (write on right side)
Also known as “Protoscience” may be defined as “near science”
It conforms to most of the CONPTT criteria, but typically falls short in 1-2 criteria
Limited by current knowledge or technology
Example: mental telepathy (information transmitted from one brain to another)
“Emerging Science” (write on right side)

23. An area of knowledge which does not meet the criteria of science (CONPTT)
Topics areas may be very logical and based on good reasoning, but simply do not fall within the realm of science
Examples: personal opinions, religious beliefs
“Non-Science”

24. “False Science” Also known as “pseudoscience”
It can be portrayed and advertised as legitimate science by its followers and supporters
Phenomena conflict with known physical laws
Example: astrology, fortune-telling
“False Science”

25. Class Assignment (worksheet)
Is it Science? Is it a Scientific Statement?
During the review we looked at one criterion at a time, but all 6 criteria must be used to determine if a statement is scientific.
Take 1 statement from class or come up with one on your own and apply all 6 CONPTT criteria to determine if it is a scientific statement.
Use the worksheet provided
Class Assignment (worksheet)

26. Write the Questions and Answers into the left side of your Interactive Journal
1- How can you tell the difference between science and non-science?
2 – Why is there uncertainty in science?
5 minutes
Exit Questions

27. Read Article from Biozine titled “When Knowledge and Ethics collide”
See my website for link or go to and search for title
Answer one of the “Questions to Consider”
Defend your position
Answer in at least 4 sentences
At Home Learning