1. Bell Work Understanding Fossil Butte In the southwest corner of Wyoming, there is a flat-topped mountain called Fossil Butte. A fossil of a fish was found near the top of Fossil Butte in a rock formation that is about 50 million years old. Fossils of other kinds of fishes, as well as turtles, have been found at Fossil Butte. The land around Fossil Butte is dry, and the Pacific Ocean is more than 1000 km away. How could fossils of sea-dwelling animals have formed at Fossil Butte?

2. Bell Work 1.Working with a partner, think of several questions that a scientist might ask in order to understand why there are fish fossils in the desert of Wyoming. Write these questions on a sheet of paper. 2.Discuss your questions with your partner, and suggest a possible answer to each question. 3.How could a scientist go about finding an answer to each of the questions?

3. What is Science?

4. The Goal of Science The goal of science is to:  investigate and understand the natural world  explain events in the natural world  use those explanations to make useful predictions

5. What is Science? Science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world. The word science also refers to the body of knowledge that scientists have built up after years of using this process.

6. What Science Is and Is Not 1) Science only deals with the natural world 2) Scientists collect and organize information in a careful, orderly way looking for patterns and connections between events 3) Scientists propose explanations that can be tested by examining evidence

7. Science vs. Technology technology – the application of science to meet human needs Science and Technology are Interdependent - Scientific knowledge is used to create an improve technology; that technology can then be used to further science Example: Telescopes, Microscopes

8. Thinking Like a Scientist Suppose you hear a car horn right before you hear a loud sound of twisted metal. - What happened? - How do you know?

9. Thinking Like A Scienctist Scientific thinking begins with observation.  Observation is the process of gathering information about events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

10. Observations The information gathered from observations is called data.  Quantitative data are expressed as numbers, obtained by counting or measuring. Example: Hair color - brown hair  Qualitative data are descriptive and involve characteristics that can’t easily be measured. Example: Counting or Measurement - 13 people have brown hair

11. Inferences Scientists use data to make inferences. An inference is a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience. Example: This is a science classroom because there is science equipment around the room.

12. Explaining and Interpreting Evidence A hypothesis is a proposed scientific explanation for a set of observations. A hypothesis may be ruled out (rejected) or confirmed (supported).

13. Hypotheses A hypothesis must be proposed in a way that can be tested. Hypotheses are tested by performing controlled experiments or by gathering new data.

14. Science as a Way of Knowing Science is an ongoing process that involves:  asking questions  observing  making inferences  testing hypotheses

15. Science as a Way of Knowing Scientific understanding is always changing. Good scientists are skeptics who question both existing ideas and new hypotheses.

16. Science and Human Values An understanding of science and the scientific approach is essential to making intelligent decisions.  Scientists make recommendations based on data collected through research.

17. Science and Human Values Decisions involve many factors besides scientific information, including:  the society in which we live  economic considerations  Laws  moral principles Citizens decide what to do when they vote.