Grade Level(s):
- 9-12
- College
Source:
- UC Museum of Paleontology
Resource type:
- classroom activity
Discipline:
- Earth science
Time: 90 minutes
Overview
Students participate in a quick activity and discuss whether they were doing science. They then read a story about Walter Alvarez, discuss the process of science, and trace his scientific journey using the Science Flowchart.
- [What is science?: Grades ] 9-12
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science is both a body of knowledge and the process for building that knowledge. (NOS5)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science focuses on natural phenomena and processes.
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science works only with testable ideas. (P2, P3, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P4, P6, NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific ideas cannot be absolutely proven.
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Because it has been tested, scientific knowledge is reliable. (NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Science is ongoing; answering one scientific question frequently leads to additional questions to be investigated. (P1)
- [What is science?: Grades ] 13-16
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Science is both a body of knowledge and the process for building that knowledge.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Science aims to build increasingly broad and coherent explanations of the natural world.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Science focuses on natural phenomena and processes.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Science works only with testable ideas.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Scientific ideas cannot be absolutely proven.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Because it has been tested, scientific knowledge is reliable.
- [What is science?: Grades 13-16] Science is ongoing; answering one scientific question frequently leads to additional questions to be investigated.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] The real process of science is complex, iterative, and can take many different paths.
- [How science works: Grades ] 9-12
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] The real process of science is complex, iterative, and can take many different paths.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out. (P4, P6)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists look for patterns in their observations and data. (P4, P5, NOS2)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Researchers share their findings with the scientific community through scientific publications. (P8)
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists aim for their studies to be replicable.
- [How science works: Grades ] 13-16
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientific observations can be made directly with our own senses or may be made indirectly through the use of tools.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] All scientific tests involve making assumptions, but these assumptions can be independently tested, increasing our confidence in our test results.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists use multiple research methods (experiments, observational research, comparative research, and modeling) to collect data.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists look for patterns in their observations and data.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Researchers share their findings with the scientific community through scientific publications.
- [How science works: Grades 13-16] Scientists aim for their studies to be replicable.
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades ] 9-12
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a narrow set of phenomena. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
- [The social side of science: Grades ] 9-12
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Science depends on communication within the scientific community. (P7, P8)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists usually work collaboratively. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists scrutinize each other's work through peer review and other processes. (P7, NOS5)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Science relies on the accumulated knowledge of the scientific community to move forward. (NOS5)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] The scientific community is global and diverse. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists are creative. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades ] 13-16
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Science depends on communication within the scientific community.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists usually work collaboratively.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists scrutinize each other's work through peer review and other processes.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] The scientific community motivates researchers in their investigations by providing recognition and, sometimes, a sense of competition.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Science relies on the accumulated knowledge of the scientific community to move forward.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] The scientific community is global and diverse.
- [The social side of science: Grades 13-16] Scientists are creative.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 1. Scientific investigations use a variety of methods.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 5. Science is a way of knowing.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 7. Science is a human endeavor.
- Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
- Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
- Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
- Science and Engineering Practice 8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
There are currently no teaching tips for this resource.