• [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.
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientific observations can be made directly with our own senses or may be made indirectly through the use of tools.
• [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 often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
• [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] Scientists usually work collaboratively. (NOS7)
• [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists are creative. (NOS7)
• [A scientific approach to life: Grades 9-12] Problem-solving and decision-making benefit from a scientific approach.

There are no NGSS/DCI concepts currently linked to this resource.

The activity reinforces the concept that scientists often make indirect observations of the phenomena they are attempting to study. This activity also points out that not all scientists follow the same path in such an investigation.

This resource currently lacks an associated teaching background.