Prologue – The Nature of Science
Text Pages 1-11
Objective 1
 Acknowledge
contributions to science
by various cultures
Question ?
 How did the advent of
the printing press affect
the growth of science?
Brief History of
Advances in Science
 4th and 3rd centuries BC – Greece made great advances
in science that spread through the Mediterranean
world
 5th century AD - Scientific advance came to a dramatic
halt in Europe when the Roman Empire fell
 Reason gave way to religion which ushered in the Dark
Ages
 During this time, the Chinese and Polynesians were
charting the stars and the planets
Brief History of
Advances in Science
 10th , 11th, and 12th centuries – Greek science was
reintroduced to Europe by Islamic influences in Spain
 13th , and 14th centuries – Universities emerged and the
introduction of gunpowder changed the social and
political structure in Europe
 15th century – Art and science were blended by
Leonardo da Vinci
 16th century – advent of the printing press
Brief History of
Advances in Science
 16th century – Polish astronomer Copernicus said the
sun (not the earth) is the center of the universe and
Galileo was arrested for his scientific notions
 1800’s:
 Geologists propose theories for creation of the universe
 Theories of evolution are proposed
**Society often condemns forward-thinking scientists
because people want to hold on to their preconceived
ideas
Class Assignment
 Get onto your working groups
 Using your chromebooks, research information on the
history of science, noting dates and accomplishments
(include at least 10 dates/accomplishments spread over a
long period of time)
 Then go to a timeline creator website, for example:
 http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/ti
meline_2/
 Make a timeline of scientific advances, using the
information you found – include the date, short
description and long description for each, and add
pictures, videos and songs if you like.
 Save your timeline because your group will present it at our
next class meeting!
Closure
 Think of at least five
important scientific
advancements
 Describe how your life
would be different if
they hadn’t been
made
Homework
 Read Prologue in
textbook (pages 1-11),
taking Cornell notes
 Write definitions of
science terms in your
ISNB
 Answer both reading
check questions and
exercises in your ISNB
Objective 2
 List the steps in the
scientific method and
cite other methods that
advance science
Question ?
 What else besides the
common scientific
method advances
science?
Scientific Method
 Principles and
procedures for the
systematic pursuit of
knowledge involving:
 the recognition and
formulation of a
problem
 the collection of data
through observation
and experimentation
 the formulation and
testing of hypotheses
Scientific Method
 1. Observe – closely observe the physical world around
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you. Recognize a question such as an unexplained
observation.
2. Question – make an educated guess – hypothesis – to
answer the question.
3. Predict – predict consequences that can be observed if
the hypothesis is correct. The consequences should be
absent if the hypothesis is not correct!
4. Test predictions – do experiments to see if the
consequences you predicted are present.
5. Draw a conclusion – formulate the simplest general
rule that organizes the hypothesis, predicted effects, and
experimental findings.
Scientific Method - Example
 1. Observe – I have a type of plant in my garden that does
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not grow well even though it gets enough water and sun.
2. Question – I believe that the plant is getting too much
sun and needs less direct sunlight.
3. Predict – If I am correct, this type of plant will grow
better in indirect sun.
4. Test predictions – I could plant some of these plants in
direct sun and some in indirect sun and measure their
growth.
5. Draw a conclusion – If the plants grow better in
indirect sun, my hypothesis was correct. If not, I have to
come up with another hypothesis!
Scientific
Method
 Progress in science can
also come from:
 Trial and error
 Experimentation
without a hypothesis
 Accidental discovery
Class Assignment
 Complete the following:
“Cell Phone Use and cancer: A Case Study to Explore the
Scientific Method”
1. Part I - read the case study together
2. Get onto your working groups
3. Answer the questions at the bottom of Part I
4. Part II (journal groups) – I will hand out articles on
phone use and cancer - each person in a group must
read at least one article - then answer the questions
together.
5. Part III (scientific article) – Read the epidemiology
research paper “Mobile Phone Use and the Risk of
Acoustic Neuroma” and then answer the questions
together.
Closure
 Think of and describe
a simple example of
how you could use the
scientific method to
solve a problem in
your life (use all of the
steps).
Homework
 Watch the video at the
following link
 Take Cornell notes on
the video in your ISNB
 Scientific Method Video
Objective 3
 Describe how honest
inquiry affects the
formulation of facts,
laws, and theories
Question ?
 Why does falsifying
information discredit a
scientist but not people
in other occupations?
Science Terms
 Fact – a phenomenon about which competent
observers who have made a series of observations are
in agreement
 Hypothesis – An educated guess; a reasonable
explanation of an observation or experimental result
that is not fully accepted as factual until tested over
and over by experimentation
 Law (principle) – A general hypothesis or statement
about the relationship of natural quantities that has
been tested over and over and has not be contradicted
 Theory – A synthesis of a large body of information
that encompasses well-tested and verified hypotheses
about certain aspects of the natural world.
The Scientific Attitude
 Science is always evolving and
hypotheses may need to be
changed (Aristotle and Galileo)
 Scientists must accept their
findings even if it is not what
they hoped to find
 More important than defending
beliefs is improving them
 In science it is more important
to have a means of proving an
idea wrong than to have a means
of proving it right
Science and Technology
 Science – the gathering and organizing of knowledge
 Technology – the use of knowledge for practical
purposes which provides the tools scientists need to
conduct their investigations
 Technology – can be both useful and harmful (burning
of fossil fuels); it is a tool and what we do with it is up
to us!
 Risk assessment – weighing the benefits of technology
with the risks
 Aspirin
 Sewage
 Radioactive wastes
Class Assignment
 Complete the following:
“How a Cancer trial Ended in Betrayal”
1. Part I - read the case study together
2. Get onto your working groups
3. Answer the questions at the bottom of Part I
4. Part II – In your groups, read and discuss the different
roles involved in clinical trials
5. Part III – the class will be broken into 3 groups to
complete their tasks as described in the case study:
the scientist group
b. the clinician group
c. the Peugeot-Snyder group
a.
Closure
 Think of an example
of technology used
today and describe
how it can be both
useful and harmful.
Homework
 Access my Scientific
Method PowerPoint on
my website
 Read through the slides
on the scientific method
 Take Cornell notes in
your ISNB