MI BIG
Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge II.1
Map (html) | Map
(Inspiration)
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All students will analyze claims for their
scientific merit and explain how scientists decide what constitutes
scientific knowledge.
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All students will show how science is related to
other ways of knowing.
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All students will show how science and technology
affect our society.
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All students will show how people of diverse
cultures have contributed to and influenced developments in science.
Overview
Young children find the world to be a fascinating place
and immerse themselves in the learning process. Scientific investigation
is natural to them, as they observe their surroundings and put
observations into a meaningful context. As they mature, scientifically
literate students learn that science is a human endeavor, which involves
the achievements and collaboration of individuals from diverse backgrounds
and cultures. They learn the history of scientific accomplishments of many
cultures, from the ancient Greeks to Albert Einstein and Sylvia Earle.
They discover that the world is a place of wonder, which they can observe
and study, using technology to enhance their interpretations.
Essential Background Narratives
Analyze
claims for their scientific merit and explain how scientists decide what
constitutes scientific knowledge.
Show how
science is related to other ways of knowing.
Show how
science and technology affect our society.
Show
how people of diverse cultures have contributed to and influenced
developments in science.
Students at all levels learn that scientists use their
senses to gather evidence. They begin to understand that through
observation and data collection they are able to reach conclusions about
their research. They learn that sources of information must be evaluated
by looking for weaknesses in arguments that may have been presented as
"scientific". They begin to discover that replication of
investigations is an essential part of the scientific process. Students
should have varying degrees of confidence in ideas or knowledge depending
on the source. They should evaluate dates and sources of references to
identify potential limitations in personal knowledge.
Research describes the importance of understanding
potential flaws in the scientific process. Among these are the
intermingling of fact and opinion, the use of inadequate data sampling,
and the failure to consider alternative hypotheses. The importance of
evidence in scientific investigations is often compromised.
There are many ways of explaining and understanding the
world. Science is one; art, history, literature and philosophy are others.
Students express their understanding of science concepts in multiple ways.
This use of a variety of strategies to present common themes of science,
mathematics and technology can assist all students in being able to
participate more fully in science learning activities. The use of poetry,
expository work, music, and graphic representations, can provide students
a new medium through which they communicate their science investigations
or describe natural phenomenon. Using various methods allows students to
present their growing proficiency while simultaneously supporting learning
in other areas.
At the high school level, students will be able to use
common themes of science, mathematics, and technology to describe their
learning. The use of common themes such as constancy, scale and
conservation, may help scientifically literate students bring together
more of the science concepts they have learned into a cohesive whole
rather than a collection of facts.
"Technology extends the ability of people to change
the world: to cut, shape or put together materials; to move things from
one place to another; and to reach farther with their hands, voices,
senses, and minds. The changes may be for survival needs such as food,
shelter, and defense, for communication and transportation, or to gain
knowledge and express ideas. Students must understand that our present
political and economic systems depend on technology; and, because of this
the human race will have to adapt its lifestyle as further technological
changes occur."
The study of science enables students to understand that
many individuals, from a wide variety of cultures, have made scientific
accomplishments possible. They discover that scientists are not all
"men in white coats with pocket protectors", and are of many
cultures. It is imperative that the contributions of underrepresented
populations in the field of science are emphasized, and that students are
introduced to many scientific role models. As all areas of our world
become more accessible, it becomes important to emphasize that all people
have value and many cultures have contributed to our present scientific
enterprise. Older students should be introduced to the historical,
political and social factors affecting developments in science. By
studying the development of theories in science, such as the development
of the sun - centered model of the solar system and the theory of natural
selection, students better understand that science is done in the context
of culture and that scientific theories are developed based on a variety
of factors.
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