The Nature of Science

Investigating Key Concepts of the Scientific Enterprise

What is science? Some view it as just a collection of facts, but it is really a process
of providing reliable answers to questions about the natural world and our everyday
lives. How can we make more fuel-efficient cars? Why does the Earth seem to be
getting warmer? What can we do to prevent inherited diseases? Scientists find the
answers to such questions by conducting observations and experiments which gather
evidence from the natural world.

Scientific work can take place in a laboratory or in a stream, and its impact can be felt
in many different ways. Understanding chemical reactions can help you remove
stains from your clothing as well as identify sources of water pollution in your
community. Applying science processes can help you to make better decisions
about which products to buy and evaluate the accuracy of scientific discoveries in the
news.

This investigation will deepen your understanding about the Nature of Science as
you work throughout the year to conduct investigations of the natural world.
Understanding how science works will help you identify and apply its principles in
your everyday life.

Question
1. How do classroom investigations, scientific knowledge, and research relate to the
Nature of Science?

Key Terms
Nature of Science (NOS)

Materials
Colored pencils

Before You Begin

Read the statements about the Nature of Science listed in the following Anticipation-
Reaction Guide. Record if you think each statement is true (T = true) or false (F =
false) in the Anticipation column. You will complete the Reaction column after you
have completed the investigation.

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 Rewrite False Statements
Anticipation Statement Reaction
to Make Them True

Science is based on the

idea that, if a natural
event is studied long and
hard enough, it can be
understood.

Most scientific discoveries

result from the conduct of
controlled experiments.

Imagination and creativity

are important in scientific
inquiry and research.

The scientific method is

accepted worldwide as
the standard for scientific
research.

Scientists have biases

that affect the studies they
conduct.

Society has little influence

on scientific research.

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Directions
Listen to the presentation about the Nature of Science. Your teacher will stop at
certain points during the presentation to allow you to make notes about each of the
concepts. Use the space below to record your thoughts.

Nature of Science Notes

The natural world is understandable

Science demands evidence

Science is a blend of logic and imagination

Scientific knowledge is durable

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 Scientific knowledge is subject to change

Science identifies and avoids bias

Science is a complex social activity

Summary and Synthesis

1. Use your notes on the Nature of Science to complete the graphic organizer on
the following page. The graphic organizer has boxes that feature each of the
seven concepts of the nature of science. For each box, develop -

(1) a short, memorable phrase that summarizes the main idea of the concept
and

(2) draw an illustration to accompany the phrase using colored pencils.

2. After completing the organizer, use the Anticipation-Reaction guide you used
before to record your opinion on the statements listed in the column labeled
Reaction. Rewrite any statements that are false so that they are true.

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Application
1. With a partner, read and discuss the following scenarios related to the Nature of
Science. Use your notes and Graphic Organizer to help you decide which of the
concepts of the Nature of Science most apply. In most cases, more than one
NOS concept applies. Make sure you can support your answers with
information from the scenario. After all, science demands evidence!

Nature of Science Scenarios

Scenario NOS Concept(s)

In 1815, Jean Baptiste Lamarck thought that giraffe

developed long necks as a result of factors in their
environment. About 100 years later, Charles
Darwin proposed a competing theory that used
inheritance to explain why giraffe all had long necks.
Darwin’s theory of natural selection, sometimes
referred to as survival of the fittest, is still used today
to explain dominant traits among species.

Joseph Lister is known as the ‘Father of Antiseptic

Surgery’. He noticed that his patients often survived
surgery, but died soon afterward from fevers and
infections. He read how air can carry germs. He
suspected that doctors could be responsible for
causing infections by spreading germs on their
hands during operations and patient contact. He
asked his doctors to wash their hands in a salt
solution before and after operating. Hospital deaths
fell dramatically.

Over one billion dollars was spent over eight years

on thousands of researchers around the world to
decode 3 billion letters of genetic code. Now
scientists can sequence the human genome in a
couple of days for about 4-5 thousand dollars. The
project led to a better understanding of cancer and
rare genetic disease. Scientists can now analyze
the DNA of unborn babies and prescribe better and
more targeted medicine for illnesses.

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 Scenario NOS Concept(s)

The atom was first described by the Greek philosopher

Democritus. Subsequent scientific discoveries in 1803,
1897, and 1911 added to our understanding of its
structure. These early atomic pioneers laid the
groundwork for the electron cloud model of the atom that
we recognize today.

Tobacco products helped establish the English colonies

in America in the 1600’s. The British started studying the
link between smoking and lung cancer in 1948. By 1954,
they had concluded that smoking harmed human health.
Many tobacco companies in the United States paid for
and conducted their own research. They did not publish
research connecting smoking to lung cancer until 1964.
Many believe that large tobacco companies tied up the
funding for smoking research. Today, the public accepts
that smoking is harmful to human health.

2. Select a current science-related news topic. Briefly summarize the topic and
explain how the Nature of Science applies (Example: genetics, cures for cancer,
pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, new diseases, weather, natural disasters).

3. Imagine a scenario where you could apply the ideas of the Nature of Science to
answer a question or solve a problem.

4. Throughout the year, you will be asked to use the Nature of Science Focus
Questions on the following page to help you make connections between your
science investigations and the Nature of Science

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As you complete lab investigations during the year, use the focus questions (below)
to help see connections between your work and the Nature of Science. Be prepared
to justify your response(s).

The natural world is understandable

How did your investigation show that the natural world is understandable?

Science demands evidence

How did you use inquiry to guide your investigation?
o What questions or predictions guided your investigation?
o Did you create and/or follow a procedure?
o How did you evaluate the validity of your data?
o Was your data experimental or observational?
o Can you support your conclusion with evidence from your investigation?
o Were alternate explanations considered?
o How did you communicate your conclusion to others?
o How did you connect your findings to other scientific thinking on the topic?

Science is a blend of logic and imagination

How did you use logic, imagination, visualization, and creativity in completing your
investigation or formulating your conclusion?
What experiences gave you ideas to help you make sense of the data?
o Are there other ways you could explain your results?
o What patterns did you observe in the data? Where else do you see similar
patterns?

Scientific ideas are durable

What scientific theories or laws helped you formulate a logical conclusion?

Scientific ideas are subject to change

How has the scientific understanding of your topic changed over time? What
caused this change?
How have your ideas about this topic changed as a result of this investigation?

Science is a social activity

How well did you work together and communicate to complete this investigation
and/or verify results?
How well could someone else understand your data and conclusion?

Science avoids bias

How did you maintain objectivity when collecting data and formulating your
conclusion?
What criteria did you use to verify the validity of your data?

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