Transcript Studying Life Science - Miss Stanley Cyber Classroom

Lesson 1
Understanding Science
• What is scientific inquiry?
• What are the results of
scientific investigations?
• How can a scientist prevent
bias in a scientific
investigation?
• How is science limited?
What is Science?
Science comes from the Latin
word scientia, which means
“knowledge.”
What is Science?
Science is the investigation and
exploration of natural events and
of the new information that results
from those investigations.
(the total collection of knowledge
gained through man’s observations of
the physical world)
Branches of Science
Biology, or life science, is the study
of all living things.
biology
from Greek bios, means “life”;
and logia, means “study of”
Life Science (Biology)
the study of living things
Branches of Science
 The
(cont.)
study of Earth, including landforms, rocks,
soil, and forces that shape Earth’s surface, is
Earth science.
 The study of chemistry and physics is physical
science.
Scientists use skills
such as observing,
inferring, predicting,
classifying, and
making models to
learn more about the
world.
Successful scientists
possess certain
attitudes, or habits
of mind
(Characteristics).
Characteristics of Successful
Scientists
Curiosity
Caution
Critical
thinking
Curiosity
Scientists love to ask
questions esp. why
questions; If a person
can find out what
causes something in
nature, he will have a
good chance at
making useful
predictions – a key
goal in the work of
science.
Caution
He knows not everything he reads or
hears is true.
Caution
He knows scientific thinking is based
on observation (information a
person gains by using one or more of
his five senses).
Caution
He knows science is limited.
Limitations of Science
1. Science deals only with
observables.
2. Science cannot prove universal
negatives.
3. Science cannot make value
judgments.
4. Science cannot provide final
answers.
universal negative
a statement that excludes everything
(a blanket statement of denial)
There are no
aliens.
value judgment
a determination of the worth of
something (deciding whether
something is right or wrong, good
or bad, valuable or worthless)
Oh, how
cute!
final answer
an answer that is absolutely true
(and therefore never needs to be
rejected or revised)
What kind of answer can
scientists give?
A verified answer
A verified answer is chosen at
the end of an experiment
because it is supported by
repeated experiments or surveys.
It is an answer supported by
repeated experiments or surveys
Truth?
Science is NOT about truth; it’s
about finding predictions that
work.
Only God’s Word is
absolute truth.
Scientific Inquiry
As scientists study the natural world, they
usually use certain skills, or methods.
Scientific Inquiry
(cont.)
A scientist uses a sequence of skills and
methods in an investigation.
Scientific Inquiry
Observations
(cont.)
often are the
beginning of the process of science.
An observation is using one or more
of your senses to gather information
and take note of what occurs.
Observations
Good scientific observations must be
measurable and repeatable.
Observations can be either
quantitative (deal with a number, or
amount) or qualitative (deal with
descriptions).
Scientific Inquiry
(cont.)
A
possible explanation about an
observation that can be tested by
scientific investigations is a hypothesis.
A
prediction is a statement of what will
happen next in a sequence of events.
Scientific Inquiry
 When
(cont.)
you test a hypothesis, you often
are testing your predictions.
 If your prediction is not confirmed, your
hypothesis might need revision.
Scientific Inquiry
 The
(cont.)
next step in a scientific investigation is to
organize and analyze your data.
 You must determine whether inferences can be
made or conclusions drawn from the data.
 An inference is a logical explanation of an
observation that is drawn from prior knowledge
or experience. (logical conclusion based on
observation) (Inferences are not always
correct.)
Scientific Inquiry
(cont.)
 If
your hypothesis is supported by the data, you can
repeat the experiment to confirm the results.
 If
your hypothesis is not supported, you may need
to modify it.
Scientific Inquiry
(cont.)
An important step in scientific
inquiry is communicating results.
Results of Scientific Inquiry
 In
science, you perform scientific inquiry to find
answers to questions.
 The practical use of scientific knowledge,
especially for industrial or commercial use is
technology.
 Many times, scientific investigations answer the
questions: who, what, when, where, or how.
Results of Scientific Inquiry (cont.)
Scientific Theory and Scientific Laws
A
scientific theory is an explanation
of observations or events based on knowledge
gained from many observations and
investigations.
 A scientific law describes a pattern or an
event in nature that is always true.
Results of Scientific Inquiry (cont.)
Scientific Theory and Scientific Laws
 Critical
(cont.)
thinking is comparing what you already
know with the information you are given in order
to decide whether you agree with it.
 To prevent bias in an investigation, sampling,
repetition, and blind studies can be helpful.
Critical thinking
The Bible encourages Christians to
think critically. (“My dear friends don't
believe everything you hear. Carefully
weigh and examine what people tell
you.” 1 John 4:1 MSG)
Only God’s Word is absolute truth. God
is the Creator of all life. If you remove
God from any part of your life, then
that part of your life will become
meaningless. Only God is able to give
meaning to things He has made.
Scientific Theory and Scientific Laws
(cont.)
Our Main Focus
Our main focus of learning Life
Science should be to love God
through the study of His creation.