Section 1: Scientific Method
Fundamental Topics in Science © 2001 Texas Instruments Teacher Notes 1-7
Using the Fundamental Topics in Science Application
To begin the application, press
9
, select
FunSci
, and press any key. The displayed Table of
Contents page shows the last place the student was in
FUNDAMENTAL TOPICS
or
SCIENCE
TOOLS
. The student may need to press
Ã
UP
Ä
one or more times to go to the Science Chapters
Table of Contents and then select
1:FUNDAMENTAL TOPICS
,
1:SCIENTIFIC METHOD
,
1:INTRODUCTION
to begin. You may need to tell students how to navigate the application, if they
are not yet familiar with it, or print Navigating Fundamental Topics in Science on pages viii–x of
the Introduction.
Introduction
This section explores the question “What is Science?” On a
WRITE IT DOWN
screen, students are
asked to describe what they think science is. The question is explored more fully, and one
definition is presented. If your students are keeping journals, Fundamental Topics in Science is
good journal material. If they are not keeping journals, have them write their responses on a
blank sheet of paper.
Concepts
This section explores what it means to “Do Science.”
A common process for scientific investigations is presented.
•
Observe Collect and organize data. Formulate questions.
•
Hypothesize Form a tentative, testable explanation. Design a test.
•
Test Experiment to support or refute the hypothesis.
•
Generalize Develop a model or theory that explains the data.
•
Communicate Share findings so others can investigate further.
You may wish to avoid calling this process “the” scientific method, since students might assume
this is the only method used by scientists. Point out that a scientific method can be any one of
several processes that:
•
Leads to sound conclusions.
•
Is repeatable.
•
Encourages further investigation.
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