Nature of Science Card Exchange

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Nature of Science Card Exchange Game
Presentation notes

• Created by Kaatje Kraft in conjunction with
  Communication in Science Inquiry Project team
  (NSF grant 0353469)
• Mesa Community College, 1833 W. Southern Ave.,
  Mesa, AZ 85202. Email k.kraft_at_mail.mc.maricopa.e
  du
• Goals
• Introduce students to the process of science
  (especially the context of geoscience)
• Introduce the notion of self-reflection both pre
  post in learning activities
• Provide feedback to the instructor to gain an
  understanding of class background knowledge and
  needed areas of emphasis for the coming semester.
• Establishing classroom norms for a scientific
  classroom discourse community.

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Understanding the Nature Of Geoscience
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Nature of Science Reflection
In your Notebook, answer the following
questions What is the nature of science and how
is it done?
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Phase 1 5 Minutes

• Select 5-6 cards from the pile at your table.
• Read through the cards and determine which ones
  you agree with and which ones you dont.

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Phase 2 5 Minutes

• Form pairs.
• Compare your cards and select 4-6 with which
  you both most agree.
• Each person must contribute at least 2 cards.
• Set aside the remaining cards.

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Phase 3 Collaborative Write (20 minutes)

• Find another pair to form a group of 4.
• As a foursome, select 6 cards with which you
  most agree (each pair must contribute at least 3
  cards).
• Set aside the remaining cards
• As a group, construct a group paragraph (or
  paragraphs) that describe the nature of science
  how science is done.
• Write your paragraph on one of the provided white
  boards.

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Phase 3 Collaborative Write (20 minutes)
Performance Expectations for Collaborative
Write As a group construct a paragraph
answering the question, what is the nature of
science and how is it done? All group members
should participate in the writing of the
paragraph. Do not rewrite the statements on the
cards verbatim, write the ideas in the groups
own words as much as possible. This is an
informal writing activity however, be sure to
use complete sentences. Also, try to be clear and
concise in your description. Everyone should
have the same paragraph as their group members in
their notebook.
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Nature of Geoscience Reading

• Read through the passage provided (pages
  195-202) from Bill Brysons A Short History of
  Nearly Everything.
• Thinking Questions
• What steps did the geologists go through to
  develop their ideas?
• How did the geologists communicate their
  findings?
• How did they get a sense of what happened even
  though they werent there to witness it?
• Can they prove their answer? How certain are
  they with their answer?

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Important Vocabulary

• A scientific theory is a general framework of
  principles, hypothesis, models, laws, etc that
  explains a natural phenomena and has predictive
  value.
• A hypothesis is a testable statement that
  attempts explain a phenomena or answers a
  question.
• Hunh? Talk with your neighbors, and put this
  definition in your own words. Feel free to use
  specific examples to help support your definition.

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Nature of Science Reflective Prompt
After thinking, talking, and writing about the
nature of science (and geoscience), has your
understanding of the nature of science changed?
If so, how and why?