Scientists
Web Quest
2004/DMR
“Science and technology have advanced through the
contributions of many different people in different cultures at different times
in history”.
(National
Science Educational Standards)
¨
Introduction: The
purpose of this project is to have the students “meet” the scientists that they
will study this year and relate to them as real people.
The
Essential question: Can students in a cooperative group produce a biography of a specific scientist that
gives us an overview of both his/her life and his/her contributions to science?
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1. Students will be placed in cooperative
groups of 2-3.
2. A member will randomly select a scientist
from the scientist grab bag.
3. Students will register the scientists with
the supervising teacher.
4. Students will meet to study the set of
proposed documents and begin their research.
5.
Students will prepare the biography of a given
scientist in the form of a set of documents presented in scrapbook format.
¨ DAY #1
1.
With the
scientist in mind look over the list of proposed documents and discuss
possibilities with group.
2.
Assign job
roles/group:
a.
Coordinator= keeps group on
task/introduces class to scientist on last day
b.
Designer= keeps scrapbook
c.
Recorder=keeps citation
sheet and references organized
3.
Exchange
phone #s/ and or email addresses to help with exchanging information.
4.
Label
folder/envelope with group name, period and scientist’s name.
5.
Assign research first night to get overview
of scientist.
¨
DAY #2
6. Sort thru information gathered and
highlight important stats.
7. Decide on which documents will be selected
and assign an individual to do each one. (9 documents are being produced-
balance this in the group).
8. Discuss as a group the appearance of the
documents and the scrapbook. Decide on the “theme” and era look. This is
important to set the stage of the time in history! )
9. Begin production of ‘scrapbook” by putting
together the book and designing a cover which will include your scientists name
and yours!
10. Assign homework before you leave.
¨ DAY 3
11. Share with group the homework done and
start placing into scrapbook.
12. Work on documents in class.
13. Assign homework.
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DAY 4
14. Final day to work and complete scrapbook.
15. Scrapbook exchange last 15 minutes of
class. with 1 group for feedback.
¨ DAY 5
16. Sharing day with each scrapbook/scientist.
¨ The group’s coordinator gives a brief 1
paragraph summary of the scientist.
¨ Scrapbook exchange.
¨
Resources:
Required documents:
¨ Birth certificate: Historically looking document with
names, parents , date and place identified.
¨ Journal writing as a teenager ( 2 pages minimum- in his/her
style)
¨ Letter requesting
funding (for study in his/her area of expertise) from his/her government.
¨ Resume for scientist two years before death.
Include education and accomplishments.
¨ Obituary notice. Written in today’s style or
yesteryear’s /your choice.
Optional set A: (pick 2)
1. Wedding invitation : style of time.
2. Letter from scientist to another scientist of
same time period . Informative or persuasive. Could be an invitation to
collaborate.
3. Editorial cartoon regarding scientist and his/her work.
Optional set B: (pick 2)
1. Design for commemorative coin or stamp (your
design).
2. Vanity license plate. What logo/phrase would
work? Make design plate –like.
3. Gravestone design with epitaph.
Free choice: A substitution may be made for category A or B. See me for discussion and approval. You’ll notice that there is variety of writing and creative design for this project.
Front cover requirements: Include a picture of your scientist , name, dob/dod , brief description of claim to fame. Your group names in corner/as authors.
Page #1 Table of contents: list all documents including cover in page order AND identify group member responsible for each page/part.
¨ Into the Woods: John
James Audubon Lives His Dream [Hardcover] by Burleigh... [Hardcover]By: Robert Burleigh
¨
The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin :
Naturalist... [Hardcover] By: Peter Sis
2.b. Scrapbooking websites
http://42explore.com/scrapbk.htm
Also Computer scrapbooking will be helpful: http://www.computerscrapbooking.com/
3.Web sites:
The project would involve the following scientists:
a. John James Audubon
¨ http://www.audubon.org/nas/jja.html
b. Rachel Carson
¨ http://www.rachelcarson.org/
¨
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/cars-rac.htm
c. George Washington Carver
¨ http://www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/carver.html
¨ http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/gwc/home.html
d. Charles Darwin
¨ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml
¨ http://darwin.baruch.cuny.edu/biography/
e. Rosalind Franklin
¨ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bofran.html
¨ http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/franklin.html
f. Robert Hooke
¨ http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/hooke.html
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http://www.roberthooke.org.uk/
g. Carolus Linnaeus
¨ http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/linnaeus.html
¨ http://info.uu.se/fakta.nsf/sidor/carolus.linn%E6us.id63.html
h. Gregor Mendel
¨ http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Gregor_Mendel.html
¨ http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/klmno/mendel_gregor.html
i. Dimitri Mendeleev
¨ http://www.zephyrus.co.uk/dimitrimendeleev.html
¨ http://www.chemistry.co.nz/mendeleev.htm
j.
Beatrix Potter
¨ http://www.visitcumbria.com/bpotter.htm
¨
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/bpotter.htm
k. Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
¨ http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/leeuwenhoek.html
¨
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blleeuwenhoek.htm
¨
Conclusion: The scrapbooks will
be shared on the 5th day.
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Standard criteria |
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5 points |
3 points |
1 point |
0 points |
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Organization(10 pts) |
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Background research ¨
Citation w.s. |
Complete& highlighted Complete |
Inc.or not highlighted Some information |
Inc & not highlighted Little information |
None None |
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Presentation(15 pts) |
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Cover ¨
Scientist’s name ¨
Picture ¨
Dod/dob ¨
Claim/fame ¨
Group id ¨
Overall ¨
9 documents |
All 5 parts Complete/neat All 9 parts complete |
3-4 parts Incomplete or neat All 9 parts-some incomplete |
2 parts Incomplete & not neat Less than 9 documents |
< 2 parts None Too inc. |
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Creativity (only 9 required) (45 pts) |
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layout & color ¨
Birth cert. ¨
Journal writing ¨
Funding letter ¨
Resume ¨
Obit ¨
Wedding invite ¨
Letter/colleague ¨
Cartoon ¨
Design/stamp-coin ¨
Vanity plate ¨
Gravestone ¨
other |
Exc color sizing &
layout |
Needs work |
Little creativity |
None |
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Depth of knowledge (only 9 required) (45 pts) |
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places scientist in history 1.Birth cert. 2.Journal writing 3.Funding letter 4.Resume 5.Obit 6.Wedding invite 7.Letter/colleague 8.Cartoon 9.Design/stamp-coin 10.Vanity plate 11.Gravestone 12.other |
Accurate dates & info |
Needs more info |
Incomplete presentation |
None |
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Grading/115
pts |
A= > 102 |
B = 92-102 |
C = 81-91 |
D= 70-80 |
F < 70 |
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National Science Education
Standards
Table 6.7 History and Nature of Science Standards
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html#hn
History and Nature of Science
CONTENT STANDARD G:
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of
* Science as a human endeavor
* Nature of science
* History of science
DEVELOPING STUDENT UNDERSTANDING
Experiences in which students actually engage in scientific
investigations provide the background for developing an understanding of the
nature of scientific inquiry, and will also provide a foundation for appreciating the history of science described in this
standard.
The introduction of historical examples will help students see the scientific enterprise as more philosophical, social, and human. Middle-school students can thereby develop a better understanding of scientific inquiry and the interactions between science and society. In general, teachers of science should not assume that students have an accurate conception of the nature of science in either contemporary or historical contexts.
To develop understanding of the history and nature of
science, teachers of science can use the actual experiences of student
investigations, case studies, and historical vignettes. The intention of this
standard is not to develop an overview of the complete history of science.
Rather, historical examples are used to
help students understand scientific inquiry, the nature of scientific
knowledge, and the interactions between science and society.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARD
Fundamental concepts and principles that underlie this standard include
SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOR
* Women and men of various social and ethnic backgrounds--and with diverse interests, talents, qualities, and motivations--engage in the activities of science, engineering, and related fields such as the health professions. Some scientists work in teams, and some work alone, but all communicate extensively with others.
* Science requires different abilities, depending on such factors as the field of study and type of inquiry. Science is very much a human endeavor, and the work of science relies on basic human qualities, such as reasoning, insight, energy, skill, and creativity--as well as on scientific habits of mind, such as intellectual honesty, tolerance of ambiguity, skepticism, and openness to new ideas.
NATURE OF SCIENCE
* Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models. Although all scientific ideas are tentative and subject to change and improvement in principle, for most major ideas in science, there is much experimental and observational confirmation. Those ideas are not likely to change greatly in the future. Scientists do and have changed their ideas about nature when they encounter new experimental evidence that does not match their existing explanations.
* In areas where active research is being pursued and in which there is not a great deal of experimental or observational evidence and understanding, it is normal for scientists to differ with one another about the interpretation of the evidence or theory being considered. Different scientists might publish conflicting experimental results or might draw different conclusions from the same data. Ideally, scientists acknowledge such conflict and work towards finding evidence that will resolve their disagreement.
* It is part of scientific inquiry to evaluate the results of scientific investigations, experiments, observations, theoretical models, and the explanations proposed by other scientists. Evaluation includes reviewing the experimental procedures, examining the evidence, identifying faulty reasoning, pointing out statements that go beyond the evidence, and suggesting alternative explanations for the same observations. Although scientists may disagree about explanations of phenomena, about interpretations of data, or about the value of rival theories, they do agree that questioning, response to criticism, and open communication are integral to the process of science. As scientific knowledge evolves, major disagreements are eventually resolved through such interactions between scientists.
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Students should understand the difference between scientific and other questions and what science and technology can and cannot reasonably contribute to society.
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HISTORY OF SCIENCE
* Many individuals have contributed to the traditions of science. Studying some of these individuals provides further understanding of scientific inquiry, science as a human endeavor, the nature of science, and the relationships between science and society.
* In historical perspective, science has been practiced by different individuals in different cultures. In looking at the history of many peoples, one finds that scientists and engineers of high achievement are considered to be among the most valued contributors to their culture.
* Tracing the history of science can show how difficult it was for scientific innovators to break through the accepted ideas of their time to reach the conclusions that we currently take for granted.
