Unit 1.3: Asking questions

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Distinguish between questions that science can and cannot answer
2. Write a scientific question about a place of interest
3. Reflect on their own use of science and engineering practices

This activity is intended for use at the beginning of an introductory Earth Science course for college-level students. The activity could be used with any class size, and can be completed in approximately 75 minutes of class time, plus additional time for pre-class and homework assignments.

Students will need laptops or tablets to use Google Earth (web-based version) in class.

Teaching Materials:

Students will need laptops or tablets to use Google Earth in class.

• Slides to guide class activity: Unit 1.3 Slides (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 5.2MB Sep10 24)
• Student handout for in-class activity: Student handout (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 1.9MB Sep10 24)
• Unit 1 Exit Ticket (reflection): Exit Ticket (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 69kB Aug13 24)

Pre-class assignment (same as Unit 1.2 Homework):

Unit 1.2 Homework (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 1.7MB Sep10 24)

Students review the slides from class about what science is and is not and are referred to the Understanding Science 101 website, where the ideas came from, specifically the Science Checklist, Science in Disguise, and Science Has Limits web pages. These readings should help students to distinguish questions that science can answer from questions that science cannot answer.

Students are prompted to think about either an outdoor place that interests them or a natural phenomenon and to write two questions about that place or phenomenon; one that can be answered using science and one that cannot be answered by science.

Students should submit their assignment in advance of the class meeting so that the instructor can select example questions that the students wrote for discussion during class.

Before class (instructor):

The instructor should review the questions submitted from the pre-class assignment (same as Unit 1.2 homework) and select samples of questions that can and cannot be addressed by science to share with the class.

In class:

Part 1: Categorizing questions-- follow up from pre-class assignment (15-20 min)

• The instructor facilitates a discussion about the pre-class assignment, first asking students what they found challenging or interesting about writing questions that science can and cannot answer, aiming for productive discourse.
• The instructor shares example questions submitted by students that science can answer and that science cannot answer. Discuss what these questions have in common. It is important not to place value (good/bad) on the types of questions. Science can help with some questions, but not with all, and non-science questions are also important.
• Students are asked to categorize the example questions that science can answer. For example, some of the questions may be yes/no questions, or questions that are broad and could be broken into smaller questions, or questions that seem well suited to be addressed by certain SEP, etc.

Part 2: Using Google Earth to make observations and ask questions (30-40 min)

• As discussed in Unit 1.2, science can take many paths, but one common way for science questions to arise is in response to observations. Students are introduced to Google Earth as a tool for making observations about Earth's surface (e.g., landscapes, rivers, vegetation). The instructor can open Google Earth and give students a demonstration of how to navigate. The class slides include observations about Acadia National Park in Maine, but the instructor could choose another place of interest or ask students to suggest a place and then make observations as a class. Note that students do not need to download Google Earth Pro; the web-based version of Google Earth is sufficient.
• Students then work on their own, following the prompts in a handout to explore a place of their choosing in Google Earth, first making observations, and then sharing those observations with a classmate for feedback, and then writing science questions inspired by one or more of their observations. Students are also asked to think about what SEP might be used to answer one of the questions they wrote.

Part 3: Exit Ticket Reflection for Unit 1: Anyone Can be a Scientist (could be homework instead of in-class activity) (15-20 min)

• The Unit 1 Exit Ticket (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 69kB Aug13 24) asks students to reflect on the SEP and the process of science.

Homework Assignment:

If students do not complete the Unit 1 Exit Ticket during class, they can complete it for homework.

• Students are likely to write a wide range of questions as part of the pre-class work. Using this as a pre-class assignment is recommended so that the instructor can review them (and potentially augment the student-generated questions, as needed) and compile a set of questions that will facilitate productive conversation in class about questions that science can and cannot answer.
• It is important to emphasize that questions that science cannot answer are still interesting and important questions to ask.
• The web-based version of Google Earth is sufficient for this activity; students do not need to download Google Earth Pro. Some students will be comfortable navigating Google Earth, and for others it may be a new tool. Additional time can be spent providing an orientation to using Google Earth, or students who are less comfortable using Google Earth could be paired with a more experienced classmate to avoid any potential frustrations using the software.

LO1: Distinguish between questions that science can and cannot answer

• Class discussion and in-class Google Earth activity

LO2: Write a scientific question about a place of interest

• In-class Google Earth activity

LO3: Reflect on their own use of science and engineering practices

• Unit 1 Exit Ticket

Carpi, A., & Egger, A.E. (2011). The Nature of Scientific Knowledge, Visionlearning Vol. POS-3 (2). https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/The-Nature-of-Scientific-Knowledge/185

Nyman, M., & St. Clair, T. (2016). A Geometric model to teach nature of science, science practices, and metacognition. Journal of College Science Teaching, 45(5)