Module 2

Scientific Inquiry

Module 2 Flashcards 

Further Your Knowledge

Giovanni Shiaparelli- Link to a short biography of the man who first noticed several faint lines on the planet Mars.  Includes the drawings he made.

I wouldn't call THIS a failure of the scientific method, but it does illustrate the point that science is ever-changing.

Engineers use a form of the scientific method, too.  On the EdHeads site you can research, design, and test a new cell phone (find Cell Phone Design under the Games tab).  My students may email me for the login information. 

Videos

Our first song!  You'll find out that I like to use songs to help students remember things, or at least to have a laugh during class.  This is a song from a band called They Might Be Giants.  They have an entire CD of science songs, in case you're looking for ideas for Christmas presents for your favorite geek or nerd.  This song is about the scientific method.

In the absence of air, all objects, regardless of weight or shape, fall at the same rate.  This fact was demonstrated with an experiment on the moon.

When objects are dropped through the air, they might not fall at the same rate since there is air resistance.  That fact is demonstrated here by two guys dropping large objects.

Next up is a two-part video about Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis and his work on investigating the relationship between hand washing and death rates.  It seems so logical to us now, but it certainly didn't seem logical back then.

This last video shows a superconductor experiment using liquid nitrogen.