How do scientists (and everyone else) learn?Let's say you are a scientist. What do you do? How do you learn? What does it mean to research? All of these questions can be answered with a process called the scientific method. The scientific method is a natural process all people use to understand and resolve problems. You are probably thinking right now that you aren't a scientist and you have never used the scientific method. While you may have never consciously thought about the steps to the scientific method, I guarantee that you have, and I will prove it to you now.
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I've got 99 problems...
We all experience problems in our lives. Some of them are big, and then some of them are small. To prove how you have used the scientific method in your life, I have created four scenarios that you might call "first world problems". Pick one of the scenarios and take a few minutes to think about how you would solve the problem, or how you have solved a similar problem in the past. I will randomly select some of you to describe your solution, and we will discuss how you used the scientific method to reach that solution.
#1. You are in the middle of watching your favorite show on Netflix using your tablet or smartphone, and you suddenly get the dreaded warning that your battery is almost dead. How do you finish watching your show?
#3 You have procrastinated on starting on a huge world history project and it is due tomorrow. You are diligently researching your topic using the internet when all of a sudden your laptop looses its WiFi connection. How do you regain access to the internet?
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#2 You just bought a new video game and have been playing it religiously for the last three hours. All of your engrossing fun screeches to a halt when you reach an epic boss that seems impossible to defeat. How do you eventually defeat it?
#4 You have special ordered a meal at your favorite fast food restaurant and have sat down to devour your irresistibly delicious meal. As you take your first bite, you realize that the cook drastically messed up your order, rendering your meal in-eatable. Who do you make your meal eatable?
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Today's Assignments
- Complete the Scientific Method Video Worksheet (Due Thursday 8/18)
- Complete the Exit Ticket before you leave class.