Nature of Science – Organic Chemistry

Activity #1 Sketch a Scientist

Goals:

For students to

- To identify stereotypes in a one’s perception of scientists

- Identify some sources of bias
- Consider people like themselves can become scientists

Materials:

- Pencil, paper, pencil crayons

- Textbooks/books/references with pictures of scientists

Procedure:

- Have students to make a drawing of a scientist

- Have students put their drawing on the board and present their person. Keep track of traits in
each drawing (ex. gender, ethnicity, glasses, setting, pencils/pens, lap coats, wild or unruly hair).
- Discuss the possible origins of these stereotypes

Extension:

- Have students find pictures of scientists in the textbooks/online

- Have students watch a TV Show, cartoon or movie which involves at least one scientist
- Again collect data on how these scientists are represented
- Discuss the impact that different stereotypes have on their perception of scientists in general
o From where do our ideas about scientists come?
o Do you think your ideas about scientists are valid?
o In what ways do your ideas about scientists influence your ideas about science as a
whole?

Consolidate

- Have students draw their new concept of a scientist and now how their ideas may have changed
- Have students write in the front of another student’s lab notebook explaining why they that
person could be a scientist.
Activity #2 Strange Stories

Goal:

Students will:

- Relate insights to their personal lives

- Be unable to solve thought problems because of false assumptions
- Realize that scientific knowledge is contingent and subject to modification

Materials

- Short stores

Procedure:

- Read the story to the students; tell them their challenge is to solve the mystery
- They can ask only questions that have a “yes” or “no” answer and you will answer those
questions truthfully
- Once solved, ask students what their false assumption was. Ask them to think about the false
assumptions people have made about the natural world, the problems this created, and how
they solved the problems.
- Have students discuss how this pertains to obtaining scientific information

FIRST STORY:

There is a cabin on the side of a mountain. Three people are inside and they are dead.
How did they die?

Answer: They died in an airplane crash.

The False Assumption: the cabin is a log cabin. Actually, it is the cabin of a 747
jetliner. The dead are the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator.They crashed during a snow
storm.

SECOND STORY:

It is hot August afternoon. The location is the living room in an old Victorian
mansion. The 7-foot window is open and the curtains are blowing in the breeze
generated by the thunderstorm that just passed. On the floor lie the bodies of Bill and
Monica. They are surrounded by puddles of water and broken glass. Please close your
eyes and picture the scene. Now change the picture. Neither Bill nor Monica has any
clothing on. How did they die?
Answer: The wind blew open the windows, knocking over the fish bowl in which Bill
and Monica had been swimming. The fish bowl crashed to the floor and broke,
leaving Bill and Monica to suffocate without their water.
The False Assumption: that Bill and Monica were human. They were actually two
goldfish.