Natural+Sciences

Back to HOME > IB ToK
=NATURAL SCIENCES= media type="custom" key="13249330" [|UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE 101] - good examples and definitions for your essays and presentations media type="custom" key="26838340"
 * SYMPHONY OF SCIENCE: POETRY OF REALITY**

media type="custom" key="17983320"
 * THE AQUATIC APE THEORY - example of unorthodox interpretation of evidence**

[|THE POWER OF THEORY FROM SCIENTIFIC AMMERICAN GUEST BLOG - ETHAN SIEGEL] FROM THE TOK STUDY GUIDE: "The natural sciences reflect a concerted effort on the part of humans to search for understanding of the world. Like any other human endeavour, the development of scientific knowledge forms a web with more practical, even everyday, interests and concerns. The natural sciences are recognized as a model for knowledge owing to many factors, prime among which is their capacity to explain and make precise predictions. The influence of the natural sciences permeates much of modern life, for example, in the widespread and growing use of technologies. This prominence has led to a wide variety of attitudes towards the nature, scope and value of the natural sciences. Discussion of questions like the ones that follow about scientific methodologies, and the context in which kinds of scientific work take place, raises many knowledge issues."

ISSUES IN SCIENCE
LIBRARY ACTIVITY: Each student **investigates sources** for a different scientific issue/ controversy. eg the large hadron collider, climate change, GM foods, new elements, nuclear power, homeopathy, TCM, endangered species, human origins, dark energy, dark matter etc. HOMEWORK: Create a Word document called ToK Science Issue.doc and compile a list of sources of information on this issue. Make sure you have included a variety of types of source and perspectives and that you have recorded all of the information about each source. You will use this information again later.

ROYAL SOCIETY SLIDESHOW ON BBC.CO.UK: Examples of scientific activity from history TOK SCIENCE MINDMAP ACTIVITY: Work with other students to create a mindmap around the central question: WHAT HAS SCIENCE EVER DONE FOR US? You may find it helpful to consider verbs such as: Invented; Discovered; Explained; Caused; Prevented. @http://www.mindmeister.com/32726369/what-has-science-ever-done-for-us - an example from Y13 media type="youtube" key="i8wi0QnYN6s" width="560" height="315"
 * WHAT IS SCIENCE? - should it check all these boxes?**

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
QUOTES ABOUT NATURAL SCIENCE - class activity

READING: Short story by Alan Lightman

- article summarising points about the TN of SK

 WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE ISSUE? a) focussed on the question “How do you know?”, but not just writing 'How do you know that..." in front of a statement.  (b) second order questions about a subject rather than within a subject;  (c) contested questions that have no commonly agreed answer.

 SCIENTIFIC ISSUE: [|HOW MY LEGS GIVE ME SUPERPOWERS] video about Aimee Mullins. What are the knowledge issues?

PEER ACTIVITY ON KNOWLEDGE ISSUES: Using the list of sources you made during the library activity, prepare a presentation on the scientific issue/ controversy you chose. Write this information on a wikipage. Grading is by peer assessment on the wiki.  Use the headings KNOWLEDGE ISSUES, KI AND THE TOPIC, PERSPECTIVES, SUPPORTING QUOTES, BIBLIOGRAPHY.
 * 1) Write down one or more knowledge issues.
 * 2) Explain how the knowledge issue(s) relate to the topic you have chosen.
 * 3) Identify at least two perspectives of different knowers.
 * 4) Illustrate your points with supporting quotes.
 * 5) Provide a clear bibliography for your

Assessment will be according to the four presentation criteria (see link below). TOK PRESENTATION CRITERIA

MR W'S CLASS TOK NAT SCI ACTIVITY - link to students' work

[|THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD] - In Our Time radio programme on BBC Radio 4 THE CELL THAT STARTED A PANDEMIC - Radiolab piece on HIV's 'Patient Zero' (Nov 2011) media type="custom" key="11466700" [|NEUTRINOS] - BBC World Service programme (18 min) on latest discoveries about 'faster than light' particles (Nov 2011) [|NOVA FILM ON STRING THEORY] also at www.youku.com [|THE PLEASURE OF FINDING THINGS OUT] interview with physicist Richard Feynman (50 min) [| WAYS OF THINKING] Feynman describes how he thinks (6 min) [|PLACEBO] Radiolab podcast about medicine and the placebo effect [|SYMPHONY OF SCIENCE WEBSITE] Music project with audio and videos [|WE ARE ALL CONNECTED] - Video from Symphony of Science [|WHAT WE'LL NEVER KNOW] - Reith lecture 2010, Martin Rees [|MOMENTS OF GENIUS] - BBC Discovery podcast [|BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF] - Starts with a Bang! blog on Kepler and paradigms
 * RESOURCES**