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AS Science In Society 1.10
Teacher Notes
Introduction
Resources
The shift from the geocentric to heliocentric accounts of our surroundings
is one of the greatest shifts ever made in human thinking, not least
because it overthrew the authority of old books as the foundation of
knowledge, and replaced it with the authority of observation. Indeed, it
made ‘authority’ for ever subject to question. It is important, then, that
students question the authority of science, and understand its limitations
as well as its unprecedented predictive power. This activity deals with the
key words that are necessary for this understanding.
The activity
Student briefing sheet
Appendix A, copied and cut
into cards of equal size
How Science Works
Students match ‘definitions’ of words, on ‘Meaning Cards’, with ‘Key
Word Cards’, and then match example statements to these.
Comments on the application
of HSW ideas in this activity.
Ca, Cb, Cc, Cd
Appendix A provides the set of cards, and Appendix B shows a set of
This activity uses the context
possible columns providing ‘answers’. Note that several points can
of the Copernican Revolution,
appear in more than one column. The distinction between and
after which all later revolutions
observation and a law, for example, is not always totally clear, and while
are named, to explore the
a theory may contain a model, and even be indistinguishable from it, a
heart of How Science Works.
model may not contain a theory. Several placings that we have made
here may be contentious, and absolute agreement is not expected. The
discussion of uncertainties is part of the learning process, and if students are left with lingering
uncertainty they are no different from the entire communities of scientists and philosophers of science.
In particular, we have left the ‘Truth’ column empty though a case can be made for placing some cards
here. This could lead to a discussion of whether it is justified to include ideas that are only provisional as
‘truth’. (The opportunity exists for discussion of whether absolute truth exists at all, and if so then what its
nature is, but this is for philosophical enthusiasts.) The main point is that, for considering the behaviour
of the observable world, scientific truth is limited but is the best that is available.
July 2008
Page 1
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.10
Student sheets
Introduction
Before you can understand any ideas, whether they are easy or difficult, it is necessary to understand
the key words.
This activity is about key words relating to scientific knowledge.
Activity
Work in pairs or threes. Shuffle the cards and lay them face up on the table.
Find the six Key Word Cards and make them into the heads of six columns. Find the six Meaning Cards
and match them to the Key Word Cards. Discuss any uncertainties that you have.
Now place the 18 Example Cards in the appropriate columns. Note that some columns will have more
than others. Some may be suitable for placing in more than one column. People may not always agree.
There are not always ‘correct’ answers. Again, discuss any uncertainties that you have.
As a class, discuss:
o
o
o
o
Page 1
why was the shift from the geocentric view of the Solar System to the heliocentric view so
important to the way we live and thing today?
what is meant by provisional truth?
scientific knowledge has proved to be very useful – why is it so useful?
is scientific knowledge also meaningful, as well as useful, about the nature of the world and the
nature of our place in it?
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.10
Student sheets
Appendix A
Key word cards
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Observations
Predictions
Law
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Model
Scientific theory
Truth
Meaning card
We are all making
observations all of the time.
Measurements using
instruments of varying
complexity are also called
observations. For scientific
purposes, observations are
only valid if they can be
repeated by different people.
Meaning card
A statement about expected
future events based on our
ideas. These are very useful
in science because they can
be tested, so that the ideas on
which they are based can be
tested.
Meaning card
A statement of patterns of
observation.
Sometimes, in the same
circumstances, the same
behaviour is seen over and
over again (until now).
Meaning card
Something that simulates an
observed reality, in part or in
whole, and can provide useful
predictions about it. the
simulation can be an image or
diagram, an idea or a
computer programme.
Meaning card
A set of ideas that simulate an
observed reality in whole.
They can provide useful
predictions and accounts of
links between events – we call
these accounts ‘explanations’.
The set of ideas has been
tested by very many
observations and has always
been found to provide good
predictions and explanations.
Meaning card
A match of account with reality
but always provisional.
Science deals only with truths
that can be checked – it deals
with ‘provisional’ truth and not
with absolute truth.
Meaning cards
Page 1
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.10
Student sheets
Appendix A (continued)
Example cards
Example card
The orbits of the planets are
ellipses
Example card
The crystal spheres of the
heavens are perfect and
unchanging, and revolve
around the Earth
Example card
Ptolemy’s epicycles
Example card
A map of Mars, as used for
planning a spacecraft landing
Example card
Planets move against a
background of stars that
remain in the same relative
positions
Example card
If the heliocentric model is
correct, there should be
‘parallax shift’ of the stars –
their relative positions should
change due to the motion of
the Earth
Example card
The Earth is one planet
amongst several, all in orbit
around the Sun
Example card
Jupiter has moons in orbit
around it
Example card
The number R3/T2 is the same
for every planet. R is the
average distance of the planet
from the Sun, and T is the time
for its orbit
Example card
Shadows of objects get longer
as you move away from the
equator
Example card
Each plant moves in its orbit
so that the line joining it to the
Sun sweeps out equal areas in
equal times
Example card
There are mountains on the
Moon
Example card
Asteroid 1997 XF11 will pass
worryingly close to the Earth
on Thursday October 26, 2028
Example card
A lunar eclipse will take place
on March 14th 2025
Example card
A conjunction of Jupiter and
Saturn would take place on
the night of 24th August, 1563.
Example card
The next total solar eclipse in
the UK will be seen in the far
southwest of England on
September 23rd 2090
Page 2
Example card
The gravitational force that a
body can exert on another one
decreases with distance from
the object. The force
decreases steadily as the
square of the distance
increases.
Example card
The planets show retrograde
motion
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.10
Student sheets
Appendix B – some possible columns
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Key word card
Observations
Predictions
Law
Model
Scientific theory
Truth
Meaning card
We are all making
observations all of
the time.
Measurements using
instruments of
varying complexity
are also called
observations. For
scientific purposes,
observations are only
valid if they can be
repeated by different
people.
Meaning card
A statement
about expected
future events
based on our
ideas. These are
very useful in
science because
they can be
tested, so that
the ideas on
which they are
based can be
tested.
Meaning card
A statement of
patterns of
observation.
Sometimes, in the
same
circumstances, the
same behaviour is
seen over and over
again (until now).
Meaning card
Something that
simulates an
observed reality,
in part or in
whole, and can
provide useful
predictions about
it. the simulation
can be an image
or diagram, an
idea or a
computer
programme.
Meaning card
A set of ideas that
simulate an observed
reality in whole. They
can provide useful
predictions and
accounts of links
between events – we
call these accounts
‘explanations’. The set
of ideas has been
tested by very many
observations and has
always been found to
provide good
predictions and
explanations.
Meaning card
A match of
account with
reality but
always
provisional.
Science deals
only with truths
that can be
checked – it
deals with
‘provisional’
truth and not
with absolute
truth.
Example card
The orbits of the
planets are ellipses
Example card
If the heliocentric
model is correct,
there should be
‘parallax shift’ of
the stars – their
relative positions
should change
due to the motion
of the Earth
Example card
Shadows of
objects get
longer as you
move away from
the equator
Example card
The orbits of the
planets are ellipses
Example card
The crystal
spheres of the
heavens are
perfect and
unchanging, and
revolve around
the Earth
Example card
The crystal spheres of
the heavens are
perfect and
unchanging, and
revolve around the
Earth
Example card
The number R3/T2
is the same for
every planet. R is
the average
distance of the
planet from the
Sun, and T is the
time for its orbit
Example card
Each plant moves
in its orbit so that
the line joining it to
the Sun sweeps out
equal areas in
equal times
Example card
Ptolemy’s
epicycles
Example card
The Earth is one planet
amongst several, all in
orbit around the Sun
Example card
The gravitational
force that a body
can exert on
another one
decreases with
distance from the
object. The force
decreases steadily
as the square of the
distance increases.
Example card
The Earth is one
planet amongst
several, all in
orbit around the
Sun
Example card
Planets move against
a background of stars
that remain in the
same relative
positions
Example card
Jupiter has moons in
orbit around it
Example card
Asteroid 1997
XF11 will pass
worryingly close
to the Earth on
Thursday
October 26, 2028
Example card
Shadows of objects
get longer as you
move away from the
equator
Example card
A lunar eclipse
will take place on
March 14th 2025
Example card
Each plant moves in
its orbit so that the
line joining it to the
Sun sweeps out
equal areas in equal
times
Example card
A conjunction of
Jupiter and
Saturn would
take place on the
night of 24th
August, 1563.
Example card
Example card
Page 3
Example card
A map of Mars,
as used for
planning a
spacecraft
landing
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges
AS Science In Society 1.10
There are mountains
on the Moon
Student sheets
The next total
solar eclipse in
the UK will be
seen in the far
southwest of
England on
September 23rd
2090
Example card
The planets show
retrograde motion
Page 4
©The Nuffield Foundation, 2008
Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges