theory challenge activity: teacher guide
TRANSCRIPT
Theory Challenge Activity: Teacher Guide
1. Read the following scenario to the class:
You arrive at school one morning and observe a group of your friends clustered in the hall. They are laughing and seem to be passing something around among the group. Each person looks at it for a few seconds, then bursts out with new peals of mirth and releases it to someone else who eagerly grabs it away. Is it a picture; are they reading something; is it some object or toy? Then you remember that note of passionate love you were writing to your sweetheart and somehow lost yesterday.
When they see you, the group falls silent, still grinning, and quickly disperse in different directions at the sound of the morning bell. What has happened? Did the group read your note? Perhaps their actions had nothing to do with you at all. What did you actually observe? What might you infer from those observations? How do you find out what was really happening? Believe it or not, this is exactly what science is all about!
2. Ask the students how the scenario is similar to science. Then with a seat partner, have them come up with a recent scenario of their own where they thought something was true because of something they observed. Share one or two examples if students are willing to share. 3. Ask students to turn to someone around them and discuss their thoughts on the definition of a Theory. Have students share their definitions. 4. After a few minutes of discussing, share the definition of a scientific theory as: an explanation or model backed by results obtained from many tests or experiments [students will write down the definition formally in their notes later]. 5. Ask students if theories are always right? If someone says “no”, ask if they know of a theory that has been proven untrue. Be careful not to let this discussion go into controversial issues. Keep it very general. 6. Theory Challenge Activity: In the Theory Challenge Activity, students will work in groups to do a jigsaw. The activity consists of 10 reading passages on scientific theories which have been proven false.
The reading passages can be divided into two main readiness levels – 1 and 2. Students should be placed into readiness groups for the first grouping part of the
jigsaw. Students at a lower readiness level should be placed in a group with similar students and vice versa for higher readiness level students.
Reading Passages 4, 6, 8, and 10 are for Readiness Level 1. Reading Passages 3, 5, 7, and 9 are for Readiness Level 2. Reading Passages 1 and 2 fall in the middle.
Place students into readiness level groups of 2-3 students per group. Each group should read their assigned Scientific Theory and answer the questions on the Theory Challenge Worksheet. EACH group member should complete his/her own Theory Challenge Worksheet even if the group’s answers are the same.
Give groups about 15-20 minutes to read and answer questions on their scientific theory. The teacher should walk around the room to monitor and assist students as needed.
Theory Challenge Activity: Teacher Guide
The next step of the activity involves the jigsaw component. You can follow the directions below, or use your own strategy for re-grouping students. However, be sure that new groups have a heterogeneous readiness level.
Jigsaw Round 1: Ask Scientific Theory Group 1 and 2 to stand up. Create two new groups that contain both a Scientific Theory Group 1 member and a Scientific Theory Group 2 member. Do the same for Scientific Theory Group 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10.
In the newly formed Scientific Theory Groups, students should share their information and write down their additional scientific theory findings on the Theory Challenge Worksheet.
If time permits, do a Jigsaw Round 2. Use the following groups: Scientific Theory Group 1 and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6, 8 and 9, 7 and 10.
At the end of the Jigsaw Rounds, students should have three scientific theories described on their Theory Challenge Worksheet.
7. Lead a classroom discussion about the various scientific theories and how they were proven wrong. Ask students all of the ways that the scientific theories were proven wrong. Make a list on the board or overhead projector. 8. On the bottom of their Theory Challenge Worksheet, have students write a complete sentence describing how scientific theories can change.
Theory Challenge Worksheet Name__________________ Date______ Period____
Directions: Follow the teacher’s instructions for completing the Theory Challenge Activity. Answer the questions below as you complete the activity.
Round 1:
Scientific Theory ____________________________________________________________
Summarize the scientific theory ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Summarize how the theory was proven wrong _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Round 2:
Scientific Theory ____________________________________________________________
Summarize the scientific theory ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Summarize how the theory was proven wrong _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Theory Challenge Worksheet Name__________________ Date______ Period____
Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Round 3:
Scientific Theory ____________________________________________________________
Summarize the scientific theory ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Summarize how the theory was proven wrong _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ Cite evidence from the text to support your summarization (copy 1-2 sentences from the reading that helped you summarize the theory)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Write a complete sentence describing how scientific
theories can change.
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-famous-scientific-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-wrong.php