Capacity Material

Nature & Practices of Science

What is science and how is it done?

There are three core questions explored in this session:

1. “What is science?” This question addresses what makes science knowledge unique as a discipline, (the nature of science).
2. “How do scientists actually do science?” addresses the important skills and ways of thinking used by working scientists, (the practices of science)
3. “How can we help young people think like scientists to answer questions about the natural world?” This question, combined with the other two, is important to ponder for anyone who teaches science (science instruction).

In this session, participants gain insight into the nature, practices, and instruction of science by doing science and discussing how science helps us understand the world around us.

Goals for this session are:

• Explore and discuss what makes science different from other ways of knowing – the nature of science
• Experience and discuss how science is done – the practices of science
• Discuss how to provide experiences for students that support a deeper understanding of where science ideas come from; how scientists conduct investigations; and learn strategies for leading students in engaging authentic science investigations.

Notes: Professional learning videos are intended to support program leaders, not as online learning experiences for field instructors. This video was edited to focus on how the program leader leads the session; the actual session is much more participant-focused, and participants spend most of the session exploring and discussing ideas with their peers. Additionally, the presentation script has been edited since this video was produced. Follow the script if you notice a discrepancy.