1.1 Activity 1: Intro to the Language of Science

Resources:

• See attached U1 WS1
• Cardboard blind
• Two identical sets of roughly a dozen random, small objects (ideally these should be objects somewhat unfamiliar to most students)
• Students sitting in a circle, with one desk in the center of the room.
  

Activity Description/ Facilitation Notes:

• Think of this as a first day icebreaker and epistemological teaser...
  
• Prepare identical sets of small random objects to two students.
• Sit the students opposite one another in the center of the room, separated by a cardboard blinder tall enough to conceal the surface of the opposite desk, with the rest of the class seated around in a circle so most can see both sides of the blinder.
• Tell the rest of the room to remain silent and record "observations" and "inferences" - breifly discuss, to distinguish) of what they notice about the process (fishbowl). (Do not reveal your long-term objective)
• Flip a coin to decide which student will get the first set of objects, and have them create "anything" using all of the objects provided. Do not let the other student see what is happening.
• Have the other student sit quietly...offer a book if necessary. This shouldn't take more than about five minutes.
• Now present the second student with their objects, identical to those given to the first student.
• Instruct the first student that he / she must now provide directions to the second student that enable them to construct the same exact arrangement without looking.
• The person doing the constructing can ask clarifying questions. The rest of the class should be able to see both sides of the blind. This can be hilarious and should be allowed to go for awhile.
• Start a discussion by having students volunteer their observations and inferences, and create a list on a board as students call on the next speaker.
• Introduce this speaking protocol, and explain that "one mic" will be used for most of our class discussions, and that you will often encourage students to be the one's calling on the next speaker so that the teacher doesn't dominate the discussion.
• After students have exhausted observations and inferences, "Which, if any, of these observations contain inferences?"
• Have students argue for different choices. "Why was the process so difficult?" "What are the limitations of everyday language?" "How is this related to how scientists come to agreement about what's happening in the world?"
• "What was the role of questioning in this process?"
• Introduce ideas: science is a consensus-based process, community adoption of language and shared meaning allows for more productive discussion, role of discourse and questioning is key.