An Internet research project on scientists and how they work

created by Melanie Lewis

Introduction | YourTask | Meet The Scientists | Show What You Know


What is a Scientist?

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Introduction
Science is all around us at every moment of our lives. In this exciting project you will browse the internet sites with various images of scientists. How many of these did you already know were scientists? You will be asked to complete a scavenger hunt demonstrating both your knowledge of a chosen scientist of interest as well as how the scientific method made your scientist famous.

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Your Task:
1.  Use the links below to browse through the sites on the scientists.  Choose a scientist that interests you.

2.  Print out and complete the questions on this scavenger hunt using information obtained from the resources below.

3.  Using the information you collected from your scavenger hunt, choose one of the following tasks to complete.

a.  PowerPoint Slide Show:  Create a slide show.  Your slide show must have a title slide with your scientist's name and picture and also include 4 slides labelled as follows:
~~About the Field of Science my Scientist is interested in
~~Accomplishments of my Scientist
~~The Biography of my Scientist
~~An Experiment I Would Like My Scientist to Help Me With

b.  Interview using a digital camcorder (partner activity):  Partner up with a friend.  One of you will be the reporter and the other will be the scientist you are interested in.  The reporter will interview the scientist.  Your teacher will show you how to set the camcorder up on the tripod so that the two of you can tape yourselves.  You may come up with your own set of questions but the responses must at least cover the information you obtained in the scavenger hunt.  The interview team will also be responsible for including 2-3 posters that will demonstrate or show the accomplishments of the scientist chosen.

c.  Scavenger Hunt:  Design your own scavenger hunt using information you obtained from your research.  You may create your scavenger hunt using Microsoft Word.  Hyperlink the questions to online pages which will provide the answers.

d.  PortaPortal Page:  With your teacher's help, set up a portal page with the following categories.  In each category you must provide at least 3 links.

Categories:
biography of my scientist
pages my scientist might have authored
experiements my scientist would be interested in


The Internet Resources:  Meet The Scientists 

• 4000 years of Women in Science - Browse this site to discover the contributions of women to science.
• Archeology Gallery - pictures of many archeology-related places, such as pyramids in Egypt, ancient statues, Stonehenge, and more.
• Astro-venture - search for and create a planet capable of sustaining life as you play the role of a NASA Astronomer, Geologist, Biologist, or Atmospheric Scientist.
• Building Big - includes great facts and challenges spanning bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels. Try some experiments while you're here or meet some cool engineers. From PBS.
• Careers in Earth Science - See what cool jobs you can do that involve the planet, such as a lawyer, meteorologist, or writer!
• Diary of a Park Ranger - Read about the life of a Wisconsin park ranger!
• Extreme Science - the biggest, the baddest, and the best in the natural world are all gathered at this site. Includes pictures, info, types of scientists who study these phenomena, and where to go for more information.
• Get Tech - sharpen your math and science skills with games and activities, and learn about cool careers where you can apply your knowledge.
• Jane Goodall - meet this amazing anthropologist and the chimpanzees of Gombe, watch videos from the field, and lots more on this site from Animal Planet.
• Life Works - Explore the field of medicine.
• Rus the Surfin' Squirrel - learn all about electricity, telecommunications, and running water utilities. Includes electricity, water, and computer safety tips.
• Space-Cad - this ThinkQuest site includes lessons in computer-aided drafting and design, or CAD, that's used in drafting and engineering. You can also see how it's related to the space program and learn a bit about NASA's history.
• The Big Dig - get special reports on fossils, meet people who study them, and check out suggestions for fun activities to try!
• The Faces of Scientists - View images of African-American scientists in a variety of fields.

Show What You Know

You will give a 1-3 minute oral presentation.  Your presentation will demonstrate that you know your scientist well.  You may use your project to assist you in presenting. 

What is a Scientist Rubric - Your oral presentations will be graded using this rubric.

Now what?

If you finish early or you find yourself waiting on your teacher, please try your hand at one of these games:

• Ordering the Scientific Method
• Steps of the Scientific Method
• Do You Know the Steps in the Scientific Method
• OBSERVATION & MEASUREMENT CHALLENGE
• Scientific Method Jeopardy