Unit 1 Lesson 1 Scientific Knowledge - Pioneer Sciencepioneerscience.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/...knowledge.pdf · How do scientific theories differ from laws? • The words law and

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Scientific Knowledge

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company


Florida Benchmarks


•  SC.7.N.1.5 Describe the methods used in the pursuit of a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science such as biology, geology, and physics.

•  SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the

cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based.


Florida Benchmarks


•  SC.7.N.1.7 Explain that scientific knowledge is the result of a great deal of debate and confirmation within the science community.

•  SC.7.N.2.1 Identify an instance from the history

of science in which scientific knowledge has changed when new evidence or new interpretations are encountered.

•  SC.7.N.3.1 Recognize and explain the difference

between theories and laws and give several examples of scientific theories and the evidence that supports them.


Florida Benchmarks


•  LA.6.4.2.2 The student will record information (e.g., observations, notes, lists, charts, legends) related to a topic, including visual aids to organize and record information and include a list of sources used.

… From the Beginning


What is science?

•  Science is the study of the natural world. •  Scientists study many different things.

•  Three important types of science are biology, geology, and physical science.


What is science?

•  Biology, or life science, is the study of living things.



What is science?

•  Geology, or Earth science, is the study of Earth and the processes that shape Earth.



What is science?

•  Physical science is the study of nonliving matter and energy.



What does science tell us?

•  Scientific knowledge is constantly changing. •  Many things that people consider scientific “facts”

are actually just well-accepted explanations. •  The things we learn in science are the current

ideas that most scientists agree on.



Not a Theory—It’s a Law!


How do scientific theories differ from laws? •  The words law and theory have specific meanings

in science. •  A scientific law is a description of a specific

relationship under given conditions in the natural world.


How do scientific theories differ from laws? •  A scientific theory is a well-supported explanation

of nature. •  Scientific theories are supported by many pieces

of evidence. •  Theories help us understand and explain the laws

we observe.



What’s Your Evidence?


Where do scientists get their evidence?

•  Scientists are curious. They are always looking for information about the world.

•  Scientific knowledge is based on empirical

evidence. •  Empirical evidence is all the measurements and

data scientists gather in support of a scientific explanation.



•  Scientists gather evidence in many places. Some do fieldwork, and others do laboratory work.

•  Fieldwork is work done outside or in conditions

that cannot be controlled. Fieldwork is most common in biology and geology.

•  Fieldwork allows scientists to observe the world in

its natural state.




•  Laboratory work is work done in a controlled environment.

•  Laboratory work allows scientists to control the

conditions of an investigation. Most experiments are conducted in laboratories.

•  Although laboratory work is most common in

physics, chemistry, and biology, geologists may also conduct laboratory work.



The Debate Continues


How do scientific ideas change?

•  Scientists are always discovering new information. That information can change accepted explanations and ideas.

•  Sometimes, a scientist comes up with a better

explanation for existing evidence. The new explanation may replace an older theory.


How do scientific ideas change?

•  Sometimes, new evidence is discovered that contradicts an existing theory. The theory may be changed to explain the new evidence.

•  Scientists work together to debate, question, and

explore ideas. These debates can change the explanations that scientists accept as true.



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Unit 1 Lesson 1 Scientific Knowledge - Pioneer Sciencepioneerscience.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/...knowledge.pdf · How do scientific theories differ from laws? • The words law and