Connections between the Nature of Science and Science Inquiry

Erin E. Peters

June 3, 2005

Inquiry Activities	Using senses to identify phenomena	Organizing information so that it is accessible	Using tools to quantify phenomena	Creating data tables	Connecting ideas to other activities
Process Skills	Observation	Classification	Measurement	Organization of data	Generalizing
Nature of Science Concepts	Empirical evidence is used to support ideas	Knowledge production in science shares common factors	Science and technology impact each other but are not the same	Careful data recording is a habit of mind of scientists	Theories help to connect and explain scientific facts
Nature of Science Concepts that are not addressed in process skills common in classrooms Scientific knowledge is tentative but durable Science has a creative and a subjective component Historical, social and cultural factors influence science Science and its methods cannot answer all questions