Science Unit Summary

Summary of Ancient Scientist Unit Study

For my science unit this year, I have been learning about ancient scientists. I read background information about the scientist, do experiments related to their discoveries, and write about my findings in my blog. Below, I am going to give a short summary of what I have done so far.

I am doing experiments out of a science book called "Milestones in Science". The book groups scientists by their fields, and then chronologically within each one. So far, I have studied "Light, Colors, and Sound", "Heat, Steam, and Engines", "Magnetism and Electricity", and "Force". To start off with, I read a short description of the scientist in the manual. It includes their most famous achievements, when and where they were born, and how their achievements helped mankind. After I have read their summary, I learn more about the scientist from their biographies, or by reading about them in the one and only online encyclopedia. After I have read about them, I conduct and experiment based on their discoveries.

The experiment is always based on one of the scientist's own experiments, or one of the theories that they are famous for. The complexity of the experiment ranges anywhere from filling a cup with water (Newton's third law of motion) to building my very own Camera Obscura, (demonstrating some basic principles of light and how they can be used.) The experiment usually has several steps, and several different parts. Each section usually shows that the same principal/theory can influence many different areas. For example, when I learned about Isaac Newton, I did several experiments all proving his laws of motion. The average number of experiments per scientist is about three.

After I have researched the scientist, I write a blog entry, and make a timeline card. On my blog, I talk about the experiments I did that day, and what scientist I learned about. (You can view my blog at kaiindvik.blogspot.com) I tell what the experiments proved/disproved, and how the scientist made a contribution to humanity. I almost always take pictures of my experiments, and sometimes film a video of them in action. After the blog post is done, I make a timeline entry. I give information like when and where the scientist was born, and his most important achievements. The timeline cards are on display now.