What Is A Scientist?

1. What Is A Scientist? And more importantly, how can I become one? PowerPoint by Veronica Gould

2. What Is Science? Before we can know what a scientist is, we have to understand science. Science is systematic knowledge of the physical world gained through observation and experimentation.

3. Observation Using our senses, we observe things happening in the world around us every day, like: a thunderstorm a bird flying to its nest two paint colors mixing to form a third shivering in the wintertime the sound a cricket makes

4. Observation A scientist observes these things, too! When scientists make their observations, they always write them down. Scientists write their observations in science journals on data sheets on experiment sheets

5. What’s the difference between any person doing an experiment and a true scientist? a) A scientist has a PhD. b) A scientist has the proper equipment. c) A scientist writes down observations. d) A scientist wears a lab coat.

6. Even though many scientists have PhDs and special technology — even a lab coat — the most important tool any scientist could have is a notebook to write down their observations! In fact, when you write in your science notebook, you join the scientific community as some of the youngest scientists. Welcome! A scientist ALWAYS writes down their observations!

7. Performing An Experiment Before you can become a scientist, there are a few things you need to know about performing science experiments. Scientists work in groups or teams. Scientists use experiments to try to answer questions. Scientists follow steps in an experiment. Experiments can be a lot of FUN, and scientists always use experiments to learn.

8. Is this an example of an experiment?

9. ...It Might Not Be! Although lab equipment is often used in scientific experiments, equipment alone does not indicate experimentation. So how do we recognize experiment? So how do we recognize an experiment?

10. Experimentation An experiment does the following: • Attempts to answer a question about the physical world • Follows a procedure • Tests an idea or hypothesis • Uses models or controlled systems

11. Everyday Experiments You perform experiments every day without even knowing it! An experiment doesn't always use fancy lab equipment. Sometimes it’s as simple as testing a pen on a piece of paper to see if it will write. Can you think of any other examples of experiments?

12. So who is a scientist? Nikola Tesla, engineer who worked with electricity. Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, virologist who identified HIV as the cause of AIDS Margaret Mead, anthropologist who observed and wrote about Samoan culture. George Washington Carver, botanist who invented over 100 uses for the peanut. James Watson, biologist who developed a model for DNA.

13. Who else is a scientist? Youare!