The Nature of Science: The Rules of the Game



The Nature of Science: The Rules of the Game

What is science?

Science is a set of rules that will predict the way the universe will work.

What do scientists do?

Scientists figure out the rules that predict the way the universe works.

Why do scientists create rules?

We work hard to create rules because: (1) they are useful, and (2) we enjoy figuring them out.

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Game’s Objective: Father/Mother Nature creates rules and we try to figure them out.

**They will report back to the teacher to make sure everyone followed directions.

How to Play:

• 4-6 students to a table with checkerboard and checkers

• Each table has a Father/Mother Nature that enforces the rules by YES or NO answers.

• Students in turn play a checker on the board (experiment). Parent Nature says YES or NO (results of the experiment). If yes, the student scientist leaves the checker on the board. If no, the student removes checker.

• We will talk about what each game represents at the end.

First Game:

• Each player receives 4 checkers

• Players take turns

• The “winner” is the first player to play all four checkers on the board. The play stops with a win.

Second Game:

• 4 checkers for each player

• Players take turns

• Play stops after each player takes 4 turns

• Each player, secretly, must write down what they thought was the rule. No collaboration between players!

• Each player takes turn to read their rule.

• The “winners” are the ones who correctly figure out the rule.

Third Game:

Played the same as the second, with a new rule.

Fourth Game:

• Students work as a team forming a research group. Each team has only 12 checkers.

• There is no limit on the number of plays.

• One “clean off the board” move is allowed.

• Play stops when chips are used up and the group has decided on a rule.

• A written grant application for a second 12 checkers is allowed. (Write me 1 paragraph describing why you need additional checkers).

• “Winners” are the groups that get a correct answer.

Game Explanation:

Game One: Wins after 4 checkers

This was technology and not science. The main goal was to accomplish a useful purpose, not to figure how things work. Knowing all of the rule is not necessary to win.

Games 2 and 3: Each player writes down what they thought the rule was.

This was science, the main goal was to find a rule. Only published rules get recognized. Testing the rules is common. Often, only parts of a rule is recognized.

Game 4: Research Team

Usually, jobs are divided up. A few experimenters exist, others act as theorists or suggest experiments. Plays are carefully planned. We never know truly if a rule is correct, it is only accepted by our classmates(scientific community).

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