MAKING SENSE OF THE NATURE OF SCIENCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO TECHNOLOGY: LEVEL 8

ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES

Students can

write a case study of a current scientific controversy;
investigate the complex interaction of science and technology, e.g., the scientific ideas about matter and spectroscopy, subatomic structure of matter and linear accelerators, plate tectonics and earth movement detectors;
use their scientific knowledge to evaluate the impact of science and technology on people and their environment, e.g., evaluation of an environmental impact report on nuclear power in New Zealand, evaluation of the use of steroids in sports, depletion of the ozone layer and its effects on the New Zealand environment.

Students could be learning by:

debating the relationship between abuse of alcohol and brain damage (L 8.1, M 8.1/2);
discussing the evidence for and against global warming (M 8.4);
investigating the scientific validity of consumer information about food additives such as salt, sugar, anti-oxidants, or food colourings (M 8.1/2);
finding out about antibiotic use and the development of drug resistance of organisms (L 8.4);
investigating effects of food technology on the world's food supply (L 8.4, M 7.3);
critically evaluating the use of nuclear energy for New Zealand's energy needs (E 7.2, P 8.2).

ASSESSMENT EXAMPLES

Teachers and students could assess the students':

awareness of different scientific views, when the students present a seminar on the evidence for using margarine rather than butter;
understanding of the way that increasingly energetic bombardment of atoms has provided evidence for subatomic particles, when the students write an essay on the nature of matter;
ability to use scientific knowledge to critically evaluate the effect of technology on the environment, when the students create a drama where group members assume the role of leaders from countries with conflicting interests about whaling.