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Teacher’s notes

• About the Science IS activities

Integrated strands

Science concept

• Trace elements in the soil affect animal health.

Nature of Science Theme

Scientific progress comes from logical and systematic work, and also through creative insights…

Advances in science may or may not be based on existing science knowledge.

DSSA Investigation Focus

Science learning can be improved by encouraging appropriate attitudes…

Students should be encouraged to be open-minded about science ideas that have been superseded.

Activity

What you need

• A copy of Why the Kaingaroa Forest isn’t grassland, Miles Baker.
• Materials to make a wall chart of questions raised (for further investigation).

Note: Supporting activity resources are provided below.

Focus

• What is bush sickness? What effect does it have on animals feeding from deficient soil?
• How can animals be affected, yet grass grows without apparent problems?
• Why is this problem more significant on the volcanic plateau?
• Why are many New Zealand scientists agricultural scientists?

Exploration

1. Explain that the story the students are about to read is like a detective story – it’s about how a problem was tracked down and finally solved. It is also about the nature of the problem (science) and the detectives who tracked it down and solved it (scientists) – these will be the focus of the discussion that follows.
2. Read to students or give them a copy of Why the Kaingaroa Forest isn’t grassland.
3. What does this story tell you about scientists? For example, scientists:
   • were solving a problem
   • were motivated, because it was a problem that affected the New Zealand economy (dairy and sheep farming)
   • base their ideas on what they already know (for example, that iron deficiency causes anaemia)
   • had to keep thinking and try things out in different ways
   • checked out what other scientists had already done
   • their ideas changed as they went along (for example, at the start no-one had heard of the B12 vitamin).
4. What does it tell you about the nature of science? For example:
   • Getting anywhere (scientific progress) takes time – and can be frustrating.
   • Science is a whole range of different ideas and methods.
   • Some ideas get rejected (scientific knowledge can change).
   • People from all different parts of the world contribute to scientific understanding.
5. Now get students to share any questions that the story raised for them, about scientists and the nature of science. Sample or starter questions might be:
   • How do scientists know where or how to start looking for a solution, or a new discovery?
   • How do they know what counts as a clue (evidence)? Do they sometimes keep going, even though they might be on the wrong track?
   • Why do they tell other scientists what they’re doing? Wouldn’t it be better to keep ideas to themselves so no-one steals their ideas?
   • Who pays scientists to do their work? Does this affect how they do it? Do they get paid more if they solve a problem or make a new discovery?
6. Get students to make a wall chart of their questions and, over a period of time, research the topics to come up with answers (some may have no simple answers) or further information.

Extension

• Students could convert the story into a play (role-playing the parts, adding commentary about the way scientists work, and the nature of the science they undertake) and present it to the class.
• What other trace elements can be in short supply in volcanic areas?
• How does the absence of these trace elements affect the health of living things?
• Are plants affected by trace element deficiency?

Reflection

• How important is it for a scientist to be creative as well as painstaking in their investigations?
• Can you name some scientists who are still revered as great thinkers, even though their ideas have been superseded?
• Will we ever get to the ‘end’ of science (so we know everything there is to know) or will it keep changing?
• Will some of the things we know now be out-of-date in the future?
• What are some other trace elements where deficiency might be an issue in New Zealand for animal (including human) health?