Branches of science

Outcomes:

Describe the different branches of Science.

Science is about curiosity, wonder and questioning.

What are the big ideas in science?

What types of questions do we need to ask when exploring science?

How can we make sure we explore science safely using scientific methods?

How is science related to our everyday life and to the world we live in?

Branches of Science

Science is the study of the world around us. It includes:

Biology – the study of living things
Chemistry – the study of materials, chemicals and chemical reactions
Physics – the study of forces and energy
Geology – the study of rocks and the earth
Astronomy – the study of stars, planets and the universe

Science is about finding the answers to questions about how things work or why things happen. People who study Science are called scientists. Scientists don’t just wear white coats and work in laboratories. They do research, take measurements, conduct surveys, make predictions, conduct experiments and even travel into space.

Being a Scientist

Team work

All good scientists work in teams
They divide up tasks, make careful observations and share their information
Some teams are as small as two, while some can be very large.
Sometimes all members of the class will be working together as part of one large team

Scientific Skills

To be a good scientist, you must be able to:

Observe carefully
Measure accurately
Classify objects into groups
Make sensible inferences and predictions
Analyse measurements
Construct tables, graphs and keys
Identify patterns
Develop models

The observations that scientists gather and the conclusions they make form the basis of many of the laws and regulations that we must all follow every day.

Hypotheses, Theories and Laws

Science is based on hypotheses, theories and laws.

An hypothesis is an educated guess about something. Eg I think that the more water the grass receives, the higher it will grow. An hypothesis must be testable or it is not a good scientific hypothesis.
A theory is an explanation for why something has happened or will happen, eg Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection.
A law is a description of something, often a mathematical relationship, eg Newtons Third Law.

The Big Issues in Science

The universe began with a big bang and has been expanding ever since.
The material released from the big bang began a system in which stars and galaxies form in what are now predictable ways.
Our solar system was formed around 5 billion years ago.
Life began as tiny single-celled organisms and evolved into multicellular complex organisms.
The process of natural selection is at work today.

What are some of the big issues which science is trying to solve?

Can Science provide the answers to every question? Should it?

Complete these questions in your exercise book.

Create a brainstorm displaying what you think Science is.
Draw what a scientist looks like!
Write a definition for Science in your own words.
List a range of scientific careers and the branch (or type) of science they study.
Classify your list into 5 main branches depending on the broad area of study. Draw this in the form of a large "tree of science" (An example tree is shown below).
Describe the Branches of Science- Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Astronomy, Botany, Zoology, Environmental science.
Research a famous Australian scientist and name the Branch of Science they work in. Briefly outline their major achievement.

Famous Australian Scientists

- Howard Florey
- Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet
- Prof. Mike Archer
- Prof Tim Flannery
- Sir Fred Hollows
- Elizabeth Kenny
- Professor Graeme Clark
- Dr Fiona Wood
- Dr Victor Chang
- Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
- Professor Barry Marshall

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