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The Scientific Method through Simulations
Course Objective
To gain an understanding of how scientific research is conducted and then apply that process to various topics within the natural sciences
Curricular Components
Online Simulations, Selected Textbook Readings, Instructor-Designed Lectures, News Articles, Weekly Quizzes and Academic Essays
Class Routine
5min Review
5min Quiz
20min Lecture
20min Reading, Discussion & Vocabulary
20min Experimentation
20min Writing Instruction
Subject-Specific Knowledge
Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Current Events
Skills Development
Scientific Methodology, Critical Reading and Formal Writing
About The Course
As an interdisciplinary science course, The Scientific Method through Simulations will provide students with an introduction to a range of scientific concepts and their application to real-world problems. The course is grounded in the idea that students should not only memorize facts and figures, but should be capable of performing experimentation, understanding application and producing academic writing. The course is organized around 3-lesson units that allow sufficient time for students to successfully approach different scientific problems in a holistic manner. Ultimately, the goal of the course is for students to better understand the world around them and be equipped to excel in future science classes.
About The Instructor
John Dietrich
Mr. John Dietrich is a certified teacher with nearly fifteen years of education-industry experience in the US and China. He has taught small groups and tutored individuals in subjects ranging from elementary school English and middle school science through high school geography and standardized exam preparation. Mr.Dietrich holds a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning with a specialization in sustainable development, a Bachelors of Science in Anthropology, Certificate in Environmental Studies and a Florida Teaching License in science.
Lesson Components & Structure
This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in school-based science courses and independent exploration of scientific concepts. Each semester, students will explore four different scientific concepts through lecture, reading, experimentation and the completion of written reports. Each of these concepts will be explored over three individual 1.5hr lessons. Each class will follow roughly the same structure from week to week, with some distinction over the course of studying a concept over three weeks.
Lessons will begin with a short five minute review of the previous week’s concepts. This will be followed by a quick quiz to confirm understanding. Next, students will spend a roughly equal amount of time engaging with an instructor-led lecture, relevant reading material and online experimentation. Each lesson will end with work on writing, with students producing a multi-part written report for each 3-week unit.
Each week, students will submit a portion of their larger unit-specific report. They will receive in-depth written feedback on the assignment and have the chance to make alterations. By the end of the course, students will have four concept-specific reports that include information about the scientific concept, data collection and analysis and reflection on relevance.
Course Outline
The Scientific Method through Simulations course begins with a brief introduction to science as a discipline and process. Next, students progress through four 3-week units focussed on a specific scientific concept and its application to addressing a real-world problem. Possible units may include:
Photosynthesis and Urban Farming (Biology)
States of Matter and Energy Transport (Physics)
Projectile Motion and Rocketry (Physics)
Plate Tectonics and Disasters (Earth Science)
Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming (Earth Science)
Food and Human Health (Biology)
Natural Selection and Genetic Engineering (Biology)
Heat Transfer and Design (Physics)
The final two weeks of the semester will be spent consolidating knowledge, preparing for presentations and engaging in student-led presentations of their scientific explorations.
Course Materials
All of the materials for this course are carefully curated by the instructor. Students will be provided with a PDF version of the unit’s material prior to it’s start. This material will generally include selected textbook excerpts, worksheets, lecture slides and lab instructions. Students will also receive edited versions of each week’s writing assignment. By the end of the course, students will have a “course reader” addressing all topics covered, all experiments conducted and all essays written.
Deliverables
Students will be expected to produce approximately four lab-report style papers over the course of the semester -- summarizing and analyzing each of the scientific concepts, the associated experiment and application. Families should expect roughly one hour of homework following each lesson. Students will also be expected to produce an end-of-semester presentation one of the topics.
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