Science History for Kids
In the third of fourth grade, children begin studying science in earnest, learning well established facts and, possibly, performing experiments that apply the scientific method. Rarely do children get to explore the history of science, though. According to Stacia Deutsch in her article "Why Should we Teach our Children History?", "History helps us understand change and societal development. History provides us a context from which to understand ourselves and others." In a world so informed and affected by science, understanding its history gives kids a deeper understanding of their culture and habitat.
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The Ancient Greeks
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Science, as it is practiced today, was founded in part by the ancient Greeks. Thales of Miletus first suggested searching for natural causes to physical phenomena rather than attributing everything to the gods. Democritus introduced the controversial theory of the atom. Hippocrates founded the scientific study of medicine and healing. The philosopher Aristotle began his career by studying biology and in his many works, he studied and speculated on the makings of the natural world. Euclid and Pythagoras each advanced the study of geometry, giving scientists new tools for describing and measuring elements of the world. Ptolemy was recognized as both the greatest astronomer and the most accomplished mapmaker for many centuries.
Alchemy
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Students may recognize the Philosopher's Stone from the first Harry Potter novel and movie. They may be surprised to learn that, historically, the Philosopher's Stone was a very real concept, if not a real object. Alchemists who strove to control the physical world through beliefs that were part science, part allegory and part superstition worked with the concept of elements, at first naming only four (earth, air, water and fire).
Later alchemy focused on the study of metals, gold being the ideal metal. They searched for the Philosopher's Stone because they believed it was made of a material that could transmute any metal into gold and could also confer immortality upon humans. The study and search for new metals led to the discovery of compounds that inform modern chemistry.
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The Scientific Method
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The scientific method is taught early in the study of science. Testing hypotheses through observation and experiment sounds simple, but historically it was a long time in coming. As far back as Aristotle, scientists were promoting the use of sound observation to back up their ideas, but the full application of the scientific method had to wait until the early 17th century and the experiments of Galileo. The scientific method has been promoted and refined since and still remains the process by which scientific discoveries are made and theories are supported.
Scientific Revolutions
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History is often understood as a series of incremental changes, but it doesn't always take place like that. When a discovery or concept changes the basis of an entire scientific field, a revolution is said to have occurred. Unlike in politics, revolutions in science are normal and expected, though rarely easy. Some of the best-known revolutions in science: the discovery by Nicholas Copernicus that the planets revolve around the sun; Darwin's elucidation of natural selection as the force that drives evolution; and the discovery of relativity by Einstein which showed that Newton's laws are not universal. Highlighting these revolutions can emphasize to kids the importance and interconnectedness of certain discoveries.
A History of Technology
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Pure science is science for the sake of the knowledge gained by doing it. Applied science is using that knowledge to invent things, exploit resources and make life easier. The Greeks applied their scientific discoveries, introducing inventions like the Archimedes screw still used today to dig holes for pumping water. Today engineers use discoveries in particle physics to engineer better computers.
One way to make history palpable to kids is to make comparisons in technology between "then" and "now." Kids might be surprised to learn how old certain technologies are and how recently others came into being. It is often intriguing or hilarious to learn about outmoded technologies.
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References
- Photo Credit scientist image by Keith Frith from Fotolia.com
