Using the History of Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics to Illustrate General Aspects of Nature of Science

Abstract

The Nature of Science (NOS), a description of how science works, is considered as an important element in the school science curriculum but one that is rarely included in instruction. We present a method whereby nine general NOS aspects can each be illustrated with examples from the history of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. The entire set of examples, linked to the general NOS aspects, provides an immediate instructional resource that teachers can use to teach science content and NOS.