Lesson 2 – Meet the Scientists and Researchers (no computer access)

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Lesson Objectives

Scientific speed-dating, a fun, exciting way to ‘meet’ the scientists and researchers in the Hertford College Zone.

  • Get to know scientists from Oxford University and realise they are normal people
  • Consider some questions students may want to ask the scientists and researchers
  • Broaden students’ perceptions of scientists and university, and contribute to students’ science capital (see more at iasuk.ddev.site/science-capital.)

Curriculum Links

  • Select, organise and present scientific information.
  • Evaluate scientific information and make informed judgements from it.

Resources

  • List of the top five criteria chosen in Lesson 1: You’re the Judges!
  • Printed Suggested Questions (below). Have enough copies for one per scientist in your zone.
  • Printed copies of each of the scientists’ profiles
  • Paper and pens for drawing a scientist

Starter: 10 minutes

  1. Split students into groups — one group for each scientist or researcher in your zone.
  2. Ask them to think about what they imagine scientists are like. Draw a scientist as a group.Starting at the top of the piece of paper, each person in the group draws a different part of the scientist (head, shoulders, etc) without others seeing, folds over what they have done and passes it on (like a game of consequences).
  3. Unfold and look at the pictures — are there any common themes? Do they think scientists are really like that?

Activity: 30 minutes

  1. Assign each group a scientist from your zone and hand them a print out of the scientist’s profile. Get each group to read out their scientist’s name and job role.
  2. Remind the students of the five most important criteria they chose in Lesson 1: You’re the Judges! for rating scientists.
  3. Get the students to read through their scientist’s profile as a group.
  4. Split each group in half, into A’s and B’s, for scientific speed-dating. Group A are students who will go around and question Group B, who are the scientists. Group B will base their answers on the scientist profile pages.
  5. Hand the Group A students the list of Suggested Questions (below) to ask the Group B scientists. They can also ask questions of their own. If the answer is not available on the scientist profile the group can speculate as to what their answers could be.
  6. The Group B scientists will stay seated and the Group A students will rotate between each scientist, asking questions. Move students on to a new scientist every few minutes.

Support:Do the activity as a class with the ‘scientists’ at the front. Two or three students play each scientist.

Extend: Students ask their own questions rather than Suggested Questions to the ‘scientists’. Go onto the site and submit some questions in ASK for the real scientists.

Plenary: 10 minutes

Go over the questions for each scientist and discuss the scientists and researchers as a class. Did students feel they got to know them? What are their opinions of each person? What would they like to ask them? Now is a good opportunity to draft some questions for ASK and CHAT.

Extension: If students have questions for the scientists and researchers already, post them in ASK.

Suggested Homework

Log in to hertford19.iasuk.ddev.site and post at least one question in ASK.

Read some of the other questions and answers on the site. Who do you think should win this term? Cast your vote (you can change it later if you change your mind).

Suggested Questions

  1. At what kind of place do you work?  
  2. What have you got planned for this year? 
  3. What’s it like living in Oxford?
  4. Do you work alone or as part of a team? If so how many people and in what way?
  5. Where did you live before moving to Oxford?
  6. What is your research trying to find out?
  7. Why did you decide to go to university?