History & Philosophy of Science and Science Teaching

This document synthesizes research within a historical, linguistic, socio-cultural context to develop understandings of earthquake intensity and magnitude to better inform the public about Natual Resources Canada's forthcoming earthquake early warning system (EEWS).

This is a project proposal to understand how the Canadian population understand earthquake magnitude and intensity. The project incorporates three strategies: historical, linguistic, and socio-cultural, to come to these understandings.

This case study recounts the discovery and use of radium and the social implications in the early 1900s.

This case study explores the pivotal contributions of Bert Bolin to climate science, particularly his role in shaping early research on atmospheric carbon dioxide and global warming. It highlights Bolin’s leadership in establishing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and his efforts to bridge scientific understanding with policy action. Through his vision and persistence, Bolin helped lay the foundation for today’s global approach to climate change.

The goal of this project is to develop four historic case studies of scientists and/or breakthroughs in geoscience understanding.

In this activity, students reconstruct the skeleton of a 150-million-year-old fossil discovered in Jurassic limestone, using modern animal skeletons as references. Through careful observation, measurement, and comparison with mammals, birds, and lizards, they infer the animal’s appearance, lifestyle, and adaptations. The exercise develops skills in scientific reasoning, anatomical analysis, and evidence-based interpretation of prehistoric life.

This article emphasizes the role of inquiry-based learning in science education, highlighting that real scientific investigation—especially in geology—is often non-linear and interpretive rather than rigidly experimental. Through activities like “Footprints in the Sand” and “Putting Bones Together,” students engage in authentic paleontological practices, gathering and interpreting evidence to reconstruct past events and organisms. These exercises foster critical thinking, collaboration, and an understanding of how scientists build evidence-based explanations.

This activity guides students through using the IRIS earthquake browser to understand the dynamics of the earth through its seismicity.

This article explores how geologic knowledge develops through observation, interpretation, and debate, rather than a simple step-by-step scientific method. It highlights the roles of fieldwork, laboratory analysis, models, assumptions, and even chance discoveries in shaping our understanding of Earth’s history. Through historical examples, it shows how new evidence and better explanations can shift scientific consensus over time.