BRILLIANT WHITE BIRCH TREES: Discovering the Scientific Method on Water Day
By Dylan McFarland, Mt. Abram High School
As I walked to the bus from my front door, I looked at the light gray, foreboding sky. This day was Water Day, a day that we would be spending outside at school, and our teachers could not have picked a better day to represent an example of precipitation in the water cycle. Once on the bus, I noticed the condensation on the windows, and wondered if we would be taught about how over-saturated moisture in the air causes the big beads of water on flat surfaces. As it turned out, what we learned in each class paralleled the steps of the scientific method.
The first step in the scientific method is gathering data. Coincidentally, the first assignment I had that day was to gather evidence and ideas. The procedure went as follows: Walk on a path through the woods, keep journal open and write down everything you notice, find objects that would inspire creative thinking, then write that down and bring all the ideas together. The most memorable piece of evidence that I found was a piece of birch bark. Simple and insignificant in itself, it triggers memories of that day for me. I remember looking across the desolate field at the forest and noticing the birch trees. With the vibrant color of the fall leaves and the monochrome gray sky, the white birch trees suddenly expressed themselves in a way like never before. Their skinny, soft forms became strong with simple white color. The white was so much more intense than the brown of the more powerful hardwood trees. I went away from this experience changed, both literally and mentally. Literally, because I was more damp than before I ventured outside. Mentally, because I will never forget the bright white of those birch trees.
Measuring and organizing data is another part of the scientific method and this step was represented by our second activity of the day. Representatives from Poland Spring taught the class about the area and environment around a river. We attached a number to everything we could, which is a part of scientific data organization. What is the temperature in the air? How many deciduous and coniferous trees are there? What types of grasses are in the area? All these pieces of information were organized and summarized into a final product that could help a scientist determine the ecosystem encompassing the riverbank. I left this class slightly confused; I donít think I really understood the purpose of the measurements. Data must be compiled and given some meaning later in the process.
The final part of the scientific method must incorporate everything that has been shown, just like a math equation. By calculating the speed, depth and area of the river, the class determined the final result of gallons per minute. I feel I really understand the practical application of equations now. The fact that someone can produce an answer for a tough question simply by measuring a few things and bringing the information together is astounding. Previously, I had only done math to complete the assignment, now I have discovered a new concept and solved a real problem with math. The key component in almost every math problem is finding information, and bringing the information together in a way that makes sense to solve the problem, just as we did throughout the dayís activities.
The bus ride home for me is similar to the conclusion of a lab report, in which I try to explain to myself what actually happened. I stare out the droplet covered window, still noticing the birch trees, and think about the day I had experienced. This is the time when I make the connections between the Math, English, and Science of the day. I realized that Water Day was more than just a break in the monotonous school routine, it was also a way of putting a message across: The answer is always right where youíre looking, you just have to bring all the details and problems together in order to find the answer.
