While reading Chapter 2, what stuck out to me the most was how flexible science was as a subject, and how it was fundamentally a social pursuit. It was really helpful for me to read how the textbook defined science as a “commitment to gathering and using empirical evidence derived from examination of the natural world” (19).  I never realized how much communication and active social collaboration is necessary to the scientific field. Whenever a new theory comes out, it needs to be reviewed by scientists from all over the world. Science isn’t just men sitting in laboratories looking into microscopes, but instead a huge network of a diverse group of people studying common subjects.

I really enjoyed reading about the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and its efforts to involve the community in the study of birds. By involving citizen scientists, the lab was able to gain more information that it would have as a private study. Being able to not only includes the members of the community in scientific research but having them collect data that actually contributes to the database is amazing. This project does an excellent job of taking advantage of informal science teaching opportunities to spark interest in others.

Chapter 2 was also interesting because it provided a framework for science learning that helped break down the subject into understandable and logical sections. The six strands of science learning were each important in their own way but provided a solid foundation for science education as a whole. In thinking about my future as an educator, the strands provided me with a solid idea of what it takes to not only spark interest in a child but to foster and cultivate it into usable knowledge.