Problem Solving Mysteries

After checking out the website "Mysteries for Kids" and reading people's comments on the blog, I thought of the ways that we use mystery, discovery, problem solving, and logic for learning science. I have learned from personal experience that the teacher must make explicit connections between the material (both science content and the historical aspect) and real life experiences for knowledge to be valuable and meaningful for the students. Teachers must create a social context for the students to understand and apply their knowledge. I think that mysteries are a great way for students to learn and discover. This style of story makes the reader/listener think about what is presented to them and hypothesize about the next step or the eventual end result…This is very similar way that we approach science. We do not know about the dinosaurs because a T-Rex ran across the road on your way to work…it is because scientist discovered the way of life before we were living in this spot. Much of what we learn about the Earth and the Universe is a mystery until the truth is discovered through scientific investigations.