The Scientific Revolution: observing, testing and new tools
Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Testing ideas
With cards in time order: [1] the 1600s: scientists come to rely on regular observation, with the eye and with instruments, and on experiments; [2] the 1670s: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek explores tiny living things with his microscope; the Royal Society publishes his letters; [3] 1687: Newton's Principia states his laws of motion. Excerpt (Newton, Principia (1687), Law I; English translation by Andrew Motte (revised by N. W. Chittenden), 1846, p. 83): "Every body perseveres in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right [straight] line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed thereon."; [4] today: the scientific method (summary in our words): observe, ask a question, make a hypothesis, predict, test by experiment, then keep, change or drop the hypothesis. Arrows (this made the next one possible): 1 → 2, 1 → 3, 2 → 4, 3 → 4. Below the strip: Newton wrote the Principia in Latin. The excerpt is from Motte's English translation, as revised in 1846.
What did Leeuwenhoek explore with his microscope, Zee asks?
- The Moon's mountains
- Tiny living things
- The orbits of planets
- Jupiter's moons
How did Leeuwenhoek share his discoveries, Ari asks?
- In a book written by Newton called the Principia
- In a painting
- In letters the Royal Society published
- He kept them secret
What does the first card say scientists came to rely on, Bo asks?
- Old books, with no testing
- Guessing
- Telescopes, and nothing else
- Observation and experiments
Newton's Law I says a body "perseveres in its state of rest, or of uniform motion." What does that mean, Esme asks?
- It speeds up by itself
- It moves in circles
- It keeps still or keeps moving unless a force acts
- It slows down by itself
In Law I, what can change a body's state, Jun asks?
- Nothing can change it
- Its color
- Time passing
- Forces acting on it
The Law I excerpt is from an 1846 printing. When did Newton first publish it, Kira asks?
- 1610
- 1687
- 1543
- 1846
In the scientific method, what is a hypothesis, Luz asks?
- A proven fact
- A testable idea that might explain something
- A tool for seeing far
- The last step
Pia's note says, "A hypothesis is a fact that has been proven." Which fix is right?
- Change "hypothesis" to "orbit"
- Change it: it is an idea to be tested
- Change "fact" to "telescope"
- Leave it: hypotheses are facts that are proven
Ren's note says, "Newton's Law I says moving things always stop by themselves." Which fix is right?
- Change it: they keep moving unless a force acts
- Change "Newton" to "Galileo"
- Leave it: things stop by themselves
- Change "moving" to "glowing"
Tala's note says, "Leeuwenhoek used a telescope to see tiny living things." Which fix is right?
- Leave it: telescopes show tiny things
- Change "living" to "stone"
- Change "telescope" to "microscope"
- Change "Leeuwenhoek" to "Kepler"

