Speaking: Discussion Questions
Download the questions as a .pdf (for printing) or
copy and paste them (for editing) from the list below.
See this post for 10 ideas on how to use these questions.
- What do you think of when you hear the word “science”?
- What were your science classes like at school? Would you change anything about them?
- How has technology changed the world in the last ten years?
- How do you think things might change in the next ten years?
- Does scientific progress scare or excite you?
- Theodore Roszak wrote, “nature composes some of her loveliest poems for the microscope and the telescope.” Do you agree?
- What are the similarities between art and science, in your opinion?
- Does science show there are no miracles?
- Should everybody study science at school?
- Would you prefer to be a famous scientist or a famous artist? Why?
- What is the difference between science and technology?
- What technology has changed your life the most?
- What would you most like to see invented?
- Do you think science is more a force for good
in the world or not? Why? - Are there any questions you think science cannot answer? Why?
- Are there any famous inventors from your country? What did they invent?
- What do you think is the best invention of your lifetime?
- Adam Smith wrote, “science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.” What did he mean? Do you agree?
- Which is your favourite science?
- Which is your least favourite? Why?
Listening Resources
- Ben Goldacre – Battling Bad Science
- Brian Cox experiments with sodium
Online Video
Interesting, though lengthy (fourteen-and-a-half minute long) TED talk from Ben Goldacre.
Minor explosion as British astrophysicist and TV presenter Brian Cox mixes sodium with water. Quite a nice introduction about the chemical elements in everything we see around us.
- Nature podcast
Podcasts
Weekly show from Nature magazine. It might be better to set a homework task based around this, rather than listen to the whole thing in class.
Reading: Online Texts
Here are some interesting (and, hopefully, semi-permanent!) online articles and websites I’ve found. Have a look through and see if there’s one that might interest your class. If you have any other suggestions about more sites or articles I could include here, please let me know.
- Internet Explorer users have lower IQs
- The Growth of Social Media
The Internet
Amusing BBC article on a recent piece of psychological research.
Short article and very useful infographic showing the growth of social media, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, followed by a comments section.
- Why Do Some People Resist Science?
Science in General
Interesting, fairly long article from two psychologists at Yale, reporting for EDGE magazine.
