The History of Science

Do you know who invented the light bulb, or the telephone? Do you know when penicillin was discovered, or when spontaneous generation was disproved? These milestones in science are what is known as the history of science. Names, places, and dates of these milestones are important. But, how important are they?

Up until sixth grade science has been a rather general thing. Our students didn’t really study zoology as much as they just learned about animals in a larger sense. And for some homeschoolers, it is not important for them to know about Charles Darwin, since they do not even study evolution.

How do you decide what historical points of science need to be remembered, which names are associated with which discoveries? Some parents would argue that it is more important to know about the invention or discovery than it is to know who discovered it or when they discovered it.

I think, starting around the 6th grade, that my student needs a more well rounded view of science and so we are beginning to emphasize not just the science, but the history of the science. Being able to place different steps in science in historical context, is important not only for the significance to science but also to the students knowledge of the world in general.