Observer: Mystery
Poem: How Do We Interpret Observations?
Directions
Your teacher will divide the class into six groups.
Read introduction to the mystery poem.
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the animal
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
Your teacher will assign each group to read one of the
following clues.
Discuss with your group what animal you think is described
in your clue.
Read the conclusion and share your findings with the class.
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long.
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
Discuss the following questions with the class:
What does this poem have to do with science?
How would the observations of six blind scientists
change the poem?
How could the observations of six people who happen
to be blind be more valuable than observations of just
one person?
