In this old tale six blind men come to some interesting conclusions while each examining a different part of the elephant.

1. Putting Together the Pieces
Thinking about the Scientific Method
Assembled for you by Kella Randolph
M.Ed.

2. We gather clues
• Using the clues we have found, we try to make
sense of them. Sometimes we succeed and
sometimes we don’t.
• Science is the art of using what we know to make
sense of the world. Sometimes when we get new
information, we have to rethink our conclusions
and come up with a new idea.

3. The Blind men and the Elephant
by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)
https://images.app.goo.gl/LbAh6rLeXYig6zEq7

4. Just so you know:
https://images.app.goo.gl/pGARtuHvhmbuuzdb8

5. It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind

6. https://images.app.goo.gl/b9PEQC42JqmkbA7b6

7. India
Physical map showing India
"The Countries of Indostan East of Delhi [1764], by Major *James Rennell*, late
Surveyor General to the East India Company in Bengal," reproduced in 'The History of
the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan, From the Year MDCCXLV.
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00maplinks/colonial/india1760/india1760.
html
MDCCXLV = 1745 - Roman Numerals

8. Side or wall?
• The First approached
the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and
sturdy side,
At once began to
bawl:
"God bless me! but the
Elephant
Is very like a wall!"
https://globalelephants.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Ramba.jpg

9. Tusk or spear?
• The Second, feeling of
the tusk,
Cried, "Ho! what have
we here
So very round and
smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an
Elephant
Is very like a spear!" https://images.app.goo.gl/1h7SExmdogwKGs8J7

10. Trunk or
snake?
The Third approached
the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk
within his hands,
Thus boldly up and
spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the
Elephant
Is very like a snake."
https://images.app.goo.gl/ZpTG9mWbhNv7NE4RA

11. Knee or
tree?
The Fourth reached
out an eager hand,
And felt about the
knee.
"What most this
wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth
he;
"Tis Clear enough the
Elephant
Is very like a tree."
https://images.app.goo.gl/kKkDTxDFZFnqacpTA

12. Ear or fan?
• The Fifth, who chanced
to touch the ear,
• Said: "E'en the blindest
man
• Can tell what this
resembles most;
• Deny the fact who can,
• This marvel of an
Elephant
• Is very like a fan!"
https://images.app.goo.gl/1gmA7ssMXDrXQY9NA

13. Tail or
rope?
The Sixth no sooner
had begun
About the beast to
grope,
Then seizing on the
swinging tail
That fell within his
scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the
Elephant
Is very like a rope."
https://images.app.goo.gl/FENoJNQihBsTg8Ca9

14. Right or
wrong?
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.
https://images.app.goo.gl/wwJy16ZCezFUGr8D7

15. The elephant as the six men
“saw” it
https://images.app.goo.gl/rmQUA7d3NsWD8Lwp7

16. https://images.app.goo.gl/fdBRDiVtmhnuH4PN7

17. Literature and the Scientific
Method
• 1. How does this poem illustrate the
importance of observation in the scientific
method?

18. 2. What is the moral of the tale?
• In other words, what message are we to take
from this story?

19. 3. Many scientific errors can occur because the
researcher does not use good skills of
observation.

20. Steps of the Scientific Method
• 1) Ask questions, make observations
2) Gather information
3) Form a hypothesis
4) Set up a controlled experiment
• Independent variable – the variable that is deliberately
changed
Dependent variable is variable that is observed
• 5) Record and analyze results
6) Draw a conclusion
7) Repeat

21. John Godfrey Saxe
https://allpoetry.com/The-Blind-Man-
And-The-Elephant
• The Blind Man And The Elephant
• It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined,
• who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),
• that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.
• The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,
• against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
• "God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!"
• The second feeling of the tusk, cried: "Ho! what have we here,
• so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,
• this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!"
• The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,
• the squirming trunk within his hands, "I see," quoth he,
• the elephant is very like a snake!"
• The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:
• "What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain," quoth he;
• "Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree."
• The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; "E'en the blindest man
• can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,
• This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!"
• The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,
• than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,
• "I see," quothe he, "the elephant is very like a rope!"
• 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!
• So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,
• tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,
• and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!
• © by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes
https://images.app.goo.gl/CNyWe5B2LZofFpvm9
https://allpoetry.com/The-Blind-Man-And-The-Elephant

22. Thanks for watching.
• Poem The Elephant Poem by John
Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)