Inquiring-mind Science: How Franklin Discovered Lightning Was Electricity

Schedule: This is a 1-hour class.

Format: Lecture with some class participation. We will learn concepts and practice them to attain the mastery we can in a short time. No grading; homework is optional.

Cost: $20 per person for a group class of 4 or more students; $70 for one-on-one tutoring.

Payment options: Payments can be made via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, cash, or check.

Materials: Pencil and paper.

For more details or to schedule a class, contact Michael by email at michaelgold@goldams.com or by phone at 281-770-2276.

Class Description.

That Franklin flew a kite in a storm to see if lightning was electricity is a cool story, but does not teach us much about how science works or about how you can learn things in the world beyond that.

So we are missing a valuable lesson about how science and reason work, so we are missing a valuable lesson about how to think in the future in college, at work, in making health decisions, in understanding the technology around us, and in life.

So let’s learn. Let’s go through the reasoning Franklin went through so you can learn to better think logically, better solve some problems that come up in life, do better in your future career, do science better, and better understand science.

We will study the thought process Franklin went through by reading his notes, discussing them, learning why they are logical and scientific, and discussing his experiment.

Specifically, we will learn a bit about how logical induction (generalization) works, how to do it well, and how to prepare for experiments (of any sort: scientific, or everyday “experiences”). Time permitting, we’ll try the “Franklin process” on a few other things. And, time permitting, we will think about how we can use the same process in other areas of our lives and in our futures.

So be prepared to listen to some lecture, read some, discuss some, think some, and take some notes. We will dig deep.

“We really enjoyed the Ecology class with Michael Gold! He chose a wonderful textbook for my daughter to use: “Minnesota’s Natural Heritage.” He made it interesting, relevant, and understandable. As a homeschool mom, it’s always a challenge to find good teachers that I can rely on to supplement the holistic education I try to give my children. Michael does just that! He’s knowledgeable, thorough, logical, and even brings a sense of humor to the class! I can’t recommend him highly enough for someone who, like me, wants more for their children. Thank you, Outschool, for providing such good teachers at reasonable costs! We’ll be signing up for more classes soon!”
–Melanie K., parent, about the Outschool class “Ecology (Chp 5 by John Tester): The Northern Coniferous Forest,” 4 Feb 2020

“My son (13yo) loved this class, he loved learning math he had not learned before, the instructions were very clear and he enjoyed them a lot. He loved learning the historical context and is already looking for other classes with this teacher. He really enjoyed the class! Thank you!”
–Judith V., parent, about the Outschool place “Inquiring-mind Science: How Far Is the Sun? How Far Are the Planets?,” 1 Apr 2020

“My daughter truly enjoyed the class and has motivated her further study in science. She also appreciated Mr. Gold’s passion and excitement for science!”
–Chigusa, parent, about the Outschool class “Logic Corner: What Is Science?,” 12 Feb 2020