Kean discusses three different scientific methods in this book. What are they and how do they differ from one another?

Students should be able to identify and describe the characteristics and differences of theoretical science, experimental science, and the Monte Carlo method.

Much of this book is about scientific history. After reading this book, do you think this is an important field of study? Why or why not?

Students should use their critical thinking skills to explore and discuss the field of scientific history, drawing upon how their own experience of learning more about this field from reading The Disappearing Spoon has shaped their understanding of scientific development, as well as how the intersections of history and science can play a role in shaping their understanding of our world and how we relate to it.

After reading The Disappearing Spoon, what have you learned about the nature of the universe? In your answer, make specific connections to how the periodic table and its elements have informed this understanding.