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CBSE Revision Notes for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist

CBSE Revision Notes for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 6 The Making of a Scientist

Chapter Sketch
The story The Making of a Scientist’ is written by Robert W Peterson. It is about the great scientist Richard H Ebright. He had a habit of collecting butterflies, rock fossils and coins since he was a kid. He started scientific research on the study of butterflies. His curiosity and a will to win for the right reasons made him successful.

About the Characters

  • Richard H Ebright He is a brilliant scientist. He is noted for’ his work on cell and reading of DNA. Richard’s Mother She is an encouraging mother who supported Richard in every way.
  • Dr. Frederick A. Urquhart He is a prominent scientist. He did his research on monarch butterflies. He provided valuable guidance to Richard for his projects.
  • Richard A. Weiherer He is Richard’s social studies teacher. He helped Richard become a good debater and a public speaker.
  • James R. Wong He.is a fellow scholar who worked with him on a project.

OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER
Richard’s Success at Young Age :
The article of Richard and his friend was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He was only twenty two years old at that time. It was the first time that the research work of college students was published. It was a rare honour for Richard.

Richard – A Collector from Childhood :
Richard was the only child of his parents. He grew up at reading in Pennsylvania, USA. He had no one to play with. So, he started collecting things – rocks, fossils and coins. He even gazed at stars. Collecting butterflies became his hobby.

Richard’s Mother – His Companion :
Richard’s mother was constantly with him. She encouraged him by taking him on trips and bought him telescopes and other equipment. She found work to challenge him and helped him to learn a lot.

Richard Reads ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ :
The reading of a children’s book titled ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ inspired him. He became interested in the world of science. The book asked the readers to study butterfly migrations. Richard came in contact with the scientist Dr Urquhart through this book, who influenced him greatly.

Richard Raises Monarch Butterflies :
Richard decided to raise butterflies at home to study their migration pattern. He would catch a female monarch and take her eggs. He would watch all the stages of development of the butterfly. Then he would tag their wings and free them. He did it for many years and raised thousands of butterflies in the basement of his home.

Richard Enters County Science Fair :
Richard displayed his slides of frogs at the county science fair, but did not win any award. He realised that he needed to carry out real experiments to win an award. He took suggestions from Dr Urquhart. As a result of his many experiments, he won many prizes at the county and international science fairs in the following years.

Richard’s Eighth Grade Project :
Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral fever that kills thousands of monarch butterflies. He thought that a beetle may carry the virus that causes viral fever. Although this was not the case, he still won a prize for his project.

Richard’s Win at County Science Fair :
Richard experimented on viceroy butterflies. He tried to prove that viceroys copy monarchs. Viceroys do it to protect themselves from birds as birds who don’t eat monarchs. The project won the first prize in the zoology division and overall third prize in the county science fair.

Richard’s Discovery of a Hormone :
Richard was curious to know the reason behind twelve gold spots on a monarch pupa. He and his friends built a device to prove that the spots were producing a hormone necessary for its full development. The project got him first prize in the county fair. He also entered the International Science and Engineering Fair. He got third prize for zoology in this fair.

Ebright Continues his Research on Monarch Pupa :
Richard grew cells from the wings of a monarch butterfly. He further proved that cells grow into scales of wings only when they were injected with the hormone from the gold spots. He carried on his work at the Army laboratory and laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture. After his freshman year at Harvard, he returned to the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture to identify the chemical structure of hormone. This gave him a new idea about cell life.

Richard’s Study of Cell and DNA :
Richard’s research on the hormone gave him an idea. He believed that his study could tell how cells read their DNA. He, along with his college room-mate, James R Wong, worked on the idea. Then, they wrote a paper explaining their theory.

Richard’s Glory at Harvard :
Richard graduated with second position in a class of 1510 students. He became a graduate student researcher. He started experimenting to prove his new theory. His theory may create new ways to prevent some types of cancer and other diseases.

Richard an all Rounder :
Richard Ebright is not just a scientist. He is an all rounder. He is a good debater and a public speaker. He is also a photographer and an outdoors-person. His social studies teacher praises him for his will to work hard, do his best and win.

Richard – a True Scientist :
Richard has all qualities that make him a true scientist. He has curiosity and a first rate mind. He wants to win for the right reasons.

Chapter Highlights

  1. Richard’s article on how cells work published in a science journal at the age of twenty-two.
  2. Richard was a single child and didn’t have friends to play with. So, he became interested in collecting butterflies and various other items.
  3. His mother bought him all the equipment he needed. She guided him and helped him to learn.
  4. He read a book ‘The Travels to Monarch X’ which created a love for science in him.
  5. He raised thousands of monarch butterflies at home over a few years. He tagged them as they grew and freed them to study their migration.
  6. Richard put up a slide of frogs at the County science fair but did not win any award.
  7. His defeat inspired him to experiment. He took help from Dr Urquhart to work on various projects.
  8. He won many awards at the County and International science fairs in subsequent years.
  9. His work on viceroy butterflies got him the first position award in a fair.
  10. Richard discovered a hormone necessary for the growth of, monarch butterfly.
  11. He worked at the Army laboratory and the US Department of Agriculture laboratory.
  12. Richard spent a year at Harvard as a freshman before going back to the laboratory to discover the chemical structure of the hormone responsible for the gold spots on the monarch pupa.
  13. His findings motivated him to study cells and how they read their DNA.
  14. His theory may help to prevent many kinds of cancers and other diseases.
  15. He graduated from Harvard with second position among 1510 students.
  16. His other interests include debating, public speakingand photography. ‘
  17. Richard’s social studies teacher praises him for his excellent mind, curiosity and a will to win – the essential qualities of a scientist.

WORD MEANINGS
The given page nos. correspond to the pages in the prescribed textbook.

Word Meaning
PAGE 32
Scout A member of the scout association
Journal A newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject
Making the big leagues Becoming part of a successful or important group
Kindergarten School for small children
Fossils The remains of a prehistoric plant / animal embedded in rock and preserved in petrified form
Astronomer A scientific observer of stars and planets
Determination Firmness of purpose
Eager Strongly wanting to do or have something
Star-gazing Looking at the stars
PAGE 33
Variegated Having patches, stripes or marks of different colours
Crescent A shape that is curved, wide at its center and pointed at its two ends like a crescent moon.
Migrate Move from one place to another
Curiosity A desire to know or learn
Species A group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants
Fritillary A butterfly with orange-brown wings that are chequered with black
PAGE 34
Monarch and Viceroy Types of butterflies found in North America
Tedious Boring and too slow or long
Tag A label attached to someone or something for the purpose of identification or to give other information
Adhesive Able to stick fast to a surface or object; sticky
chase To hurry after someone or something in order to catch him/her or it
PAGE 35
County District
Stack Large number
Starling A dark brown or black bird that is common in Europe and US.
Zoology The branch of science that involves the study of animals and animal behaviour
PAGE 36
Ornamental Showy, decorative
Entomology A branch of science that deals with the study of insects
Culture The growing of cells in a specially prepared nutrient medium
Scales Small, thin horny or bony plates
Sophisticated Developed to a high degree of complexity
Eureka A cry of joy when one discovers something
Heredity The passing of characteristics from one generation to the next
Blueprint A design plan
Hormone A natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences the way of body grows or develops
Pupa An insect that is in the stage of development between larva and adult
PAGE 37
Canoeist Person paddling a canoe
Expert A person who is very skilful in a particular area
Exhibits Things
Competitive Trying to win a contest or be more successful than others
Ingredients A component part or ingredient of something
Debating A discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something
Sake For the purpose of

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