Science First

Article summary

Science First, official name Morris & Lee, is a science education product manufacturer based in Yulee, Florida. It was founded in 1960 and is family owned. Established in Buffalo, New York, Science First relocated to Nassau County, Florida in 2009. The firm manufactures products ranging from microscopes to environmental testing kits and planetariums. Science First is co-owned by Nancy Bell (her father Franklin B. Lee founded the company) and her two sons (Aaron C. Bell and Nathaniel S. Bell). Bell's daughters hold an ownership stake. Science First bought Learning Technologies, a Massachusetts-based company known for its Starlab product, in 2008. In 2010, Science First won a $2 million federal contract for portable planetariums (Digital Starlabs) for use in the teaching of the children of military personnel. In 2010 Science First bought Eastwind Enterprises, a Canadian science kit manufacturer. In August 2014, Science First acquired some of the assets of Maine-based, The Science Source. In July 2015, Science First purchased Cynmar, an Illinois-based scientific distributor. Cynmar has relocated to the Florida facility.

Key claims

1. date of establishment: 2009 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of foundation: 1960 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of establishment is "2009". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of foundation is "1960". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1332148167