Science Inquiry August 12,2016

How to Setup Your Catalyst Notebook Date: Copy the Objective Copy the Agenda Copy and answer the Catalyst Question: Write down three words that come to your mind when you hear the word science.

Objective I can discuss the processes that are necessary to carry out scientific inquiry.

Agenda Catalyst Inquiry Cornell Notes Paper Helicopter Experiment Catalyst Question: Write down three words that come to your mind when you hear the word science.

Cornell Notes Column 2: Column 1: Write your topic here! Cornell Notes Column 2: While listening to the lecture write down the important information that answers your question. SUMMARIZE, SUMMARIZE, SUMMARIZE!! Column 1: Write down your essential questions. Leave enough space between each question to allow room for your answer.

Science Inquiry What is Science? 2.What makes a good scientific question? 3.What is the difference between an Observation and an Inference? 4. What are the three different types of variables used in scientific experiments.

What is Science? Science is the investigation and exploration of natural events and of the new information that results from those investigations. What types of science can you think of? Earth Science Physical Science Life Science Astronomy

What makes a good scientific question? In science, questions are the problems we pose before performing experiments. They are: Specific: Specific means detailed Testable: Questions are considered testable if an experiment can answer the question or solve the problem Objective: Objective means something that will be true under most circumstances. Opinions, likes, and dislikes are NOT objective. Written as a question: Is there a ? At the end??

Observations vs. Inferences Observations use one or more of your senses to gather information and take note of what occurs. Ex. What can you tell me about this banana? What will happen when I open it up?

Observations vs. Inferences An inference is a logical explanation of an observation that is drawn from prior knowledge or experience. Ex. If you see a banana you infer that it has a sweet, soft, cream colored inner fruit.

What’s the Difference? An observation is only what you can actually see, smell, taste, touch or hear. You know it for sure, because you can observe it. An inference is what you decide based on those observations “BECAUSE” A guess, prediction or possible conclusion. Science is based on facts and observations, not INFERENCES!

Make an Observation then Make an Inference 3 2 1

Variables Independent Variable: The variable that is changed in the experiment. Dependent Variable: The variable that changes based on the independent variable. Control Variable: Everything you want to be constant and unchanged.

Paper Helicopter Instructions Working in your lab table group of two, you will complete the paper helicopter experiment. Each group will record their information together on the lab sheet. Discussion questions will be answered individually at the end of the lab.

Paper Helicopter Discussion Questions (WRITE and Answer Please Did you reject or accept your hypothesis? Why? Which Helicopter was the most accurate? What do you believe made that helicopter the most accurate? Was a quantitative or qualitative observation most useful in measuring your data and why?

Mustang Moment Quiz

Integrity Questions Read “Integrity in Little Things” then answer the discussion questions.

Scientific Method September 8th, 2016

Catalyst Date: 9/12/16 Objective: I can discuss the processes that are necessary to carry out scientific inquiry. Agenda: Catalyst 8th Grade Pretest Task Cards Activity Simpson’s Homework Catalyst Question Why is it important for scientists to communicate their findings?

Scientific Method What is the Scientific method? 2.What are the steps of the scientific method? (will need space) 3.Why is the scientific method a cycle? 4. What is critical thinking?

Scientific Method The scientific method is a series of steps that Scientists use to answer questions and solve problems. There are actually many different ways that scientists solve problems and answer questions. However, a lot of the steps are the same.

Scientific Method

One Example of the Scientific Method Ask a question. What are you trying to find out in your experiment? Make observations and do research. What do you notice that relates to your question? What have other people before you found out about this topic? Form a hypothesis. Make an educated guess about what will happen. Perform the experiment. Analyze the data and results. Look at your information, and critically think about what it says. Draw conclusions. Decide whether your hypothesis was right or wrong. Communicate results. Write a letter, write an article for a journal, tell your friend, make a website!

Critical Thinking Critical Thinking means to compare what you know with the information you are given in order to decide whether you agree with it.

Task Cards Working with your partner you should complete the scientific inquiry task cards. Each pair should record their answers in complete sentences. Write the title of each card before the answers DO NOT WRITE ON THE TASK CARDS. Remember your lab partner expectations

Expectations of Task Card Assignment Answers should be clearly labeled. Answers should be written in DETAILED complete sentences and should include information introduced by the task cards. Relevant scientific vocabulary should be evident throughout your answers.

Task Card Example Krusty Krabs Breath Mints Mr. Krabs created a secret ingredient for a breath mint that he thinks will “cure” the bad breath people get from eating crabby patties at the Krusty Krab. He asked 100 customers with a history of bad breath to try his new breath mint. He had 50 customers (Group A) eat a breath mint after they finished eating a crabby patty. The other 50 customers (Group B) also received a breath mint after they finished the sandwich, however, it was just a regular breath mint and did not have the secret ingredient. Both groups were told that they were getting the breath mint that would cure their bad breath Two hours after eating the crabby patties, 30 customers in Group A and 10 customers in Group B reported having better breath than they normally had after eating crabby patties.

Brain Burst! Susan observed that different kinds and amounts of fossils were present in a cliff behind her house. She wondered if changes in fossil content occurred from the top to the bottom of the bank. She marked the bank at five positions: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 m from the surface. She removed 1 bucket of soil from each of the positions and determined the kind and number of fossils in each sample. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Constants:

Task Cards Working with your partner you should complete the scientific inquiry task cards. Each pair should record their answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Write the title of each card before the answers DO NOT WRITE ON THE TASK CARDS. Remember your lab partner expectations

Brain Burst! A group of middle school students were given a short course in speed-reading. The instructor was curious if a monetary incentive would influence performance on a reading test taken at the end of the course. Half the students were offered $5 for obtaining a certain level of performance on the test, the other half were not offered money. Independent variable: Dependent variable:

Task Cards Working with your partner you should complete the scientific inquiry task cards. Each pair should record their answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Write the title of each card before the answers DO NOT WRITE ON THE TASK CARDS. Remember your lab partner expectations

Brain Burst!

Task Cards Working with your partner you should complete the scientific inquiry task cards. Each pair should record their answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Write the title of each card before the answers DO NOT WRITE ON THE TASK CARDS. Remember your lab partner expectations

Brain Burst! Gloria wanted to find out if the color of food would affect whether kindergarten children would select it for lunch. She put food coloring into 5 identical bowls of mashed potatoes. The colors were plain, red, green, yellow, and blue. Each child chose a scoop of potatoes of the color of their choice. Gloria did this experiment using 100 students. She recorded the number of students that chose each color. What are the independent and dependent variables??

Task Cards Working with your partner you should complete the scientific inquiry task cards. Each pair should record their answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Write the title of each card before the answers DO NOT WRITE ON THE TASK CARDS. Remember your lab partner expectations

Inquiry Quiz

Inquiry Quiz Response to 1 of the following questions