1. Formulating Scientific Questions Skills and Processes

2. Maryland Science Content Standard Students will develop the ability to clarify questions and direct them towards objects and phenomena that can be described, explained or predicted by scientific investigations (Skills and Processes A1b)

3. Objective Students will observe and make inferences in order to develop scientific questions.

4. Notebook Title:Scientific Questions Date:10/15/2015

5. Notebook Develop a chart in your notebook to collect data like the one below (use your entire sheet) ObservationInference 1. 2.

6. Using Your Senses We will be going outside….. Use your senses and observe the environment Record your observations on the chart you drew

7. Inferences After recording your observations, infer what you think may be going on…for example… ObservationInference 1. The dog is barking 1. Someone is teasing the dog 2.

8. What Are you Inferring? What do you base your inference on? Will your inference always be the same as everyone elses? Why are inferences “dangerous” in scientific investigations?

9. Conclusion Using your observations, and based on your inference, created a testable scientific question. –What is the effect of an increase of foot traffic in a given area on the number of species of plants found in the same given area. Example: –What is the effect of someone teasing a dog on the noise level of the dog.