The Scientific Method

What's the difference between 'Doing Science' and 'The Scientific Method?' 

 

Student Learning Objectives and Outcomes

1a.  Students will be able to define Science Inquiry  

1b.  SWBAT identify from a list of questions which are testable

1c.  SWBAT Write a question or statement that will inform their own personal investigation

 

2a.  Students will be able to define The Scientific Method

2b.  Students will perform an investigation and blog/journal their results to communicate their findings 

2c.  Students will be able to write a statement that includes a testable question that will lead towards their own personal scientific investigation or desgn process

Developing the Scientific Method

 

1.)   Introduce / Review The Scientific Method

2.)   Provide an example as a foundation for student thinking:  ACTIVITY EXAMPLE

3.)   Investigation Activity:

    

       Ask students if they agree or disagree that taco sauce can make an old penny shiny and new.   Students will need to set  

       a standard of "how shiny". 

4.)  Students and teacher will carry out the procedures and experimentation and then identify ingredients to determine

       what it is that actually shines the penny.

5.)  Students will discuss and share their results and brainstorm possible in-depth questions that could further the 

       investigation given additional time and equipment availability.

 

Defining a "Testable Question"

We will Identify many different purposes for questions.  By providing several examples of different questions and the purpose they may serve, students will be able to identify which questions are testable and which are not.  Students will be given practice developing questions to help direct their own investigation.   Illustrate the difference between using The Scientific Method and The Design Process for investigation.

 

1.  Use the following to help students better direct their purpose:  CHART

2.  Students will generate their own "testable" question and show scientific relevance.

3.  Share and communication ideas with others.

 

Assessments

 

1.  Students will create a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts Science Inquiry and The Scientific Method

2.  Students will be quizzed after reviewing The Scientific Method

3.  Students will be assessed on their development  and criteria of a "testable" question and analysis

 

 

 

Chicago Museums:

• Academy of Natural Sciences: http://www.ansp.org/

• Adler Planetarium (Chicago): http://www.adlerplanetarium.org

• American Museum of Natural History: http://www.amnh.org

• Field Museum (in Chicago): http://www.fieldmuseum.org

• Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago): http://www.msichicago.org

• Shedd Aquarium (Chicago): http://www.sheddaquarium.org

 

National Labs:

•  Argonne - http://www.anl.gov/

• Fermilab - http://www.fnal.gov/

• Quarknet Program - http://quarknet.fnal.gov/

•  U.S. Dept of Energy - http://www.energy.gov/

• A good federal site with more than 1,000 links to science information - http://www.science.gov

 

Research Institutes:

• Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO) - http://www.northwestern.edu/nico/

• Northwestern Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program (IBIS) - http://www.ibis.northwestern.edu/

• Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton) - http://www.ias.edu/

• National Institutes of Health - http://www.nih.gov/

• Santa Fe Institute, dedicated to work on complexity - http://www.santafe.edu/index.php