Tag Archives: experimental design

experimental design, scientific method

Scientific Method Worksheet

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Scientific Method Worksheet

Why is teaching the scientific method so challenging?  Using these scientific method worksheets in sequence will help improve your student’s understanding.

Why does the sequence matter?

Scientific Method Worksheet

Teaching the scientific method offers several challenges. Using our sequence of scientific method worksheets and other scientific method practice activities your students will deepen their understanding of the scientific method.

Vocabulary is always a struggle for students especially if it is their first exposure to the terms.

Terms like independent variable, dependent variable, control, constant, hypothesis and  prediction are terms that are improperly used in everyday language.

How can you fix it?

Identifying student misconceptions is the first step in helping your students be successful in experimental design implementation.  Every class could have different misconceptions to address. To fix it, read on.

How to identify misconceptions?

One strategy you can use to identify student misconceptions is to simply ask them to define the terms in their own words. To do this, use one of my favorite strategies that many of my followers are already using. Click here to subscribe.

Use a beach ball(see related post).  Write the vocabulary terms on the beach ball using a dry erase marker and toss it around the room.

When the student’s left thumb lands on a term ask them to say what they think the definition of the term is.

Toss the beach ball around the room until you have a good understanding of their background knowledge and misconceptions of the scientific method vocabulary. Use this same technique after students have learned the words. This activity offers great repetition and can fill the last few minutes of class if you finish early.

Scientific Method-Inquiry

In addition, you can allow students to dive right in to designing an experiment using our Paper Folding Scientific Method Worksheet.

The Paper folding scientific method worksheet is the first in our sequence. The activity uses scientific inquiry and will allow you to see a wide range of your student’s ability levels and misconceptions on the first day of class.
Paper Folding Scientific Method Worksheet

After understanding and addressing your student’s misconceptions of the scientific method, you can present the  proper terminology to the students.

You can use our Experimental Design Notes. This presentation is part of our Scientific Method Unit  (experimental design) that you can access free.

Check out our Full Biology Curriculum

The second scientific method worksheet in our sequence allows students to practice only independent and dependent variables in a variety of scenarios.

Independent variable and dependent variable worksheet

Why does this matter?

Focusing only independent and dependent variable this Independent and dependent variable worksheet allows students the opportunity to truly understand the terms and apply them to scenarios without being overwhelmed by other vocabulary terms.

Notice:

The next scientific method worksheet requires students to analyze entire experiments in the Experimental Design Scenarios Worksheet.

In this sequence, your students start off  simple and progressively move to more complex tasks.

It Gets Better!

Next, students design there own experiment using mealworms (Super worms are best). Using the scientific method students make observations,  research, develop a question, hypothesis, identify variables,  write procedures, carry out an investigation, collect and analyze data and share their results in a lab report using our awesome lab report rubric and template that is included in our free scientific method unit!

Get access to our entire scientific method unit and more <click here>

Simple right?

Unfortunately, many teachers fail to use this simple approach because they just to do not have them time to sit down and create or find all of the worksheets they need.

We have them done for you! 

And a lot more! 

Sign up here for regular email freebies and access to our free scientific method unit!

scientific method lesson plans

Biology Lesson Plans

Two Weeks of Biology Lesson Plans for Experimental Design

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Deciding how you will start the year off is always a challenge. I choose to start with experimental design for several reasons.

First, it allows me to establish my procedures  and expectations for the lab  and the classroom right away.

Next, starting with experimental design allows me to easily engage my students in science.  I can grab their attention and then dive further into the content.

Finally, starting with experimental design helps me see my students’ understanding of science. With this knowledge, I can quickly make adjustments to my instruction to better accommodate my students.

I hope you enjoy these free lessons!

In these two weeks of Biology Experimental Design Lesson Plans your students will:

 

 

 

 

  • Design and carry out their own experiment.
  • Practice making observations
  • Write Hypotheses
  • Write Procedures
  • Identifying independent and dependent variables.
  • Choose the proper equipment
  • Create a Lab Report

You can get these lesson plans and more emailed directly to your inbox.  Download them below.

 

If you need a Full Biology Curriculum you can learn more here.

 

 

scientific method

Mealworm Inquiry Lab

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 Mealworm Inquiry Lab

This week my students have been working on the Mealworm Inquiry Lab. In this lab, students apply everything they have learned about experimental design by creating their own experiment using mealworms (Superworms actually).

 

Superworms can be purchased at the local pet store and are great for this activity. The Superworms do not jump on the kids and they move slow enough to easily control.

They also have an interesting life cycle that the students learn about in their research.  In this inquiry lab, students make observations, conduct research, develop a question, identify variables, create a hypothesis, create procedures,  create choice chambers for their experiment, collect data, analyse data and draw a conclusion based on their results.

GET YOUR COPY HERE

Here are some example of their set up:

Note: About 40% of the students in this class have an IEP. The experiments were not perfectly controlled but this lab offers so much opportunity to address their weakness through questioning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have the students create a lab report when they are finished using my lab report rubric and guide

If you like this activity, you will love our Full Biology Curriculum. Check it out here.

Biology Curriculum

 

experimental design

Hypothesis Practice- Get your Students to Practice Hypothesis Writing

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Hypothesis Practice

This week my students practiced writing a hypothesis. To practice writing a hypothesis have  your students complete this engaging activity that gives the them a chance to practice their hypothesis writing.  This activity requires a 2 liter bottle, water and tape (masking or painting). Prepare the bottle by drilling three holes vertically in a straight line  about and inch apart. The holes should be  slightly smaller than a pencil eraser. I have used scissors and twisted them until the a hole was made but a drill is much easier if you have it.  Once the holes are drilled place some tape over the holes and fill it with water.

3 hole bottle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your bottle is now ready for the class.  Prior to getting started  with the hypothesis practice have the students create a chart that looks like the one below making sure they save room to write inside the chart. If students are using an interactive notebook have them place this chart on the right side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the left side of the their interactive notebook students will record their initial observations and their sketch. When students are done  with the entire activity it will look like this.

Student digital example

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To begin this activity, walk around the room to each student so they can closely observe the bottle and record their observations. This is where  you can emphasize details in their observation records. After walking around ask the class for a volunteer who isn’t afraid of water. Bring the student to the front of the class and sit them in a desk and give them a paper towel to put on top of their head (optional).  The purpose for involving a student is for dramatic effect and student engagement and it works very well! In addition.I also ask students after we are done if it influenced what they thought might happen and then use that as an opportunity to discuss bias. They shouldn’t actually get more than a drop or two of water on them if all goes well.  While holding the bottle over the volunteers head ask the class to record their hypothesis about what will happen when the tape is pulled past the first hole. Ask students to write the hypothesis. Have the students share their hypothesis with the class. Next, pull the tape past the first hole while holding it over your volunteers head. If everything is done correctly, no water will come out of the first hole. Students record their observations and record why they think it happened the way it did or any questions they may have.  Move on and repeat this for the next two holes. Have the students make a hypothesis before each  a new hole is exposed. Water will come out of the next two holes so I strategically have a trash can to catch the water and avoid getting it on the volunteer. Though this activity is simple, students love it.

I overheard one of my IEP students talking to the Co-teacher and he said: “This is actually pretty fun!”

Explanation of the Observations

Hole 1

When the tape is pulled past the first hole you should observe that little to no water comes out of the bottle depending on how full it is. The more full it is the less water will come out.

Why? When you fill the bottle and close the cap, the top of the bottle becomes closed off from the atmosphere. When you remove the tape past the first hole, some water may flow out and decrease the pressure of the air that remains in the bottle. Once the pressure is decreased enough (usually only a few small drops of water) the water is held in because the pressure difference from the air inside of the bottle is less that outside of the bottle.

Hole 2

When the tape is pulled past the second hole, the water will flow out of the second hole. If you observe closely you will notice air is flowing into the first hole allowing the pressure inside of the bottle to increase and water to flow out of the second hole.

Hole 3

When the tape is pulled past all three holes, the air still flows into the first hole (top) allowing water to flow out of both the second and third hole.  The water in the third hole will stream farther than the second hole due to the increase pressure from the additional water.

Try it out. Comment below on how it goes!

 

experimental design, scientific method

Introduction to Experimental Design

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Experimental Design Activity

As the first days of school near, I wanted to share one of my favorite activities that ease students into the scientific method and experimental design. This activity is a guided inquiry paper folding activity that will help student get the cobwebs out of their brains.

There is a common myth that you cannot fold a paper more than seven times. This activity allow students to conduct an investigation to explore this claim.

In the activity students will explore the following vocabulary:

  • prediction
  • independent variable
  • dependent variable
  • bias
  • property
  • standard notation
  • scientific notation
  • hypothesis

Throughout this activity the students explore the scientific method and design an experiment that answers the question: How many time can you fold a piece of 8 1/2in x 11in computer paper? This experimental design activity is a quick hitter that allows you to assess your students abilities and begin to establish lab procedures.

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At the end of the activity student will watch a four minute video from the Mythbusters that will likely change their conclusions.

Paper folding experimental design activity worksheet.

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Click here for the video that goes with this lesson.