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Science Questions and Hypotheses

Science Questions and Hypotheses

TEKS Objective

Ask well-defined questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and select and use appropriate equipment and technology.


Essential Understanding

The student uses scientific methods during laboratory and outdoor investigations.

Science Background

Information about the Process of Scientific Inquiry: National Institutes of Health (website) - Learn about the different ways scientists study the world and how inquiry can be incorporated into science instruction.

Information about the Process of Scientific Inquiry
National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Education, science.education.nih.gov

What is Inquiry Science Teaching? BioEd Online (video) - Strategies for using questions and investigations to guide your students’ science learning.

What is Inquiry Science Teaching?
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Signature Lesson

Working with Questions: National Institutes of Health (website) - This lesson from the Doing Science: The Process of Inquiry unit helps students to formulate and ask well-defined, testable questions.

Working with Questions
National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Education, science.education.nih.gov

Supporting Lessons

How Much Sugar is in Bubble Gum? TeachEngineering (website) - During this simple experiment—to determine whether sugarless gum loses as much mass after chewing as regular gum does—students learn the importance of experimental variables and controls, formulate hypotheses, and design and execute new experiments, including the selection of appropriate equipment, based on their own well-defined questions. This lesson includes teacher background, assessments and extensions.

How Much Sugar is in Bubble Gum?
TeachEngineering, www.teachengineering.org

How Many Drops? TeachEngineering (website) - Conduct a simple investigation to determine how many drops of water, rubbing alcohol, and vegetable oil can be placed on a penny before spilling over. Students formulate hypotheses to explain their observations about the behavior of each liquid, and develop ways to test those hypotheses.

How Many Drops?
TeachEngineering, www.teachengineering.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Design a Cell Phone: EdHeads (video) - Help engineering director Elena design and manufacture a cell phone to help senior citizens get the most out of new technology.

Design a Cell Phone
EdHeads, www.edheads.org

How to Build a Swinger: FOSSWEB (PDF) - Explore how a pendulum’s movement can be altered by changing a variable.  Use No. 3-7 reproducible sheets.

How to Build a Swinger
FOSSWEB, www.fossweb.com

Assessment Ideas

Rubrics for Assessment: University of Wisconsin, Stout (website) - Sample science rubrics for formative elementary assessments.

Rubrics for Assessment
University of Wisconsin, Stout, School of Education, www.uwstout.edu/soe

Rubistar, Create a Rubric: 4Teachers.org (website) - Simple-to-use templates that will help you create rubrics for project-based learning activities in many subjects.

Rubistar, Create a Rubric
4Teachers.org

Literature Connections

Solving Science Questions: A Book About the Scientific Process. Chappell, Rachel M. (ISBN-13: 978-1600445422)

Related Science TEKS

(5.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices and the use of safety equipment as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations.

(5.2A) Design/conduct Experiment with One Variable
The student is expected describe, plan, and implement simple experimental investigations testing one variable.

(5.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect information by detailed observations and accurate measuring.

(5.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected to analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct observable and indirect inferred evidence.

(5.2E) Value of Repeated Experiments
The student is expected to demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results.

(5.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected to communicate valid conclusions in both written and verbal forms.

(5.2G) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct appropriate simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using technology, including computers, to organize, examine, and evaluate information.

(5.8D) Physical Characteristics of Sun, Earth and Moon
The student is expected to identify and compare the physical characteristics of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.

Related Math TEKS

5.12B The student is expected to use experimental results to make predictions.

5.13CThe student is expected to graph a given set of data using an appropriate graphical representation such as a picture or line graph.

5.14B   The student is expected to solve problems that incorporate understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

Additional Resources

Doing Science: National Institutes of Health (website) - Five lessons that teach students about the nature of science and inquiry.

Information about the Process of Scientific Inquiry
National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Education, science.education.nih.gov

Eggs-Periments, Bottled Egg: National Geographic Kids (website) - Simple experiment that provides opportunities for students to form testable hypotheses, use appropriate equipment and technology, and investigate the influence of variables. Includes links to additional activities.

Eggs-Periments, Bottled Egg
National Geographic Kids, kids.nationalgeographic.com

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