Grade Level(s):
- 9-12
Source:
- Stefanski, Mark
Resource type:
- classroom activity
Discipline:
- General
Time: One to two class periods
Overview
Students are introduced to the process of scientific inquiry as they develop an approach to determine the shape and size of an unseen object.
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P4, P6, NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 9-12] Scientific ideas cannot be absolutely proven.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientific observations can be made directly with our own senses or may be made indirectly through the use of tools.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a narrow set of phenomena. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists usually work collaboratively. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists are creative. (NOS7)
- [A scientific approach to life: Grades 9-12] Problem-solving and decision-making benefit from a scientific approach.