Scientific method and the design Process
Essential Understandings - There is a process by which scientists and engineers make progress
Scientists typically ask questions and follow the Science Inquiry Process (aka Scientific Method) to gain knowledge.
Engineers typically solve problems and follow the Engineering Design Process to invent and improve solutions.
Essential Questions
What are the 8 steps in the 8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process?
What are the 8 steps in the 8-step Engineering Design Process?
Standards
Connecticut Curriculum Standards and Assessment Expectations: Grades 6 - 8, Science
C INQ.1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation
C INQ.2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information
C INQ.3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions
C INQ.4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant when designing an experiment.
C INQ.5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data
C INQ.6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.
C INQ.7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs
C INQ.8 Draw conclusions and identify sources of error
C INQ.9 Provide explanations to investigated problems or questions
C INQ.10 communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.
Next Generation Science Standards, Science and Engineering Practices, April 2013
Practice 1 Asking questions and defining problems
Practice 2 Developing and Using Models
Practice 3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Practice 4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Practice 5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Practice 6 Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Practice 7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Practice 8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Lesson Objectives
8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process, each student will be able to:
8-Step Engineering Design Process, each student will be able to:
PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint for Scientific Inquiry Process
PowerPoint for Engineering Design Process
Links for Media Used in Class
PBS NOVA Video - The Wright's Flying Machine
Class Assignments
8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process:
Wasted Heat Lab: A light bulb is used to produce light. Any additional energy that is produced, such as heat, is wasted energy. We propose that a light bulb that produces more wasted heat is wasting more electricity than a light bulb that produces less wasted heat.
Testable Question: How is the amount of wasted heat generated by a 60-watt incandescent light bulb different compared to the amount of wasted heat generated by a 14-watt compact fluorescent light bulb.
Other Cool Stuff Related to This Unit
Eadweard Muybridge - flight of a bird photographs
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/wright-brothers-flying-machine/
How to make a 1903 Model flyer: http://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/1903model.htm
NASA Powerpoint about flight - http://wright.nasa.gov/webcast.htm
Learning to Fly, The Wright Brothers Activity and Reading book - http://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/WrightBrothers.pdf
History of Engineering Flying Machines:
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/balloon1.htm
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/wings2.htm
http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdwrigh.htm
Scientists typically ask questions and follow the Science Inquiry Process (aka Scientific Method) to gain knowledge.
Engineers typically solve problems and follow the Engineering Design Process to invent and improve solutions.
Essential Questions
What are the 8 steps in the 8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process?
What are the 8 steps in the 8-step Engineering Design Process?
Standards
Connecticut Curriculum Standards and Assessment Expectations: Grades 6 - 8, Science
C INQ.1 Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation
C INQ.2 Read, interpret and examine the credibility of scientific claims in different sources of information
C INQ.3 Design and conduct appropriate types of scientific investigations to answer different questions
C INQ.4 Identify independent and dependent variables, and those variables that are kept constant when designing an experiment.
C INQ.5 Use appropriate tools and techniques to make observations and gather data
C INQ.6 Use mathematical operations to analyze and interpret data.
C INQ.7 Identify and present relationships between variables in appropriate graphs
C INQ.8 Draw conclusions and identify sources of error
C INQ.9 Provide explanations to investigated problems or questions
C INQ.10 communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary, supporting evidence and clear logic.
Next Generation Science Standards, Science and Engineering Practices, April 2013
Practice 1 Asking questions and defining problems
Practice 2 Developing and Using Models
Practice 3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Practice 4 Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Practice 5 Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Practice 6 Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Practice 7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Practice 8 Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Lesson Objectives
8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process, each student will be able to:
- Identify and generate testable questions that require verification, research or an experiment
- Develop criteria for evaluating whether a website or other resource provides objective or subjective information
- Define the following: independent variable, dependent variable, control variable, and The Control (if any)
- Create a hypothesis that is in the proper format and makes an educated prediction
- Conduct an experiment, collect data using a table, analyze data using a graph, and make a data-driven conclusion to answer the testable question
- Communicate findings in a lab-report format and recommend further investigations
8-Step Engineering Design Process, each student will be able to:
- Identify and generate an engineering problem
- Identify criteria and constraints that must be considered in designing a solution to the engineering problem
- Brainstorm possible solutions that meet the required criteria and constraints
- Develop criteria for evaluating whether a website or other resource provides objective or subjective information
- Select an approach that may best solve the engineering problem while also meeting the criteria and constraints
- Build a prototype given a limited amount of resources
- Develop a test for a prototype
- Communicate results in an informal blog format and recommend further improvements and redesign
PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint for Scientific Inquiry Process
PowerPoint for Engineering Design Process
Links for Media Used in Class
PBS NOVA Video - The Wright's Flying Machine
Class Assignments
8-Step Scientific Inquiry Process:
Wasted Heat Lab: A light bulb is used to produce light. Any additional energy that is produced, such as heat, is wasted energy. We propose that a light bulb that produces more wasted heat is wasting more electricity than a light bulb that produces less wasted heat.
Testable Question: How is the amount of wasted heat generated by a 60-watt incandescent light bulb different compared to the amount of wasted heat generated by a 14-watt compact fluorescent light bulb.
Other Cool Stuff Related to This Unit
Eadweard Muybridge - flight of a bird photographs
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/wright-brothers-flying-machine/
How to make a 1903 Model flyer: http://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/1903model.htm
NASA Powerpoint about flight - http://wright.nasa.gov/webcast.htm
Learning to Fly, The Wright Brothers Activity and Reading book - http://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/WrightBrothers.pdf
History of Engineering Flying Machines:
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/balloon1.htm
http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/wings2.htm
http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdwrigh.htm