Whirlygigs

Essential Concepts & Skills: Iowa Core/Next Generation Science Standards,

Grades 3-5.
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and
failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype
that can be improved.
Science Practices:
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
21st Century Skills:
Demonstrate initiative, creativity, self-direction, and entrepreneurial thinking
Communicate & work productively with others
What students will be doing: This activity is designed to teach students all about controlling
variables. Students will learn about research questions, fair tests, independent variables, dependent
variables, and constants by creating and experimenting with Whirligigs.

Materials:

Paper
Paperclips
Scissors
Pencil
Student Pages Worksheet

Introducing the Activity & the Main Concepts and Other Teacher Directions:
Today we are going to be learning some new terms in our science lesson. We are
going to do some experiments that deal with variables. Now, Im sure youre
wondering what a variable is. Talk with your group and see if you can come up with
some ideas for what a variable might be and how it might be part of an experiment.

Have students talk in groups for a few minutes. Bring the conversation back
together. Have each group share one idea they discussed.
All of you had some really great ideas for the definition of variable. Using this
information and the true definition of variable, we can use this classroom definition:
A variable is a trait, characteristic, or aspect that can change or be different
depending on the situation. We will be specifically working with two different types

of variables in our experiments. We will be using independent and dependent

variables. An independent variable is the one you as the scientist choose to change.
Dependent variables are the ones you measure. To help you remember the
difference, remember independent starts with I and it is the one I choose to
change. The dependent variable depends on the independent variable.

Write the definition of variable, independent variable, and dependent variable on an

anchor chart easily observed by all students in the classroom.
Now, to explore variables we are going to do some experiments with these whirligigs.
When released, whirligigs spin until they get to the ground. Using the precut paper
on your desk, fold the whirligig like mine. Take a minute to explore the whirligig and
how it moves. What do you notice?

Allow students the opportunity to play with the whirligigs for a few minutes, then
come back together and have students discuss observations.
As a class, we will explore how the independent variable of length of wings affects
the dependent variable of flight time. After that, your groups will be allowed to
choose a different independent variable to test. One thing that is important to
remember when testing independent variables is that we can only change that one
thing. If we change multiple things, we cannot get fair results. If we are changing
the wing length, what variables must we keep the same so our test is fair?

Give students the opportunity to state variables that must remain the same for all
the whirligigs. Create a list of variables that affect the test.
Get in your group and create three whirligigs that will test wing length and we will
compare results! Now, lets do our experiment!

Student Pages: see pages below.

Sample Student Data and Answers: see pages below.

Student Pages - Part I

Name: _______________

Whirligig Exploration
Play with the Whirligig for a few minutes to discover how it works.

Describe everything you notice. ____________________________________

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Think about all of the important variables that might affect how much the Whirligig spins.
Write a list of important variables, including as many as you can think of .

____________________________

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Student Pages - Part II

Whirligig Practice Fair Test Experiment

Scientists Names: ________________________________
Your independent variable: _____________________________
Your dependent variable: _______________________________
Research question:
How does the

affect the ______________ of the whirligig?

independent variable

dependent variable

Drawing of the two or three different whirligigs you create and will test:

Name everything you will keep constant:

________________________

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Test results:
Write best by the winner and worst by the one that lands first.
Describe
each
whirligig

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Which whirligig did you discover had the best hang time? ________________
______________________________________________________________
Student Pages - Part III
Scientists Names: ________________________

Part III: Whirligigs Revisited

Controlling Variables to Discover More about Whirligigs
What will you test? Design and carry out a FAIR Test on one of the variables in the list
your class made. For wing and tail length, you must do some measuring with a metric ruler
and record these values as part of your data.
Research Question you will test: _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
What is your independent variable? __________________________________________
What is the dependent variable? _____________________________________________
List all of the other variables you will keep constant in your experiment.

____________________________

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Outline your procedure (Exactly what will you do?) Be detailed.

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____________________________________________________________
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Test results:
Write best by the winner and worst by the one that lands first.
Describe
each
whirligig

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Which whirligig did you discover had the best hang time? _____________
___________________________________________________________

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Make a list of all of the discoveries your classmates made about whirligig
variables.
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6. _________________________________________________________________

7. ________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________

9. ________________________________________________________
10. _________________________________________________________________
iPad Summary: Use your ipad to prepare a slide to share with the class that includes all of
these components.
Name of your group members
Research question
Picture of your test whirligigs
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Answer to the research question
Be prepared to share your summary with the class. Every team member must have a speaking
role during the presentation.

Extension: Challenge students to do some internet research at home on Garden Whirligigs.

Using materials around your home, make a working garden whirligig.

Sample Answers with Sample Data