Investigating scientifically

in Stage 4
Students from Woolgoolga High School
Support for Student Research Projects
A teaching resource developed by the
Science Unit, Curriculum K-1 !irectorate
Part three: student worksheets
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" State of #SW, !epartment of $ducation and %raining K-1 Curriculum !irectorate, &&'
!o(nloading, copying or printing of materials in this document for personal use or on behalf
of another person is permitted) !o(nloading, copying or printing of material from this
document for the purpose of reproduction or publication *in (hole or in part+ for financial
benefit is not permitted (ithout e,press authorisation
Acknowledgements
!agmar Arthur, -elieving Senior Curriculum Advisor, Science, .-1
/fficers of the Science Unit, Curriculum K-1 !irectorate
0t 1, p Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Scientific investigations: in the Stage 4
classroom
%his is a resource for teachers focusing on scientific investigations in the
Stage ' classroom) %he intention of the resource is to assist teachers to lead
students to(ard completing a Student -esearch 0ro2ect *S-0+ as described
in the Science Years 7-10 Syllabus *&&1+) %his Stage 4 resource
complements a further resource, Investigating Scientifically in Stage 5, (hich
leads students to(ards independence in conducting a S-0) %he t(o
resources contain suggested teaching activities as a se3uence of lesson
clusters) %hey also contain resource sheets for teachers and (or4sheets for
students)
%o reduce file si5e for do(nloading, the resource has been produced in three
parts6
0art one6 %eaching se3uence or lesson clusters
0art t(o6 -esource sheets
0art three6 Student (or4sheets
Student pro2ects contribute to the development of the s4ills of (or4ing
scientifically as described in the syllabus, page 1 and through outcomes ')11
7 ') and related content. Some s4ills, such as choosing and using
e3uipment and ma4ing and recording measurements, can be taught e,plicitly
in many situations in the science classroom, and are not focused on in these
materials, ho(ever their significance in conducting scientific investigations is
ac4no(ledged)
8n Stage 4, the syllabus provides the e,pectation that students are
predominantly participating in a modelled and or guided teaching approach) A
modelled approach is (hen the teacher uses e,amples to demonstrate (hat
is to be learned) A guided approach is (hen the teachers provides support or
scaffolds for (hat is to be learned) %he approaches provide many
opportunities for formative assessment)
8n Stage 9, students (ould typically participate in a guided teaching approach
and (ould be e,pected to move to(ard an independent phase in (hich they
are e,pected to plan, conduct and present their investigation independently)
%his (ill provide a (ealth of opportunities for both formative and summative
assessment)
%he se3uence of lesson clusters presented in these resources could be
incorporated into a single unit (here a suitable conte,t has been identified to
address targeted Prescribed Focus reas and !no"ledge and understanding
outcomes and content)
Alternatively, individual clusters could be incorporated, (here appropriate, into
a number of units of (or4 having different conte,ts) 8t is assumed that the
conte,t:s chosen by the teacher (ould provide the motivation and interest for
the students involved
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p 1
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Student worksheet ;ind map template
0t 1, p ' Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet ! 8nvestigating scientifically
A) <ill in the bo,es belo( to sho( the steps you (ould ta4e (hen planning,
conducting and reporting a scientific investigation)
"itle:
=) Some students (ere as4ed to design an e,periment to test the hypothesis
#$%at t%e bigger t%e "idt% of a candle t%e more &uic'ly it "ill burn do"n(
%hey (ere provided (ith five of candles of varying (idth, a ruler, some
matches and a stop(atch)
Use the )evels of o*enness of in&uiry in laboratory activities from
+esource s%eet ,.- to identify the level for the investigation described)
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p 9
%rial
method
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Student worksheet # Hypotheses
Write hypotheses for the follo(ing 3uestions that students have suggested)
>)1) Which li3uid causes teeth to decay fastest?
>)) Which balls bounce the highest?
>)1) What food types (ill ants remove the 3uic4est?
>)') 8s it true that the taller you are, the longer your arms (ill be?
>)9) !o plants die if (atered (ith slightly salty (ater?
0t 1, p @ Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet 4 <air testing
Aroups of students set up the e3uipment and conducted the follo(ing test)
$uestions
1) <or the e,periment described above, name6
the dependent variable
the independent variable)
) Suggest a hypothesis that the students may have been testing)
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p .
PR%&'()R' R'&%)*": Effect of coatings
$3uipment used6
three shiny silver cans,
three grey *painted+ cans,
three blac4 *painted+ cans
nine temperature probes
%he cans (ere all the same si5e and made of the same material)
;ethod6
1) 1&& mB of (ater at room temperature (as poured into each
container)
) %he cans (ere placed in a ro( along a bric4 (all in full
sunlight)
1) A temperature probe (as placed in each can)
') %he probes (ere programmed to record the temperature
every thirty minutes over a period of four hours around
noon)
9) %he data from the probes (as collected by a computer using
appropriate soft(are)
@) %he data (as presented on screen as a table)
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Student worksheet + <air testing
1) Complete the follo(ing variables tables
Question: .%y does bread go mouldy
Area or focus: .ill mould gro" in brig%t lig%t/
Hypothesis: $%e greater t%e amount of 01 lig%t t%e less mould "ill gro".
,hat I will keep the same ,hat I will change ,hat I will measure
&ontrolled varia-les Independent varia-le (ependent varia-le
) What type of investigation (ould this be? -efer to +esource s%eet 2
0t 1, p C Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet . <air testing vocabulary
*ame ////////////////////////////////////// 0roup /////////
Cut out the definition in table and paste them ne,t to the correct term)
1
!1
#1
41
+1
.1
%able6 cut out and paste in correct space above)
An2 factor in an e3periment that
changes
"he factor in an e3periment that
responds to the purposel2 changed
factor
An2 factor that is not allowed to
change
A group or sample that is used as a
standard for comparison
A statement of a possi-le relationship
-etween the independent and
dependent varia-les
)sed to reduce the effects of chance
errors
Adapted from Teaching Experimental Design 4!55# 6 !55471 ,ith permission from 81 91
:rech1 Availa-le at:
http:;;home1earthlink1net;<mjkrech;:rech;design1htm=cothron
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p D
Hypothesis
Eariable 4ept
constant
Control
8ndependent
variable
Eariable
!ependant
variable
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Student worksheet > 0rocedural recounts
<ollo(ing is a procedural recount that a student used for an investigation) %he
investigation (as based on the hypothesis6 $%e blue flame on a 3unsen
burner %eats "ater faster t%an ot%er flames.
%he steps of the procedural recount are out of order) 0lace a number ne,t to
each step to indicate the order that (as follo(ed)
%he =unsen (ith the blue flame (as placed under a bea4er)
%he bea4ers (ere placed on a gau5e mat over a tripod)
%he bea4ers (ere rinsed (ith tap (ater and 1&& mB of (ater (as poured
into each)
%hree bea4ers (ere filled (ith 1&& mB of tap (ater)
%he temperature of the (ater in each bea4er (as measured (ith a
thermometer)
%he =unsen (ith the yello( flame (as placed under a bea4er)
Steps 1 to 11 (ere repeated t(ice)
%he =unsen burner (as lit (ith the hole open to produce a blue flame)
%he =unsen burners (ith the yello( flames (ere placed under a bea4er)
%he time ta4en for the (ater to reach D9
o
C (as recorded for each bea4er)
%(o =unsen burners (ere lit (ith the holes closed to produce yello(
flames)
A =unsen burner (as lit (ith the hole closed to produce a yello( flame)
A thermometer (as held in the (ater (hile the bea4er (as heated)
)
0t 1, p 1& Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet ? 0rocedural recount evaluation
Suggested @uestions for students
%hese 3uestions can be ans(ered by referring to +esource s%eet 4.- or to the
method from an alternative investigation)
1) What practical problems might have been encountered (ith the method?
) What problems (ith measurement might have been encountered?
1) What other measurement process could have been used to increase
reliability and accuracy?
') Are there any variables that have not been ade3uately controlled?
9) What ris4 assessment should be carried out if any?
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p 11
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Student worksheet A 0rocedure evaluation
Suggested @uestions for students
%hese 3uestions can be ans(ered by referring to +esource s%eet 4., or to the
method from an alternative investigation)
1) What (ould you need to do to change this procedure to a procedural
recount? Change one of the steps as an e,ample)
) What might the hypothesis have been for this pro2ect?
1) Ho( (ould you record the results? What type of graph (ould you use if
any?
') Have the variables been ade3uately controlled?
0t 1, p 1 Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet 5 %ables - 3uestions
a+ !ra( up a table to sho( the si5e of the planets in our solar system and
their distances to the sun)
b+ Ho( (as the average or arithmetic mean determined in the table on
+esource s%eet 10.- ?
c+ What is the range for the data for the 3read "it% no lig%t described in the
table on +esource s%eet 10.- ?
d+ !ra( a line to sho( the spread for each of the three columns for the
amount of lig%t on the column graph belo()
e+ %hese lines may be called error bars) !o any of these error bars overlap for
the 5ffect of 01 lig%t on t%e gro"t% of mould sample?
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p 11
Column Graphs
-eprinted from the =oard of Studies Science Stages '-9 Support !ocument *1DDD+
Available at6
http6::((()boardofstudies)ns()edu)au:syllabusFsc:pdfFdoc:science'9FsupDD)pdf
%his graph type may be used to display data (hich consist of
separate or distinct parts *discrete data+) 8n this graph type, the
hori5ontal a,is in e3ual intervals and vertical columns of e3ual (idth
are dra(n to the appropriate height of the vertical scale)
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Student worksheet Analysing results
Suggested @uestions for students
%hese 3uestions can be ans(ered by referring to +esource s%eet 1- or to the
results from an alternative investigation)
<or the investigation, .ill mould gro" in brig%t lig%t/, the results are provided
as a table on +esource s%eet 10.- and a graph on +esource s%eet 11.1.
1) !o the results sho( any trends?
) Has the most appropriate graph been used to sho( the results?
1) 8s there any significant difference bet(een the different conditions of UE
light?
') Ho( reliable are the results? Ho( accurate (ere the measurements?
9) Ho( valid are the results?
@) Ho( (ell (ere all variables identified and controlled?
.) Were the number of trials : samples appropriate?
0t 1, p 1' Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&'
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Student worksheet ! Conclusions
Suggested @uestion for students
%his 3uestion can be ans(ered by referring to +esource s%eet 1,.- or to the
conclusion from an alternative investigation)
>)1) Has the student (ho (rote the conclusion ans(ered the 3uestions on
+esource s%eet 1,.1?
>)) 8f not, (hich 3uestions have not been addressed?
Curriculum K-1 !irectorate, #SW !epartment of $ducation and %raining, !ec &&' 0t 1, p 19