ScientificMethod

Teachers:
ChrisDonovan,MichelleCannon

Subject:
SeventhGradeScience

CommonCoreStateStandards:
ScienceStandardGrade7
Concept1:
Observations,Questions,andHypothesesFormulatepredictions,questions,orhypothesesbasedon
observations.Locateappropriateresources.
PO1.Formulatequestionsbasedonobservationsthatleadtothedevelopmentofahypothesis.
PO2.Selectappropriateresourcesforbackgroundinformationrelatedtoaquestion,foruseinthedesignofa
controlledinvestigation.
PO3.Explaintheroleofahypothesisinascientificinquiry.
Concept2:
ScientificTesting(InvestigatingandModeling)Designandconductcontrolledinvestigations.
PO1.Demonstratesafebehaviorandappropriateprocedures(e.g.,useandcareoftechnology,materials,
organisms)inallscienceinquiry.
PO2.Designaninvestigationtotestindividualvariablesusingscientificprocesses.
Objective(Explicit):
Studentswillbeabletoidentifythestepsofthescientificmethod.Studentswillbeallowedtousetheirnotesto
completeaworksheetwith75%accuracyorbetterbythenextclassperiod.
EvidenceofMastery(Measurable):

With75%accuracyorbetter.

SeeAttachedfilewithhomeworkassignment,rubric,andexitticket.

Subobjectives,SWBAT(Sequencedfrombasictocomplex):

Pastlearningwillbereviewedatthebeginningofthelesson.Someexamplesofquestionsthatcould/wouldbeasked
toreviewpastlearningexperienceswiththescientificmethodincludethefollowing
Howfamiliarareyouwiththescientificmethod?
Inwhatsituationshaveyouusedthescientificmethod?
Givemeanexampleofahypothesis
Whatisthedifferencebetweenanindependentandadependentvariable?
Whatisanobservation?
Checksforpreviousexperienceusingthescientificmethodwillberanthroughouttheclass.Basedonresults,
connectionstopreviouscontentknowledgewillbeused.Studentswillneedtoutilizeproblemsolvingskills,reading
comprehensionandmathematicsskills.Thissubjectisrelativetothestudentslivesbecausetheseareskillsthattheywillbe
usingfortherestoftheirlivesinallfacetsoflife(notjustinscienceclassesandduringlabexperiments).

Keyvocabulary:
Materials:
ScientificMethod,Observation,Hypothesis,
1. PowerPointpresentation
Problem,Data,Conclusion,Experiment
2. Dryeraseboardwithdryerasemarker

3. Homeworkhandout
4. StudentFlipBook
5. Scissors
6. ColoredPencils/Crayons
7. Notebook
8. Rolloftape
9. Exitticket

Opening(stateobjectives,connecttopreviouslearning,andmakerelevanttoreallife)

Atthebeginningoftheclassthestudentswillgrabthehandoutlocatedintheredbasketatthefrontoftheclassroom.The
videoprojectorwillhaveinstructionsforthestudentstocompleteastheytaketheirseats.Theseinstructionsinclude
o Takeoutlastnightshomework
o Takeoutyoursciencenotebook
o Tapeyourhandoutonpage19ofyoursciencenotebook


Oncethestudentshavecompletedtheinstructionsonthevideoprojector,theteacherwillgoovertheanswersfromthe
previousnightshomeworkassignment.Thestudentswillbecalleduponrandomlytosharetheiranswerstotheclassand
defendwhytheychosetheanswerthattheychose.Uponcompletionofhomeworkreviewtheteacherwilltakeapoll(byshow
ofhands)onthecomfortlevelofcontentknowledgefromthehomeworkassignment.Studentswhofeelthattheyneed
supplementalinstructionswillbedirectedtothebackoftheclassroomwheretheotherteacherwillbeprovidingasmaller
lessononpreviousmaterial.

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TeacherWill:

StudentWill:

Beengagedinalecturewithclassparticipation
(beingengagedmeansfacingforward,answering
questionswhencalledupon,andtakingnotesifneeded).
Studentswillbecalledatrandomtoparticipateinlecture.
Studentswillaskquestionswhenneeded.Studentswill
watchashortvideoclipfromatelevisionshowthatis
popularamongtheiragegroup.Studentswillworkinpods
tocompleteportionsofgroupdiscussion.Studentswill
individuallycompletehomeworkassignmentandare
instructedtousetheircreativitywhilefollowingthe
instructions.Studentswillpayattention,takenotes,
participate,workasateamandusetheircreativityto
completetheirassignment.Correctionsonlearningwill
takeplacebydoingchecksforunderstandingthroughout
thelesson.Checksforunderstandingmightincludeanyor
allofthefollowing
Ateacherobservationchecklist(things
thatdemonstratelearningtotheteacher)
Havingthestudentsexplainexamplesto
theteacher/class
Havestudentscompareandcontrast
stepsfromscientificmethod
Homeworkassignmenthandedoutatthe
closingofclassperiodwithmultiple
questiontypesincluded.
Exittickets

Duringdirectinstructiontheteacherwill
demonstrateclassroommanagementskills,presentthe
contentinclearandexcitingway.Teacherwillpresentthe
directinstructionportionofthelessonplanandprovide
instructionontheguidedpracticeactivities.Theteacher
willusePowerPointorPreziaswellasYoutube,anda
creativeXFilesthemedhomeworkassignment.The
activitiesintheclasswillbecarriedoutbytheteacherin
thefollowingorder
Atthebeginningoftheclasstheteacherwill
reviewprevioushomeworkassignment(58
minutes).
TeacherwillpresentPowerPoint(710minutes).
Theteacherwillgothrougheachslideasthe
studentswilltakenotesontheirnotesheetthat
hasbeenplacedintheirsciencenotebooks.After
checkforunderstanding(askquestionsabout
slides,askaboutcomfortlevelwithmaterial)the
studentswhoneedsupplementalinstructionwill
bedirectedtoMrs.Cannoninthebackofthe
classroomforassistance(CoTeaching).

Thetopicwillbepresentedinafunandrelevant
wayusingpopularcultureexamplesweavedintothe
contentofthelesson,aswellasentertainingvideos.
Linktothevideo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7sSuhQ1_24

CoTeachingStrategy

StudentswhohadissueswiththeconceptsofindependentanddependentvariableswillbeallowedtoworkwithMrs.
CannoninthebackoftheclassroomduringthePowerPointpresentation.Studentswhodonotfeelcomfortablewith
materialafterthelecturewillbeinstructedtothebackoftheclassroomforsupplementalinstructionfromMrs.Cannon.

DifferentiationStrategy

AccommodationsforstudentswithIEPsor504swillbemade.Alternateversionsofhomeworkassignment,extended
timeforhomework,andcopiesoflecturenotesandPowerPointwillbemadeavailable.

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TeacherWill:

StudentWill:

Guidedpracticeisanimportantstepinwritinga
strongandeffectivelessonplan.Theguidedpractice
portionofthelessonplanistheportionwherethe
studentsdemonstratethattheyhavegraspedtheskillsor
conceptspresentedinthedirectinstructionsegmentof
thelessonplan.Italsoistheareawherefeedback(or
goodfeedback)ismostimportant.Theactivitiesincluded
thevideoandgroupassignment,thequestionsonthe
homeworkassignmentspecificallyquestionnumberthree
wherethestudentsareaskedtodesigntheirown
experimentusinganXFilesscenarioandthestepsonthe
scientificmethod.Theexitticketwillbepassedoutand
instructsthestudentstoputtheirnamesontheirticket
anddefinearandomstepfromthescientificmethod.This
willcheckforunderstandingaswellasdemonstratewhat
thestudentshavelearned.
Teacherwillplayvideoforstudents2times(4
totalminutes).
Teacherwillgiveexplicitinstructionstostudents
regardingclassassignment(2minutes).

Instructionsinclude
Atyourtablesyouwillworkasgroups.
Youwillbeassignedaspecificstepofthe

scientificmethodfromthevideo,andpresentto
theclass.
Teacherwillassigngroupsindividualpartsofthe
scientificmethoddepictedinthevideo(1minute).
Labstation1hasObservation
Labstation2hasQuestion
Labstation3hasHypothesis
Labstation4alsohas
Hypothesis
Labstation5hasExperiment
Labstation6hasConclusion.
Teacherwillfollowupwithgroupsontheir
responses(58minutes).
Teacherwillleadtheclassdiscussion(5
minutes).

Studentswillwatchashortvideoclipfroma
televisionshowthatispopularamongtheirage
group.
Studentswillworkinpodstocompleteportionsof
groupdiscussion.

CoTeachingStrategy

Oneteacherwillteach,theotherteacherwillwatchandwalkthroughtheroomhelpingwithclassroom
management.
DifferentiationStrategy

AccommodationsforstudentswithIEPsor504swillbemade.Alternateversionsofhomeworkassignment,extended
timeforhomework,andcopiesoflecturenotesandPowerPointwillbemadeavailable.

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TeacherWill:

Thestudentswillhaveindependentpracticeintheformof
theXFileshomeworkassignment.Theassignmenthas
threequestions.Thefirsthasascenarioandasksthe
studentstousetheirknowledgeofthescientificmethodto
comeupwithpossiblehypothesisthatthecharactersin
thestorymighthaveformulated.Thequestionisfollowed
upwithaskingthestudentstolistallstepsfromthe
scientificmethodthatwerepresentinthescenario.
Questionnumbertwohasanotherscenarioandalistof
dataprovided.Thestudentsareaskedtointerpretthe
dataandformaconclusion.Thethirdandfinalquestion
providesathirdscenarioandhasthestudentsdesignan
experimentbasedoffofthescenario,usingtheirflipbook.
Allofthesequestionsofferdifferentiallearningbecause
theyrequiredifferentskills,abilitiesandlearningstyles.
Thefirstquestionhasanopenanswerandclosed
answer.Thesecondquestionisanopenanswerthat
allowsthestudentstocriticallythinkanddefendtheir
answers.Thethirdquestionallowsthestudentstoshow
everythingthattheyhavebeentaughtwhileusing
creativitytocompletetheassignment.Thequestionsare
basedoffofsomethingfunandnotinatextbook.
Teacherwillhandoutintroducehomework
handoutandprovideinstructions(5minutes).
Teacherwillhandoutexittickets(1minute).
Teacherwillanswerallquestionsfromstudents
(3minutes).
Checksforunderstandingmightincludeanyorall
ofthefollowing
Ateacherobservationchecklist
Havingthestudentsexplainexamplestothe
teacher/class
Havestudentscompareandcontraststepsfrom
scientificmethod
Homeworkassignmenthandedoutattheclosing
ofclassperiodwithmultiplequestiontypes
included.
PassoutExittickets
Teacherwillconcludeclass/collectexittickets.

StudentWill:

Studentswillindividuallycompletehomework
assignmentandareinstructedtousetheir
creativitywhilefollowingtheinstructions.
Completeanexitticket

CoTeachingStrategy

Bothteacherswillassistwithanyquestionsthestudentsmighthave.
DifferentiationStrategy

AccommodationsforstudentswithIEPsor504swillbemade.Alternateversionsofhomeworkassignment,
extendedtimeforhomework,andcopiesoflecturenotesandPowerPointwillbemadeavailable.Studentsinhonors
classwillhaveanextraproblemontheirhomeworkassignmentthatwillbemorechallenginginscienceandEnglish
content.Otherexamplesofpossibledifferentiatedinstructionforhonorsstudentsincludesmoredifficultversionof
homeworkassignmentthatchallengesthestudentsandtakesthelessonstepsfurther(requiringthestudentstothink
outsideoftheclassroomandapplytorealworld,notjustanswerquestionsinreviewlikehomeworkassignment).
Anotheroptionwouldbetoresearchanexampleofthescientificmethodbeingusedintherealworldandwritingashort
(2paragraph)essayincludingadetailedsummaryandtheiropinionontheexample.

Closing/StudentReflection/Reallifeconnections:

Studentswillleavewithathoroughunderstandingofthescientificmethodandanewappreciationfortheindividual
skillsthatmakeupthescientificmethod.Thetermunderstandingwillbemeasuredinmultipleways.Thestudentswillhave
participatedinagroupactivity,completedanexitticket,andwillhaveanamazinghomeworkassignmentthathasthemuse
theircriticalthinkingskillsandprior/newlygainedknowledgetosolidifytheirunderstandingofthescientificmethod.Between
thegroup/videoactivityandthehomeworkassignment,thestudentswillbeusingavarietyofguidedpracticeactivities.
Guidedpracticeisanimportantstepinwritingastrongandeffectivelessonplan.Thiswillcheckforunderstandingaswellas
demonstratewhatthestudentshavelearned.Upontheconclusionoftheclassperiod,thestudentswillbeinstructedonhow
toapplytheseskillsoutsideoftheclassroomandencouragedtobecriticalthinkers.Theendgoalisforstudentstobebetter
testtakers,betterreaders,andbetterstudentsafterlearninghowtoproperlyusethescientificmethod.Studentswillalso
handintheirexitticketonthewayoutthedoor.