3rd Grade Scientific Inquiry Performance Task DRAFTBalloon Rockets

Science Standards:
3.2! Interaction and Change: Living and non-living things interact
with energy and forces.
3.2P.1! Describe how forces cause changes in an objects
position, motion, and speed.
3.3! Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process used to
explore the natural world using evidence from observations
and investigations.
3.3S.1! Plan a simple investigation based on a testable question,
match measuring tools to their uses, and collect and
record data from a scientific investigation.
3.3S.2! Use the data collected from a scientific investigation to
explain the results and draw conclusions.
3.3S.3! Explain why when a scientific investigation is repeated,
similar results are expected.
Learning Targets:
I can explain how changing the force on an object affects its motion.

Language Target:
I can use cause and effect words to analyze how an event occurred.

Language Vocabulary:
Cause and Effect connection words: led, result, effect, since, resulted in, led to

Sentence Frames (examples):

Prediction/Hypothesis:
If the balloon length is __________, then the distance will ___________.
Results:
Increasing the length of the balloon _______ the balloon moving a greater distance.
________ the length of the balloon _______ the balloon moving a ______ distance.

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Literature Connection:
Treasures (Unit 5, Week 3)

Key Vocabulary:
Force a push or pull
Motion - changing position
Distance the amount an object changes position
Gravity - force that pulls objects toward Earth
Friction - force that goes against the motion of an object
Newtons Third Law of Motion - for every action (force), there is an equal and
opposite reaction (force)

Materials:
balloons (sausage-type), straws, tape, fishing line (or string), ruler, tape measure

Teacher Background:
Forces are acting on objects at all time. When there are unbalanced forces acting on
a object, the object will move. This motion is affected by the magnitude of those
unbalanced forces. Some forces such as gravity tend to increase an objects motion.
Other forces such as friction tend to cause an objects motion to decrease. Motion
can be quantified by measuring the distance an object travels or the time it takes for
an object to move. Isaac Newton explained the motion of objects. In his 3rd Law of
Motion he explained that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
In the case of balloon-powered vehicles, the action is the air being pushed out by the
balloon. The reaction is the motion in the opposite direction. The bigger the action,
the bigger the reaction.

Scientific Inquiry Defined:

There are four components to the inquiry cycle, and it is important that students see
this cycle as a process for doing science.
!
1.!
2.!
3.!
4.!

Forming a Question or Hypothesis

Designing an Investigation
Collecting and Presenting Data
Analyzing and Interpreting Results

During initial student experiences, the individual parts of the inquiry cycle need to be
explicitly taught and modeled by the teacher. As students gain experience, teachers
will gradually release control and move to a model of more learner self-direction.

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Forming a Question or Hypothesis:

1.! Demonstrate Newtons Third Law of Motion using a balloon rocket. Have two
students hold the fishing line or string parallel to the floor. Roll out a tape
measure on the floor between the two students. Thread the line through the
straw. Blow up a balloon, keeping the open end pinched, and tape it parallel to
straw with the open end near one of the students. Make sure the students are
holding the line tight and release the balloon. It should move quickly down the
line. Ask the students why the balloon moved the way it did. Use a pictorial
input chart to explain Newtons 3rd Law of Motion.

2.

Tell students that they are going to do an investigation about what effect
changing the amount of action force will have on the reaction
motion. We will do this by changing the length of the balloon and
measuring the distance it travels. Tell students to write the
question in their Scientific Inquiry Work Sample template: How
does the length of a rocket balloon affect the distance it travels?
Ask them to write a hypothesis or prediction that describes what
they think will happen in this investigation by completing the
sentence frame: If the length of a rocket balloon increases, then
the distance it travels will
because
.
As a class, brainstorm some background that supports the
students predictions/hypotheses.

Designing an Investigation:
3.

Revisit the question, How does the length of the rocket balloon
affect the distance it travels? Ask students to think privately
about how they could test this question. Then have them share
their ideas with a partner or small group.

4.

Ask groups to share their ideas. As a class, write a procedure for

testing the question. Make sure to emphasize the importance of
only testing one thing (variable) at a time and doing the test
multiple times (trials). Have students record the class procedure
in their Scientific Inquiry Work Sample template and draw
pictures to represent each step.

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Collecting and Presenting Data:

5.

As a class, create a data table. Have students create this table in their Scientific
Inquiry Work Sample template. See the example below to guide your class.

Balloon
Rocket
Length (cm)

Distance Traveled (cm)

trial 1

trial 2

trial 3

Average

6.

Have students work in groups of 2-4 to collect their data or collect

the data as a class. Help students as they are collecting data to make sure they
are accurately measuring the distance that the balloon rocket travels.

7.

When students are done collecting, discuss how best to graph the results.
Show how to set up the graph and have students do this in their template.

Analyzing and Interpreting Results:

9.! Have students read their information from the Forming section, paying close
attention to their original question and hypothesis.
10.! With that in mind, did their results support their hypothesis? Why
or why not? Students should refer to specific information from
their investigation to support their answer. You may want to
provide some sentence starters or frames to help guide
students thinking. Have them complete the Analyzing section in
their template.
11. Students will struggle when their results do not support their
hypothesis, often wanting to erase and rewrite their hypothesis. It
will be crucial for the teacher to create a safe learning community
where reluctant learners feel safe to take risks and value
mistakes as part of the learning process.
12. It is important that students see inquiry as a cycle. To that end, students should
be thinking about one additional question they would like to explore on this
topic.

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Name ____________________________________
Teacher _________________________________
Date _____________________________________

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY WORK SAMPLE:

Balloon Rockets

_________________________________________________
Forming a Question or Hypothesis (F)
Write a QUESTION that can be scientifically investigated. (TEACHER DIRECTED)

How does the length of a balloon rocket affect the

______________________________________________________________________________
distance it travels?
______________________________________________________________________________
Write a HYPOTHESIS that predicts the answer to the question. (TEACHER SUPPORTED)

If the length of a balloon rocket increases,

______________________________________________________________________________
then the distance it travels will
______________________________________________________________________________
because!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
______________________________________________________________________________
!

!
______________________________________________________________________________
Explain your hypothesis by writing BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
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NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

DESIGNING AN INVESTIGATION (D) (TEACHER SUPPORTED)

Write the MATERIALS needed for your SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.

___________________________

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Write a LOGICAL PLAN for your SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.

Add diagrams to make the procedures clear.
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NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Collecting and Presenting Data (C)

Record OBSERVATIONS by writing and drawing
information you noticed while collecting data.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Record DATA in the TABLE. (TEACHER SUPPORTED)

Length of
Balloon
Rocket (cm)

diagram or picture

Distance Balloon Rocket Traveled (cm)

trial 1

trial 2

trial 3

Average

Balloon Rocket Traveled (cm)

Average Distance

Complete a GRAPH to show your data. (TEACHER SUPPORTED)

Length of Balloon Rocket (cm)

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

Analyzing and Interpreting Results (A)

Use your DATA to EXPLAIN your RESULTS.

When the balloon rocket was

cm,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
it traveled
cm.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
When the balloon rocket was
cm,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
!

it traveled
cm.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
When the balloon rocket was
cm,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
it traveled
cm.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
State your CONCLUSION(S) and how it relates to your QUESTION.

As the length of the balloon rocket increased,

_____________________________________________________________________________
the distance it traveled
.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
This happened because
!
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!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
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Describe some possible ERRORS in your data.

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Write a NEW QUESTION.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

increased
decreased
stayed the same

varied
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

force
motion
distance
Newtons Third
Law of Motion
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

gravity
friction

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012

NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT!

June 2012