AN INTRODUCTION TOSCIENTIFIC INQUIRY IN GRADE NINE

By Doug Jones with Cindy Kaplanis

[Draft – Copyright held by authors – Permission to copy and use given to Thames Valley District School Board and Lakehead Public Schools]

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to my great friend, mentor and former science chair Karen Walker for creating the M. K. Walker consulting material. She was a fantastic teacher and leader throughout her entire career. Her gift was an ability to inspire and motivate those around her … some of them in spite of themselves. Karen was also responsible for getting that first group of biology teachers to evening meetings to figure out how to tackle those “design and perform” curriculum expectations from the old document. I’m so glad our personal and private lives crossed paths.

Wayne Bilbrough was my associate teacher when I began as a student teacher. Later he was my department head and mentor for many years and will always be a special friend. Wayne opened my eyes to alternative ways of teaching and taught me most of what I know about being a curriculum and people leader. Wayne’s work was the platform from which the rest of the generic scientific inquiry template evolved. Even in retirement, Wayne still finds time to judge our culminating performances. My one hope is that I will be as effective and sought after in my last semester as Wayne was in his.

Bob Hartley is now retired but was an outstanding biology teacher at Sir Winston Churchill when I first started there. Bob is a past chairman of the Lakehead Conservation Authority and author of an applied biology textbook that was widely sold. I have never forgotten his adaptation of the “River Weir” into a teaching strategy and I thank him for passing it on to me.

Thank you also to the members of the Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute Science Department. As colleagues I value and appreciate they are among the very best. Because of the work they take on I am freed up to pursue my work as a curriculum leader. Experts in their own right, this staff has made our inquiry vision possible. Action researchers all, their ongoing professional development drives the research, evaluation, and revision necessary to keep moving forward. Thank you to them for acting as reviewers and resource people as we tried to get this down on paper.

Cindy and I would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Mike Newnham of the Thames Valley District School Board for his help in formatting and compiling this document and for inviting us and making it possible to share our experiences with their great board.

Table of Contents

AN INTRODUCTION TO..........................iSCIENTIFIC INQUIRY IN GRADE NINEiTable of Contents......................................iiiForeword.....................................................i

Senior Students....................................iiTeacher Growth...................................iiAssessment Criteria.............................iiTeacher Proficiency.............................ii

Introduction..............................................iiiScientific Literacy..............................iiiTypical Teacher History.....................iiiTrained as a Teacher...........................iiiScientific Priesthood...........................ivThe Problem.......................................ivBeing Scientifically Literate...............ivIf it Ain’t Broke…...............................vStudent Teaching.................................vBetter Filter.........................................viThe Knowledge Worker.....................viStudent Testimonial...........................viiMaking Changes................................viiCookbook............................................ixResearch Skills...................................ixDefining Inquiry.................................ixScientific Inquiry.................................xFour Achievement Strategies............xiiNSTA.................................................xiiStudents and their First Attempts at Inquiry xiiiThe Scientific Method......................xiiiThink Like Scientists........................xivSenior Science..................................xivScientific Literacy..............................xvInvolve Every Student.......................xvThe Observations of Joe Schwarcz....xv

UNIT OVERVIEW....................................1ABSTRACT............................................1

Michigan Science.................................1Organization of the Unit......................3Scientific Notebooks............................5

UNIT OVERVIEW....................................6Day One...................................................6Day Two..................................................6Day Three................................................6Day Four..................................................6Day Five...................................................6

Day Six....................................................6Day Seven................................................6Day Eight.................................................7Day Nine..................................................7Day Ten...................................................7Day Eleven...............................................7Day Twelve..............................................7Day Thirteen............................................7Day Fourteen...........................................7Day Fifteen..............................................7

Daily Teacher Notes...................................8Day One...................................................8

Administrative Tasks...........................8The Grape Mash Machine...................8Lab Safety (Pt 1): Safety Do’s and Don’ts, Emergency Equipment Location, Fire Exits, Accident Reporting 9

Daily Teacher Notes.................................11Day Two................................................11

What’s up with that?: Making Observations 11Lab Safety (Pt 2): Safety Video – Accident at Jefferson High 12Equipment Inventory.........................12Observation Assignment....................13Elephants & Observations.................14

Daily Teacher Notes.................................15Day Three..............................................15

Wrap up for: What’s up with that? & Debriefing 15The 6 P’s of Scientific Discovery......15The 6 P’s Facilitation Points..............17Lab Safety: Chemical Labels, WHMIS Symbols 18

Daily Teacher Notes.................................19Day Four................................................19

The River Weir: Teaching about the Scientific Method 19Assessment: Creating the Scientific Method Poster 23Scientific Method Poster – Rubric.....24

Daily Teacher Notes.................................26Day Five.................................................26

Making Alka Seltzer Rockets:...........26Firing the Rockets..............................27Debriefing the experience..................27Gyrocopters:......................................28Constructing a Paper Gyrocopter.......30

Daily Teacher Notes.................................31Day Six..................................................31

Safety/Equipment Quiz:.....................31Working with the M. K. Walker Consulting Firm: 31Reinforcing the understanding: Walking on the Beach & Thinking like Scientists............................................33M.K. Walker Consulting Company: EXPERIMENT #1 34ANSWERS FOR EXPERIMENT #1 35M.K. Walker Consulting Company: EXPERIMENT #2 36ANSWERS FOR EXPERIMENT #2 37

The Scientific Method: Walking on the Beach 38The Scientific Method: Walking on the Beach: Suggested Answers 39Thinking like Scientists.....................40

Daily Teacher Notes.................................42Day Seven and Eight.............................42

Systems of Measurement: The Metric System 42Metric Conversion Exercises.............47PART A.............................................47PART B.............................................47PART C.............................................48

Daily Teacher Notes.................................49Day Nine................................................49

Graphing Lesson................................49Interpolation/Extrapolation................51Graphing Practice..............................52Experiment # 1: Determining the distance travelled by an army worm over the course of 20 minutes............52Follow up questions:..........................52

Daily Teacher Notes.................................55Day Ten.................................................55

Discussing Density............................55Finding out more: Getting a team and your material 56The Task............................................57Collecting Data, Doing Research......58

Daily Teacher Notes.................................59Day Eleven.............................................59

Material investigation continued.......59Density Problems...............................59Density Problems...............................60Density Problems - ANSWERS........62

Daily Teacher Notes.................................63Day Twelve............................................63

Calculating the Density of Carbon Dioxide 63Finding the Volume:..........................63Finding the Mass:..............................64Finding the Density:..........................64Massing Method................................67Volume Method.................................69Help with or take up of density problems 69Assigning the Take Home Inquiry.....69

Daily Teacher Notes.................................70Day Thirteen..........................................70

The International Density Conference!70Assessment........................................71Producing a Master Graph.................71

Daily Teacher Notes.................................73Day Fourteen.........................................73

Study List & Considerations for the Upcoming Test 73First Unit Extension: Taking Inquiry Home 74Dear Grade Nine Science Student & Parental Unit(s) 76

Daily Teacher Notes.................................77

Day Fifteen............................................77UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE 77STUDENT ANSWER SHEET - UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE...........................................79ANSWER SHEET - UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE 82

Appendix A...............................................86The Use of Portfolios.............................86

Appendix B...............................................87Joe Schwarcz – Observations on Science87

Appendix C...............................................88Real World Problems.........................88Observations by Rick Gordon...........88

Appendix D...............................................89Assessment Tools..................................89

Individual Work Skills Rubric...........90Collaborative Work Skills Rubric.....91International Density Conference – Presentation Rubric - Individual 92Scientific Method Poster – Rubric.....93Assessment Template for Scientific Inquiry Performances 94

Appendix E...............................................95Department Template for Inquiry Assessments 95

Discussion..........................................98Evaluation should include:................98Summary............................................98References Cited................................98

Appendix F...............................................99The Cycle of Proof & Principles of Scientific Work 99

Cycle of Proof....................................99The Ten Principles...........................100

Appendix G.............................................101NSTA Position Statement (Draft, 2004)101

Appendix H.............................................103The National Science Education Standards (US) 103

GLOSSARY...........................................104Resources................................................105References Cited....................................106Index........................................................108

Foreword

oug Jones and Cindy Kaplanis are both science

teachers at Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate & Vocational Institute in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Ten years ago, Doug introduced inquiry to the department’s teachers and students. What had begun as an experiment of sorts with the old OAC biology curriculum and his students turned into a comprehensive program involving grades 9 & 10 science and grades 11 & 12 biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental studies classes. Doug has gone on to take a Masters of Applied Science Education from Michigan Technological University and has been published in various educational journals on the subject of scientific inquiry.

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Cindy began at Churchill as a new teacher four years ago and has known no other way. Today she is an accomplished teacher of science and inquiry, a true curricular and pedagogical leader.

Doug is the department chair and is currently putting the finishing touches on a master’s degree in Applied Science Education from Michigan Technological University. Doug has addressed audiences on the nature and place of inquiry in science education at various assessment conferences, the 2003 Lakehead University graduate student conference on education, the 2003 NSTA regional conference on Inquiry in

Minneapolis, and the science chairs association of the Thames Valley District School Board in London Ontario in 2004. He has also worked for both Nelson and McGraw-Hill publishing companies as a senior textbook reviewer primarily in the field of

assessment tasks.

All of the department’s teachers practice inquiry and do so with a common

philosophy and template. The vision of working together in order to empower student learning has produced students who enjoy their secondary science careers to a greater extent. That means students who are more likely to obtain their grades nine/ten science credits, more likely to choose grade eleven/twelve science options and are more likely to select a post-secondary destination involving science.

The SWC graduating class of 2004 saw fifty of two hundred students do just that. Churchill’s science teachers have realized that scientific literacy, in the sense of being able to construct, communicate, and use knowledge, is a goal that students of all ability levels can meet to some extent.

Students who practice the ways and understandings of scientific inquiry are proud of their products because they have ownership of the process that created them; have deeper understanding of the conceptual nature of the

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curriculum; they are more likely to show transfer of that knowledge; and have a strategy that will continue to produce solutions to both science and other problem-based scenarios throughout their lives.

hurchill has not had a grade nine exam for eight years

now. A culminating performance that requires students to demonstrate what they know and understand about scientific inquiry has taken its place. That trend has continued this year as all grade ten applied students also completed culminating performances.

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Most other academic and senior science students count performance assessments as a part of their final evaluation in conjunction with an exam.

t should be evident then that Churchill’s approach to science

education is a program and not an approach. It is not one teacher, it is all of them. It is not one course or grade, it is all of them. The scientific inquiry principles taught in grade nine are built on in grade ten. Here students further refine their inquiry skills and understandings. All students complete an inquiry that will be entered in the school and regional science fairs and two to three inquiries are completed during the course that apply directly to the curriculum expectations.

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Senior StudentsDuring their senior years, the students refine their technical report writing and research skills; develop a deeper understanding of data manipulation and analysis approaches; and become more proficient at communicating and defending their work to peers,

teachers, and others. Generally, at least two scientific inquiries are completed during each senior level course. See the appendix for a more detailed look at this.

Teacher GrowthThe department’s teachers have seen tremendous growth within themselves as well. As a group they are committed to keeping their learning community alive. That means continuing their conversations and action research efforts with each other. As new teachers and student teachers arrive, they are mentored and coached along the inquiry continuum. As a group, they know that their motivation to continue stems from observing students become more successful at doing and understanding science. In order to get to this point in their teaching practices these teachers have had to embrace a number of instructional and assessment strategies that support the use of inquiry in the classroom.

Assessment CriteriaStrategies like; the use of varied assessment tools that do more than simply provide a grade; providing assessment criteria up front; using exemplars to establish how assessment criteria will be applied; developing assessment criteria with students; using exemplars to develop self and peer assessment competency with the assessment tool; using exemplars to “set the bar”, to show students what quality work looks like; using assessment formatively to provide for improved performance; and using interviews and conferencing to provide assessment feedback.

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Teacher ProficiencyTeachers have had to become proficient using instructional strategies like providing for collaborative learning (jigsaw, think pair share, academic controversy); having students use analogy to show they understand a concept; using conferencing as a small group instructional strategy; using authentic tasks, rich assessment tasks, and culminating performances to address curricular expectations; and ultimately, using scientific inquiry itself.

The introduction will attempt to set the stage in terms of the past, present, and future directions of science education. The focus will

initially be on the need and demand for scientific literacy from our students and how using scientific inquiry can help meet that goal. The case will be made as to why constructivism is a paradigm whose time has come.

The unit plan will contain an overview listing activities and timeframe. A rationale for the design will be followed by lesson plans, instructional strategies and assessment suggestions, including the unit test we currently use. A glossary, appendices, and additional resources will complete the document.

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Introduction

t the heart of nearly all curriculum documents

written for science today is a desire by the writers (and by default their political masters and taxpayers) that students achieve a modicum of scientific literacy by the time they graduate. While not receiving the public attention that English and math literacy has in recent years, it is clear that scientific literacy is also a significant priority of educational authorities everywhere. Hodson says that “a proper understanding of science and the scientific enterprise are a key component of critical scientific literacy and is just as essential as scientific knowledge in ensuring and maintaining a socially just and democratic society” (1999, p784).

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Scientific LiteracyOur own Ontario Ministry of Education science curriculum

defines scientific literacy as the “possession of the scientific knowledge, skills, and habits of mind required to thrive in the twenty first century (1999, p2). As utopist as that sounds it strikes a chord in all of us as science teachers. After all we enjoy science, practice science, and see its value and benefit in a virtually infinite number of scientific, technological, and quality of life applications.

Typical Teacher HistoryAs high school students we chose science credits, attended class, carried out experiments, learned how to produce a lab report, and passed the tests and exams. For reasons of interest, enjoyment, economics, peer/family pressure, or for lack of another career path we continued our science studies at a post secondary institution. Lessons became lectures, and assessments consisted of a few major papers and lab reports. Most of the final evaluation rested on lengthy, comprehensive,

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rigorous exams. Through all of this we persevered, graduated, and decided to pursue a teaching degree. Some of us may have been touched by that special teacher(s) who made such a significant difference to our learning and lives that we decided to pursue a teaching career. Others of us may have thought that we had a gift for teaching, while others were attracted by benefits like salary and time off. Some of you became teachers because you didn’t know what else to do with your science degree or because economic/market conditions did not allow you to enter a private/public sector career in your area of expertise.

Trained as a TeacherRegardless, by the end of your post-secondary training, you all knew a little about a plethora of science related disciplines and a whole lot more about specific domain/concept knowledge from fields like biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science and so on. You were an “expert”

and qualified to pass that

knowledge on to

generations of high

school students who would pass through your classrooms.

How would you accomplish that? I would argue that most of us who have graduated during the past one hundred years have done so in a manner that emulates to a large degree the same teaching practices we were exposed to. We maintain

the status quo and by doing so increase the inertia resisting change. You see; during our travels from elementary, to secondary, to post-secondary science it is clear that we “got it”.

We had learned to play the science game and our science/education degrees confirmed our membership in a fraternity rich in tradition, trappings, and practice.

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Scientific PriesthoodWe have our own language, systems of measurement, research practices, a comprehensive knowledge base, and dependence by society on the technological advancements such knowledge and research provides. More to the point, we understood many of the mathematical concepts that underpinned our science; we were able to internalize huge amounts of vocabulary, and curricular knowledge; and we were able to recall it all in enough detail to pass the tests and exams. We carried out the prescribed experiments and figured out how to write them up in a fashion that was acceptable to our teachers. And now you want to do the same for your students. That is an honorable goal and I applaud you but to do so in a behaviorist fashion (the way you were taught) would be a mistake. The only students you would reach are the ones like yourselves … the ones who get it … the ones who have been visible to you because you were one of them. That’s a pretty small sample. A very important group though I readily admit.

Society needs an ever increasing number of successful science graduates. I do not need to make the case for our need to graduate health, environmental, engineering, energy, and other such professionals.

The ProblemThe problem is that we are sending fewer students on to those fields and fewer high school students seem to be selecting the

advanced science credits that would get them into science related post secondary degrees. What’s more is that potential employers are finding that those who do graduate are short of competencies like critical thinking skills, collaborative work skills,

the ability to apply concept knowledge creatively in novel situations and problem solving ability. Competencies like these are integral to success in both domestic and global competitive markets.

Isn’t that strange? Science is respected by mainstream society yet feared, abhorred and avoided as an appropriate career/vocation. Our communities and schools are full of past and present students who didn’t get it and they make up a much larger percentage than those who do. Many of these students drop out of science by the end of grade ten and in so doing eliminate science related college and apprenticeship programs as potential future employment opportunities.

Being Scientifically LiterateEven those students who legitimately love and are successful in other

disciplines offered in

the high school curriculum

and are destined

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for a non-science career, will be more successful in their work and private lives by being scientifically literate. That means having the ability to understand an issue confronting society that has scientific ramifications like reproductive technologies, animal research, genetic engineering, sustainability, pesticide/herbicide use, energy alternatives, space travel, food and agricultural production and so on.

Not only to understand it but to have an informed opinion, provide support for that opinion and communicate/defend that position in broader social contexts. It means being able to apply appropriate problem solving strategies to issues that confront us in the world outside of school. Finally, it infers the ability to perceive the world around us and make decisions about the how we choose to interact with that world.

If it Ain’t Broke…Faculties of education have played a role in maintaining behaviorist thinking in science teaching. It’s not hard to understand why. Professors too are products of the very same system that created us. They have been immersed in that system even longer, obtaining masters and PhD degrees. They have only had contact with that successful element of high school and university undergrads that got it.

Having said that, data produced by a significant number of educational science researchers,

including many in faculties of education, since the early seventies has produced a body of knowledge that is finally having an impact on the behaviorist paradigm. Ever so slowly, constructivist theory and practice is replacing previous practices.

irst, let me comment on the situation as it was/is because

it’s an important factor in why your teaching philosophy and practice ended up the way it did.

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Do you remember your days at the faculty of education? I do and the many conversations I have had with teachers tend to reinforce my perception of the experience. More than any other description related to me was the one that described the work there as “busy work”. Papers and assignments were given out in an unending stream. A second comment I have heard was that the “real learning” happened during the student teaching sessions in the schools. Finally, there was/is virtually no contact between instructors at the faculties and teachers at the schools.

Student TeachingWhen you did get into that student

teaching placement there were additional problems although not so obvious to you at the time. You were placed with an associate who was charged with the responsibility to mentor and evaluate you. I’m sure that in most cases this was done with the utmost professionalism and to the best ability of that associate. The probability was very high however that your associate held to behaviorist

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educational theory and therefore little constructivist and virtually no scientific inquiry work, in an authentic sense, got done.

Be honest. Were you asked to employ any of those assessment and instructional strategies I mentioned in the Forward? A successful evaluation depended on learning and doing as your associate instructed and assessed. Since you would have recognized that this was the way you yourself were taught in high school and you had successfully completed your placement, there was no reason to look for another way and the cycle continued. As you began and then worked at your craft, those around you continued to mentor you in the only way they had known and the inertia in the way of recognizing, initiating or completing a change in instructional philosophy remained insurmountable for most.

We guard our traditions jealously. Don’t misunderstand me; I believe faculties of education to be of primary importance to the training of new teachers and the teaching of AQ courses to established teachers. While some courses may be dry, they are important to your understanding of the profession, learning and assessment theory, your obligations, and legal responsibilities.

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Better Filter I do advocate though for a better “filter” to select novice teachers to the faculties rather than depending on marks. I would also advocate for all faculties to adopt the constructivist paradigm for the instruction of new teachers since the research indicates it’s necessary and the market would seem to be asking for it. Everyone is demanding high school and

university graduates who possess critical thinking skills, problem solving ability, and collaborative work skills.

All students, even those of differing abilities and destinations, would benefit from some degree of knowledge and proficiency at these skills. This has happened in many great education faculties around North America. It’s been a pleasure of mine to work with Doctors William Yarroch and Kedmon Hungwe from Michigan Tech and Doctors Tony Bartley and Mike Bowen at Lakehead University. These educators certainly get it. I have worked on several projects with all of them.

Tony brings all of the faculty science students for a tour of Churchill’s science department as they begin the inquiry process

every September and Mike has created the first science website for publication of high school student work. See the resources section for the link to that site. Both have had me into their classes to speak about the use of inquiry in high school science.

Finally, I would encourage university education researchers to join more frequently with teachers in action research projects that

could qualify as professional accreditation for the teacher.

Many university engineering and medical faculties now operate their programs with a constructivist philosophy incorporating problem based learning that has a significant authentic component to it. I mention the highly regarded engineering programs at

Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan and medical programs at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario as two such schools. They have designed much of their curriculums around inquiry of case study and performance assessment scenarios.

The Knowledge WorkerLet me give you another example of market demand. In a masters research paper written last year I mention some comments by Dr. Rick Lash who addressed the Ontario Hospital Association Convention in 2001. Lash suggests that we are seeing the rise of the “knowledge worker” but not in the sense of knowing reams and reams of concept knowledge learned and recalled in rote like fashion.

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He calls for employees (our students) who participate in continuous learning; who know how to create, apply, and communicate knowledge; who can work well in situations where change is constant and rapid (Jones, 2003, p.7). These are science careers.

Coordinating the learning of these skills with the acquisition of curricular knowledge makes perfect sense. That’s what scientific inquiry is. It’s a state of mind, a way of thinking and acting, a process that students will carry with them into their adult lives. Get it out of your heads that such an approach trains scientists. It can only benefit them of course but for the vast majority, scientific inquiry is a formidable teaching strategy that meets the call for curriculum coverage and scientific literacy.

So it would seem that even students who do get it need to learn in different ways. Ways that develop those critical skills and enable students to take control of their own learning process.

Student TestimonialOne of our graduates came back to visit this past year and couldn’t wait to tell us what had happened. She said that the other girls on her residence floor had asked her to sit down and teach them how to conduct and write their research reports. Can you imagine the deeper understanding she had about inquiry? She must have impressed them simply with the process she was using and the product she was turning out for them to make that request. That depth of understanding and her ability to transfer was further

demonstrated by her success at teaching her peers, no easy task for any of us. She was justifiably proud and we along with her.

Making ChangesIf we are to embrace scientific inquiry as a way of bringing constructivism into the classroom how should we begin? One of the hardest changes to make is the need to let go of the “teacher as expert” paradigm. In this vision the teacher possesses the set of domain and curricular knowledge and that knowledge must be passed on to the students.

o do that means students must be attentive and sitting

quietly while the teacher disseminates the required curricular knowledge in a didactic sense from the front of the classroom. At times, students might be required to complete an experiment but only by following a set of predetermined sequential steps in order to arrive at a knowledge set that has also been preordained. Frequent tests and a final exam determine how well the student has managed to internalize the knowledge provided. Much of this material is of a concept, vocabulary, and definition nature that is memorized and reproduced using rote recall.

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Can there be deep understanding and transfer of such knowledge to novel scenarios in this way? We have taught science behaviorally for decades and continue to teach it that way because we know of no other way. Students who can’t keep up or don’t get it are left by the wayside. This cycle contracts and spirals upwards into the senior grades. Ever fewer will qualify for their “I get it badges”. We

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guard our traditions jealously. Teaching is our life, our career, our vocation. We learnt the rules

in high school and as teachers we maintain the status quo.

On the next page I’m going to give you a series of short quotations from some well regarded and knowledgeable researchers commenting on teaching and learning in a behaviorist paradigm. It was hard for me to view myself in this light because I knew I was intelligent, knew my curriculum, worked really hard and had the student’s best interests at heart. As some of us like to say however, there are no marks for effort, only for product. I knew then that it was the way I was going about teaching that needed to improve. I could not be satisfied with graduating “X” number of students to university, college, and the workplace based on their ability to contain the knowledge I poured into them.

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In traditional classrooms, students get problems with known solutions and they get them after everything is known leading to an impression that everything needed to articulate the right answer is already at hand (Gallagher, 1995, p137)

Many students and their teachers …treat the syllabus, textbook and examination as a closed system, working to pass without much concern for believing the science they learn (Malcom, 2003, p24)

The teacher’s view is transmitted to the students, and the only negotiation centers on whether the students have received this view, regardless of whether it makes sense to them (Hewson, 1996, p139)

Most teachers are still using traditional didactic methods and that many students are mastering disconnected facts in lieu of broader understandings, critical reasoning, and problem solving skills (NRC, 2000, p17)

Do not treat the mind of a child as though it were a receptacle …classroom teaching would be a breeze if lucid explanation were sufficient to bring about a solid grasp of material …in reality, the teachers words alone amount to noise, not knowledge (Ackerman, 2003, p346-8)

It is very easy for the teacher’s voice to be the most powerful one in class; in many classes, it is the only one (Hewson, 1996, p138)

The accumulation of information in a relatively passive manner seems inadequate(Hewson, 1996, p131)

Students do not see their role as being able to think or to question the source, relevance, validity, and reliability of the views and ideas

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presented to them…nor are they given opportunities to design, conduct and interpret scientific inquiries for themselves and by themselves…such students have not been acculturated into science; rather they have been acculturated into school (Hodson, 1999, p779)

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CookbookThe experiments I have described earlier illustrate the point I’m trying to make. I characterize these so called “hands on activities” as “cookbook” labs. I have no idea who first coined that phrase but it’s appropriate. In my first years of teaching I realized that having students copy out methods was a senseless waste of time and only served to use up the period and keep them busy. Having stud ents cite their textbook’s or my handout’s method was my first use of referencing.

I also had issues with having all students figure out the same answers to the same questions using virtually the same collected data and calculations. We told the students what graphs to create and the finished products were the same. The teacher either takes up the questions or marks the lab reports to make sure that the student’s answers are the same ones he/she has in their notes. While students are assigned certain roles in such experimentation, those roles are defined by the teacher and/or method to produce a known outcome.

That does not make this work collaborative in nature since students aren’t required to construct, use, and communicate their work in a true inquiry sense. As a result, the work becomes simply group work which has its own unique issues when it comes to assessment of such products and the contribution made by the members of the group. I’m pretty

sure you have had

conversations with parents and students who detest group work and the sharing of marks.

Research SkillsWhile we’re on the subject of experimentation, behaviorist theory says that research skills can be taught independently of each other and assessed as discrete skills as well. I’m talking about skills like observing, data collection, etc. I know that most of us have done that. Many of us have lessons about each skill that might include some practice and problems (with answers of course). Unless we teach these skills in an integrated fashion related to the context of scientific inquiry as it happens in the real world, then we’ve fallen into the same old trap.

It can’t be just knowledge. We haven’t done the job. We must model the ways and understandings of scientific inquiry; we must teach those ways and understandings; we must practice those ways and understandings; we must provide an opportunity to experience those ways and understandings in novel and authentic contexts; and finally we must provide quality assessment in order to improve performance of those ways and understandings.

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Defining InquirySo how do we do that? First let’s define Inquiry and then I’ll give you a series of quotations from the constructivist perspective. Then, we’ll take a look why you don’t have to give up conceptual/curricular knowledge to get the job done. The national research council defines inquiry as “the ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work …but it’s also…the activities of students during which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas (concept knowledge from the curriculum)” (NRC, 2000, p1). Of course students gain a thorough understanding of the ways of scientists but I rue the day we called this scientific inquiry because it gives all of those stuck in the behaviorist paradigm an excuse. “We are not cloning or raising scientists they say” …”we do a disservice to all those other students” they exclaim and in so doing claim the high ground.

Scientific Inquiry Let’s make it very plain. Scientific Inquiry is a teaching strategy! It’s a strategy that reaches a huge audience of students with all manner of ability and a vast number of career destinations.

It’s a strategy whose payoff is in producing students with a better grasp of how to look at and potentially solve issues that will confront them during the rest of their lives. It’s a strategy that promotes retention and transfer, not memorization and mediocrity.

However, it’s also a strategy that requires teachers to change.

Teachers must use their concept knowledge and pedagogical expertise to: ask questions, solicit answers, coach critical thinking, problem solving, and collaborative work skills, facilitate the design/construct/use knowledge process, and most importantly to provide formative assessment of process and product. That’s asking a lot I admit. It’s no wonder I often hear that the use of inquiry won’t work in my classroom or department because “our budget is too small” or “there isn’t enough time” or “there’s not enough of us” or “I have to get through the curriculum” or “I’ve got a standardized test to get the students ready for” or “my top students don’t like it” or “I already do experiments” and so on.

Every teacher in my department could counter those roadblocks with evidence of visible, positive benefits to the student. It’s not harder work (how can anything be harder than the job we do currently as teachers) or more work, its teaching and assessing in a different way. Get there and you’ll reap the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing something that feels right to both you and your students. Our students have known nothing else for six years. When we describe how we used to teach science they look at us aghast and exclaim “how boring”.

Examine these statements made about constructivist theory and reflect on them in the context of your experience to date.

The goal of science education should be for students to go beyond the

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understanding of concepts to an experiencing of the world by helping students lead lives rich in worthwhile (inquiry) experiences [Dewey] (Wong & Pugh, 2001, p319)

Fundamentally, the job in reconstructing the curriculum is to make science instruction look and feel like science as it is conducted in the real world (Gallagher, 1995, p135)

The constructivist approach seems enlightened especially as an alternative to approaches that expect students to understand and value ideas because they came from a book or teacher (Wong & Pugh, 2001, p323)

Constructivist approaches are student centered…they use subject matter as a vehicle for interactive engagement with students. Ideas are embedded in student oriented challenges and the classroom climate supports and encourages active exchange, debate, and negotiation of ideas. They also give more emphasis to the applicability of science and mathematics knowledge in situations in which students are interested than do more traditional approaches (Duit & Confrey, 1996, p85,84)

Humans by their nature are curious, sense making creatures. Learning is therefore prompted by disequilibrium or dissonance in our ways of thinking and acting…we are motivated by problems (Wong & Pugh, 2001, p333)

You don’t want to cover a subject, you want to uncover it [Hawkings] (Duckworth, 1987, p6)

Constructivist classrooms free students from the dreariness of fact driven curriculum and allow them to focus on large ideas; they place in student’s hands the exhilarating power to follow trails of interests, to make connections, to reformulate ideas, and to reach unique conclusions (Gordon, 1998, p390)

Okay, the most visceral reaction I get when advocating the use of scientific inquiry as a strategy is anger over being asked to give up teaching students important concept knowledge that the curriculum requires they cover. It is possible that such teachers missed the use of the word strategy. For all the reasons discussed previously it’s an important one but so are many other strategies. I still teach didactically. I still grade tests and I still use prescriptive tasks and activities when it serves me. I have found though, as time goes by, that many of the cookbook tasks and investigations I find valuable and want to include in my courses, I modify so that I am

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coaching in some way a component of the inquiry process or product.

I will probably only do two or three full inquiry assessments in a course. Regardless, inquiry is nothing without concept knowledge and concept knowledge cannot be created without inquiry. It’s a marriage not a divorce. It doesn’t matter if you introduce a concept with an inquiry and then fill in the details

or set the stage with curricular knowledge and then pursue an inquiry. As you become proficient you will do both as the need suits you. At other times you will require or your students will find the need to generate their own background research of curricular and associated knowledge in order to complete the task.

Let’s look briefly at what the research says about the issue.

Concepts provide a valuable starting point for instruction for they mark potentially important sites it visit in the terrain of the curriculum …legitimate knowledge and meaning always has a basis in our interactions with the world [Dewey](Wong & Pugh, 2001, p326, 322)

If a person has some knowledge at his disposal, he can try to make sense of new experiences and new information related to it. He fits it into what he has…Intelligence cannot develop without matter to think about. Making new connections depends on knowing enough about something in the first place to provide a basis for thinking of other things to do, of other questions to ask…knowing enough about things is one prerequisite for wonderful ideas (Duckworkth, 1987, p12, 14)

One cannot make connections without prior knowledge and that this combined with experience at inquiry gives the individual the ability to make connections and generate new ideas and understanding; ultimately perhaps, new knowledge…in most high school situations, this prior knowledge is that which is taught (Jones, 2003, p6, 8)

Students must inquire with what they already know and the inquiry process must add to their knowledge. For both scientists and students, inquiry and subject matter were integral to the activity (NRC, 2000, p13)

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In my senior photosynthesis unit I teach the biochemistry concept material involved in the process over five, one half period blocks. During the other half of those periods, students research what their text books and other sources have to say about the process. Then they put together an exemplar which illustrates their knowledge of leaf anatomy and photosynthetic chemistry. Now they have the required concept material to carry their understanding to the next level in an inquiry. I tell the class that the nature of the problem is to investigate some variable that affects the photosynthetic efficiency of aquatic plants. The rest is now up to them. If it doesn’t meet curricular expectations don’t use the strategy. Teachers would have a tough time arguing that line I would think though, given that most curriculum frameworks take up considerable space with expectations requiring the use of scientific inquiry. Additionally, many communication, and societal connection expectations can be met by using inquiry. I’ll use one province and one state to make the case.

Four Achievement StrategiesIn Ontario, there are four achievement categories. They are knowledge and understanding, inquiry, communication, and making connections.

They are to be used to assess knowledge and skills learnt from meeting expectations written for the strands: understanding basic concepts, developing skills of

inquiry and communication, and relating science to technology, society, and the environment. So roughly thirty three percent of expectations and twenty five percent of the achievement charts deal directly with scientific inquiry. That total goes much higher when you look for expectations in the other categories, including concept knowledge, which could be met by doing inquiry assessments.

In Michigan, the content strands are based on three broad activities that are common in scientifically literate individuals. Those of: constructing new scientific knowledge, reflecting on scientific knowledge and using scientific knowledge (closely paraphrased from the Michigan Curriculum Framework). Again, it is clearly evident that fully one third of the document contains expectations based on inquiry (that of constructing). Also, by pursuing the constructing activities, teachers will meet many expectations from the reflecting and using activities as well.

The National Science Teachers of America feel so strongly about the need to bring the use of scientific inquiry and associated constructivist practices into the classrooms of elementary and high school students that they have recently written a draft position statement that reads as follows. The position is accompanied by declaration statements written about inquiries use as a teaching approach, teachers helping students to do it, and teachers helping students to understand it. I’ve included those declarations in the Appendix. They make for excellent reflection and

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conversation by teachers practicing or preparing to introduce scientific inquiry.

NSTAThe National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommends that all K-12 teachers embrace scientific inquiry and is committed to helping educators make it the centerpiece of the science classroom. The use of scientific inquiry will help ensure that students develop a deep understanding of science. (http://www.nsta.org/main/forum/showthread.php?t=1175)[Authors Note: I am currently looking into the STAO position on scientific inquiry]

There is a need, I think, to examine the idea of student comfort using scientific inquiry briefly. It’s important because students too will experience a learning dip and struggle when being introduced too and trying to understand inquiry. Peculiarly, this affects high achievers to the greatest degree. Rest assured that this will pass and students will become active, engaged learners. I don’t mean active in terms of doing an experiment but active in terms of their ability to influence their own learning process. That is a very powerful understanding and will benefit them always.

Students and their First Attempts at InquirySo here’s the position students often find themselves going into scientific inquiry for the first time:

There is considerable evidence that at first, students will be perplexed and will even resist such instruction, because they have become relatively complacent, disengaged, and pleased with methods that allow them to learn pieces of knowledge by heart …students must be weaned from their reliance on teachers’ assessment of progress and success, and this requires students to become more keenly aware of their own thinking processes (Duit & Confry, 1996, p85)

Students must become learners who are convinced that the goal of learning should be to understand the topic being considered and in doing so make it their own. Thus students have to accept responsibility for their own learning, trust their own thinking, and justify their conclusions using sensible arguments…and should be prepared to change their view when another seems to be more viable (Hewson, 1996, p138)

Problem based learning and inquiries often have a resolution and not a solution and that it’s important students understand that real problems are never completely solved, but the problematic situation can be made more acceptable …indeed, there may be several possible solutions to the problem and one may be the best fit (Gallagher, 1995, p144, 145)

Students, especially those going on to post secondary studies, have an agenda. They have been

successful, when taught and judged using traditional teaching strategies and evaluation. They

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have no wish to change. “Just tell me what I need to know” is the comment I used to hear. One or two were heard to say “you’re not a good teacher … you don’t give me answers, you ask me questions” and/or “why can’t you just tell me”. Faced with this kind of pressure I can understand why some teachers don’t persevere or never start. Remember though, once through the dip students become excited about their science and are motivated to continue. They own the products in the sense that they created the knowledge and decided on the tools they needed to collect and interpret that data. Remember too that the skills and understandings they have used can be utilized for subsequent work. Improvement comes with practice, feedback, and understanding. For general level students the motivation seems to be there because they have a strategy/plan that can be used to produce a product that will produce success when held against the assessment criteria. They are capable; they can produce their own work. That confidence can sometimes make all the difference to success/failure in science.

The Scientific MethodWe do a couple of introductory things to get this grade nine inquiry unit underway but the unit truly begins with the scientific method. “Oh” you say, “I do that”. Yes I know…we all have and it was one of those things I knew was wrong and it took me forever to figure out what it was and even more time to get it right. If you’re like me and many of my colleagues you teach the scientific method in about seven or so critical steps. It varies from teacher to teacher but the steps

might include the following: curiosity – a question; background research; hypothesis formulation; experimental design; collection of data; manipulation/analysis of data; and summary/new questions. “It’s a cyclical research spiral” you tell the students. Researchers repeat the process until they have a solution that satisfies them. Sometimes a serendipitous event or intuitive hunch speeds the process but oftentimes it can get downright tedious. You give them some examples and then have them write a test.

Every so often during the rest of the course, you have them do an experiment and that’s where the train goes off the rails. Cookbook experiments, as I’ve discussed earlier do not emulate the scientific method at all. Hodson knew this too or he could never have written that “too many school curricula present scientific discovery as the inevitable outcome of the correct application of a rigorous, objective, disinterested, value free, and all powerful scientific method” (1999, p784).

Think Like ScientistsDon’t tell the students a scientist designs a method to gather data in order to answer their research question. Have the students go through that process …more than once. Teachers must spend time with each step and model, teach, coach, and practice them. They must be done in the context of actual inquiries, using exemplars

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“too many school curricula present scientific discovery as the inevitable outcome of the correct application of a rigorous, objective, disinterested, value free, and all powerful scientific method”

and most importantly, the students need feedback from formative assessment or they will never improve. It is through carrying out these tasks with their students that teachers truly demonstrate their expertise and prove their worth. If you make the inquiries authentic and relevant to your curriculum then everyone (students and teachers) will begin to see success build on success.

You will need to take some steps to make sure that your students, and the teachers you practice with, maintain and increase their growth potential but you will have made a significant step forward. If you and I had been able to meet in the context of a visit to your school one day last year and I had asked the questions … “how do you tackle the issue of scientific literacy” and “what evidence can you show me other than a mark or test that could demonstrate literacy proficiency”? I would say that you would have been hard pressed to provide a comprehensive answer. Next year you may have no end of promising practice and student evidence to show me. Don’t leave the learning in grade nine. Revisit it, review it, extend it, and repeat it.

Senior ScienceTake inquiry into your senior sciences and the students will respond with work that will simply blow you away. The depth of their research and the maturity of their writing will improve considerably as will their ability to manipulate their data and make interpretations from it. These spin offs will only happen though if all grade nine students get the training. Otherwise you will always be catching those new

students in your classes up. It really helps if you form an inquiry learning support group with other grade nine teachers. The conversations between you will help you reflect on your learning and generate deeper understanding and support.

Scientific Literacy Scientific literacy then should be a goal that all students to strive for. Literacy can mean many things but it is important to remember that it is a part of your curriculum documents vision or overall goals statement. Generally, scientific literacy can include: the grasping of meaning; the making of informed decisions; the communicating and defending of informed opinions; the ability to read and write in a science context; understanding the ways, abilities, and limitations of scientific inquiry; and the possession of and therefore the understanding of information necessary for survival and growth in the world we find ourselves in.

Involve Every StudentOf course, students will meet that goal with varying levels of success because, like much learning, it depends on age, developmental stage, intellectual health, life experiences and quality of science education. With respect to the last factor there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is that the type of literacy we are after is not functional literacy which some refer to as the rote memorization of vocabulary, lists, and facts. The second is that literacy should be inclusive. Involve all students in your efforts. The use of scientific inquiry, journaling, and collaborative learning strategies

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are a good way to do that. Third, using authentic tasks and problems in context with these strategies will go a long way to developing the kind of literacy we are after. They also allow philosophical, historical, technological, and social dimensions to be integrated in some fashion. (Some of the literacy material above has been paraphrased from Toward an Understanding of Scientific Literacy by Roger Bybee)

The Observations of Joe SchwarczJoe Schwarcz is a university teacher writing in the Montreal Gazette about a number of observations he has made concerning the nature and limitations of science and scientific literacy following a lifetime of science. Check out Appendix C for that list. I include it because you might use it as a discussion or journaling piece with your students that could generate debate about the importance of science education to scientific literacy.

Your Ontario Curriculum Document for Science has as its three overall goals:

1. To understand the basic concepts of science

2. To develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry

3. To relate science to technology, society, and the environment (1999, p4)

In addition, the teaching approaches notes call for “an active, experimental approach to learning … for students to design and research real scientific problems for which the results are not known …and where possible, concepts should be introduced in the context of real world problems and issues.

We wish you the very best in your efforts and commend you for meeting the challenge. See you down the inquiry continuum.

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UNIT OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT

We call this unit plan Grade Nine Science – An Introduction to Inquiry. It was created to deal with the second overall goal of the Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Document in Science that states students should be able to develop the skills, strategies, and habits of mind required for scientific inquiry in order to meet the overall aim of the curriculum; that every graduating high school student should be scientifically literate. Developing skills of Inquiry and Communication is an expectations strand in every science course and the units within those courses are loaded with expectations requiring just that: proficiency in the ways and understandings of scientific inquiry. The achievement charts at the ends of the grades nine/ten and senior curriculum documents provide separate evaluation details for inquiry and communication.

If we are to give the attention to scientific inquiry that these documents are requiring then science departments will need to make some decisions that will facilitate that happening. I would advocate that this intervention be a department approach and occur in grade nine because it will give all of the schools students that will be exposed to science the same basic introduction. Teachers will then

be able to build on that introduction as the students move through their high school careers.

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The key though is “build on”; if the skills and understandings of inquiry are dropped after grade nine then a limited number of students will carry them forward. Those would be the ones that “got it”, remember? Deep understanding comes from consistent opportunities to practice inquiry assessment and the associated feedback between peers and students/teachers that occur with it.

If we are going to take three weeks out to pursue an introduction to inquiry then a second department conversation should take place around what teachers’ value as essential curricular expectations from the four unit strands.

Michigan ScienceIt should be comforting to note that the Michigan curriculum framework states that in order to make inquiry happen education needs to emphasize understanding, not content coverage; to promote learning that is useful and relevant; emphasize scientific literacy for all students; and promote interdisciplinary learning. How refreshing is that!

In addition the US National Science Education Standards state there should be less emphasis on knowing scientific facts and information and more emphasis on understanding scientific concepts and developing abilities of inquiry. There are several other

areas that apply but look to the appendix for the rest.

My point is that educational authorities are starting to listen to what the research is indicating. It will be interesting to see what kind of lead our own Ministry of Education takes and the position that STAO will adopt as well.

A third area that should be open to discussion is what will be the department approach to assessment and evaluation in grade nine?

As teachers’ expertise with inquiry develops and the students take more control over their own learning, the use of assessment should swing to more formative strategies like conferencing, interviews, coaching, and the use of rubrics, brainstorming, and peer assessment and so on.

We don’t want this to create a larger marking load. That defeats the intent. You do want to collect evidence though of what the students can do and understand and pick strategic times to do that. When I do mark or level an assessment task I try to keep the size of the work to a level that I can manage. That way I have the time to make coaching comments and have an impact on student understanding (see the section on using scientific notebooks at the end of this piece).

I will also want to take the opportunity to use some process rubrics to gauge individual and collaborative work skills throughout the course. The

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documentation of this evidence will provide justification for the final evaluation of work skills section of the report card. The report card software is loaded with good comments that you would now be able to pick out and use across a class with such evidence.

Abilities in inquiry would be an example. I use another of the comment codes to comment on students’ knowledge and understanding of concepts across the board. The last comment box I save for next steps, good news, or future directions.

Of course, you want to assess knowledge and understanding in a formal manner as well. We use our unit tests for that and so they tend to be fairly rigorous. Our opinion is that students are more able to recall and use conceptual material over the period of a unit rather than studying an entire semesters’ worth of work and writing a one to two hour exam.

The unit tests then, taken together, make up the knowledge and understanding component of our final evaluation (the term mark).

What do we do for that thirty percent that traditionally is available for final exams? We use a culminating performance that will give us a final evaluation of what students know and understand about scientific inquiry. The same performance allows us to evaluate their communication abilities as well. This arrangement shows both staff and students that we place a high

priority on student abilities in scientific inquiry. The evaluation is rigorous in its own right and yet students much prefer its use over that of traditional exams.

When students see the value of producing such work, have deep understanding of that work, are motivated to demonstrate that understanding and are communicating it to an audience, then results usually confirm previous assessment data or the mark goes up. It also sends the message that these skills and understandings will be needed throughout their high school science careers. Traditional exams, in our experience, tend to maintain or lower final grades.

I mention these things because you want to plan with the end in mind when tackling a curricular shift that involves new teaching and assessment strategies. You cannot plan a culminating performance if you have not worked on the subject of the performance throughout the course. To do so sets everyone up for failure. Your performance becomes just that, a one time exhibition without much to recommend it. If you want administrative and parental support, then plan for success.

Organization of the UnitThe first thing to note is that this is our unit. It is not “the unit” but it is one way to go. I am sure that right away you and your colleagues will pull out material that would compliment the aim of the unit or that should/could

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replace some of the material. I look forward to those conversations. Together we will evolve to something we are comfortable with and believe has value to student learning.

We begin the unit with a few activities that get the students working together to do some of the things that scientists/researchers do without the vocabulary and without an emphasis on retaining facts and concepts. The tasks require students to work together collaboratively but the emphasis for the work will be to discuss the nature of that work, not assign a grade/level to it. We want to generate enthusiasm to learn more. You will need to debrief the class with conversations around specific items to set the stage for that new learning to come. That would be the general idea behind the Grape Smash, What’s Up With That, Seven P’s of Scientific Discovery, and Alka Seltzer Rockets.

During these early days of the course you will also want to talk about safe operating procedures, WHMIS, equipment, and so on. You may even want to assess their understanding of this material. We have scheduled time for this but you will want to use your own department material and focus for that. You are much better placed to make those decisions than we are.

The next few days will be used to have students place some vocabulary on the activities they have been doing. They will also discuss with the teacher and

amongst themselves the ways in which scientists/researchers approach such activities. These lessons then will include the scientific method, understanding variables, and planning controlled experiments. Students will be asked to create an analogy, using a poster, to show what they know and understand about the scientific method. It will be assessed with a rubric given out ahead of time. Students will also be shown exemplars to illustrate what each level looks like.

Much of the data that is collected during scientific inquiry is quantitative in nature. This necessitates that students understand how to estimate and measure using the metric system and the equipment available to them. Even though they are metric babies, it is amazing how little is known about measurement. Students will need this skill as they move into the collection of their own data. Therefore, metric systems of length, mass, area, and volume (capacity and cubic) are looked at. Students should be able to convert between units on a measurement scale (grams and kilograms for example) and be able to carry out the skills of estimating and measuring for each of those systems (using double pan and electronic balances; using displacement or measurement to determine volume and so on).

Students need to be able to manipulate data in some way. You do not need to push this to ridiculous levels in grade nine. That will only serve to turn them

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off. Develop advanced manipulative skills as they become ready for it. For example, I don’t have students do correlation or t-test studies until grade twelve. They do need to collect data from multiple trials or organize it from class data and then do simple things like calculate the mean. They should also be able to graph data and understand when to use a histogram and when a line graph is more useful.

They should know what it means to extrapolate or interpolate from a graph and practice doing that. Producing lines of best fit from scatter plot data is also something they should be able to carry out.

The concept of density is of importance to all the sciences. It is also a concept that lends itself to inquiry type activities because material can be handled and measured. The measurements of mass and volume we have already covered of course and the relationship between them is a fairly simple mathematical operation that qualifies as data manipulation. Those mass and volume data points can easily be plotted on a graph which you have also spent classroom time teaching and practicing. Slopes can be calculated from the graphs which allow comparison amongst different materials.

Finally, the materials you use to study density lend themselves perfectly to student practice making qualitative and quantitative observations of them. The real bonus occurs though

when you have students do some background research into those materials. Now you have an opportunity to teach them about citing such research in reports and about producing a references cited page with the bibliographic information. We have the students form teams and give each team a different material (wood, rubber, styrofoam, water, etc). Each group collects mass/volume data, produces a graph, calculates a slope, does background research and considers the experimental error inherent in their methods.

The groups then attend an international density conference to communicate their findings to the other countries (groups). Much is learnt about materials, the concept of density, measuring, graphing, interpolating/extrapolating, error analysis and most importantly, students begin developing collaborative work skills and communication/presentation skills. The student products become the tool students use for the presentation.

Finally, we pursue a messy problem with the students that requires the use of indirect observations to collect the data. Using Alka Seltzer tablets, the students collect mass and volume data of the carbon dioxide gas given off. In order to do this they must be proficient at using electronic balances and graduated cylinders. Great care must be taken in the handling of materials and in measurement. Densities are calculated by each group and the results posted on the board. Finally, the actual density of

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carbon dioxide gas is put up on the board and a debriefing session is held to discuss why the distance of group and class means would vary from the actual target.

Sometime during the last few days of the unit the take home inquiries are assigned. Students must pick one of three options and design an inquiry for it which they will carry out. That will be done at home. A final report will be turned in for assessment that will be written based on the department inquiry template but modified to include only those components taught and practiced in class.

A very interesting part of the task requires that students show their parents/guardians their work and explain the inquiry theory that it is based on (i.e. what their research question is, what their independent and dependent variables are, what variables had to be keep constant and what their control might be and so on). This task does wonders for both the students and our department.

We are fostering a discussion between student and parents; we are asking students to check their understanding by communicating with others; we are connecting the home to the school; and demonstrating to parents what we are up to. This report is due one week after the unit ends.

Scientific NotebooksThe use of scientific notebooks is not essential but it is useful. Scientists and researchers use such notebooks because they are sturdy,

compact, notes can easily be made in them, and they store well. We have all of our students buy them and record any investigatory notes in them. The students will ask me “is this a hardcover or binder thing” but quickly get the hang of it. So they record all of their inquiry brainstorming, background research, important comments from me, experimental planning and design, and data collection.

If I want something handed in for assessment then they must take the notebook home, set it up beside the computer and word process the section I want. They hang on to their rough notes and they always stay in order. I only choose the part of an inquiry or modified cookbook I intend to coach or assess at that time. For example, I might say, “produce the display this data should be organized into” or “out of all these mini-experiments we did today I just want you to produce the five hypothesis statements for me”. That’s how I manage to coach and at the same time keep my marking load reasonable. Remember, I only assess two full inquiries in a term but I do a lot of coaching. One more thing; I have started having students put their journaling and reflective pieces in the notebook too but from the back moving forward. That’s working pretty well.

Finishing UpWell that’s it. A pretty busy three weeks. A day is taken to review and then the unit test is written. That test can be pushed a week hence though to allow for studying

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and questions. During the rest of the course, we attempt to modify as many cookbook activities as possible to further train certain aspects of scientific inquiry.

We call any evidence collected of the ways and understandings of inquiry, core evidence. That’s because it’s central to the doing and understanding of inquiry. Ideally, you should try to assess each of those skills and understanding two to three times (with a level) during the semester if you intend to evaluate it at the end. The student portfolio (see Appendix A) is a great place to

store this assessment evidence/work. During the semester we will attempt to complete two full inquiries. Look to the appendix for a list of possible inquiries that you could try. You may think of some that we haven’t. Please take the time to share with us.

Don’t worry if it takes a day or two longer to finish the unit. Remember implementing the new curriculum? Keep yourself and your students comfortable. Figure out how you want it to look and then make timing/content adjustments.

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UNIT OVERVIEW

Day One1. Administrative Tasks2. The Grape Smash Machine3. Lab Safety (Pt 1): Safety Do’s and Don’ts, Emergency

Equipment Location, Fire Exits, Accident Reporting

Day Two1. What’s up with that?: Making Observations2. Lab Safety (Pt 2): Safety Video – Accident at Jefferson High3. Equipment Inventory4. Observation Assignment

Day Three1. Wrap up for: What’s up with that? & Debriefing2. The 6 p’s of Scientific Discovery3. Lab Safety: Chemical Labels, WHMIS Symbols

Day Four1. The River Weir: Teaching about the Scientific Method2. Assessment: Creating the Scientific Method Poster

Day Five1. Making Alka Seltzer Rockets2. Firing the Rockets3. Debriefing the experience

Day Six1. Safety Quiz2. Attaching Labels to Concepts – Looking at theVariables3. Working with the M. K. Walker Consulting Firm

Day Seven1. Systems of Measurement: The Metric System

- the basis for the system … why use it…based on what number

- names, prefixes, base units and symbols for each type of measurement

- converting amongst units- what each unit might be used for

a) Lengthb) Massc) Volume (capacity/displacement)d) Area: formulae) Volume (cubic)

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f) Potential extension: areas and volumes of spheres and cylinders

Day Eight1. Metric System Continued: Estimating and Measuring in each of

the areas discussed (using: rules/tapes, double pan balances, electronic balances, graduated cylinders, displacement cans, formulas

2. Looking at water: a special case where 1ml = 1cm3 = 1g

Day Nine1. Graphing Lesson: how do you want them done, conventions,

histogram vs line graphs2. Graphing Practice3. Interpolation/Extrapolation

Day Ten1. Discussing Density2. Finding out more: Getting a team and your material3. Collecting Data, Doing Research

Day Eleven1. Material Teamwork continued2. Preparing for the density conference: what’s expected3. Density Problems

Day Twelve1. Calculating the Density of Carbon Dioxide2. Density problems continued3. Assigning the Take Home Inquiry

Day Thirteen1. The Density Conference2. Creating a Master Graph of Slopes

Day Fourteen1. Wrapping up loose ends with density2. Unit Test Review

Day Fifteen1. Unit Test2. Reminder of the Take Home Inquiry Deadline

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•• ••

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Daily Teacher Notes

Day One

Administrative TasksWell the administrative tasks are up to you. I would imagine you will be taking attendance doing home room stuff (if it applies), talking about school procedures and policies, maybe handing out textbooks and creating a seating plan. I don’t generally hand out my textbooks for a couple of weeks since I won’t need them much. I keep them as a class set until its time to hand them out. You may wish to use them on this first day because you want to do a text book scavenger hunt, organizational assignment, journaling activity, and so on.

The Grape Mash MachineYou will need: safety glasses, a grape mash machine, grapes,

olive toothpicks, and cut up pieces of paper the size of a file card

I want to get the students doing science as quickly as possible and the opening activity this year is going to be the Grape Smash Machine. This is something I picked up from the engineering faculty at Michigan Tech this past summer. They used it as an opening exercise in a civil engineering class I took for my Masters degree. As a way of breaking the ice, generating enthusiasm, having students work collaboratively, and assessing prior problem solving knowledge/strategies; this activity should do a good job.

Start by having the smashing machine built from the instructions provided. Set it up at the front of the room. Have students get together in teams of two or three. I find that four students in a team will allow someone to take on the role of saboteur reducing team effectiveness. I use the word “team” instead of group because of the implications it has for collaborative skills, quality work and time management. I tell the students that too … already I’m looking for data that will help me produce that final evaluation of a student’s work skills.

Ask them to examine the machine. It’s up to you but you might try to have them brainstorm what it could possibly be used for. This would give you an opportunity to inform the class about your rules for brainstorm work. Rules like one speaker at a time, no interruptions, no put downs, and every contribution is valid until the list is put through some kind of filter by the teacher or students.

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Now give each team a grape, an olive toothpick, and a piece of paper the size of a small file card (once you’ve tried it yourself, you may want to use a small file card). Invent any story you want to add drama to the process but the aim is for each team to produce an innovation that will allow their grape to survive the masher intact using only the materials provided. Spend a few minutes talking to them about the importance of planning, sketching, and communicating before breaking their toothpicks and folding/modifying their paper. After all, there is only one chance to use the materials. You will have to decide how much time you want to give them for the planning and manipulation of the materials. I would start with ten minutes and modify that as you see them work. Have them put a sketch of their completed innovation in their inquiry notes.

When the deadline has arrived, decide on an order for testing and have teams come to the front, put on their safety glasses, set up their protective device, and release the mashing arm. Some teams will be successful and some won’t. That’s not integral to our definition of success. What is important is that each team spends some time talking about the features of their design that either allowed the grape to survive or not. What modifications would they suggest to provide for success? What features did they notice successful innovation generally had? Have them journal these thoughts/ideas in their notes. You may want to have teams report back to the class or do this as a class discussion. Conclude by talking about the group dynamics (without mentioning names or pointing out students) you noted as the project manager. What were the productive and successful types of collaborative work you saw? What were the destructive or inefficient behaviors? Have them journal what you want of this too. A final journal activity is to have students record what they thought the objectives of the lesson were today and reflect on their level of understanding.

Lab Safety (Pt 1): Safety Do’s and Don’ts, Emergency Equipment Location, Fire Exits, Accident Reporting

You will need your own lab safety materials/instructions as required by your board, school, department, chair, and self to ensure student safety

Eventually we will provide some materials you might find useful but they must fit the criteria above if you decide to use them. One thing they should definitely be able to do is locate and use the emergency equipment located around the classroom.

Having been instructed on the necessity to operate in a safe manner, I inform the students that they have a shared responsibility to take care of themselves and the working environment. They also need to demonstrate what they know and understand of safe operating procedures. As such they should be assessed in some way, shape, or form by you. A poor assessment means potential danger and requires some form of remedial action.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Two

What’s up with that?: Making ObservationsYou will need: very small beakers, copper chloride, Petri dishes, tap water,

aluminum foil, and safety glasses

The idea here is to make as many observations as possible without any prior training. I tell the students that trained scientists were given the same task and managed fifty-four observations. I am not defining or categorizing observations at this point. I just want students to be curious, recognize a problem, and record observations.

The observations will be about the reactants, their reaction, and the final products I tell them. Therefore we will need to organize those headings in an appropriate data chart. For now that can be done in a rough but organized way in our hardcover notebooks.

Before we get started there are some safety concerns that need to be addressed. I show the students the container of copper chloride and read, or have one of them read, the significant safety data from the label as well as point out any hazard symbols we should be aware of. Under the heading of safety, I have the students jot down any concerns and how we will handle them. I’m sure you’re kilometers ahead of me but that would involve things like: reporting accidents, wearing our safety glasses, no freelancing, no tasting, no touching with hands/pencil and smelling (if allowed) in the correct manner.

I now have the students get together in teams (pairs if supplies allow) and to each group I give a small beaker (50ml) half full of water, a Petri dish with about half a teaspoon of copper chloride powder in it, and a strip of aluminum foil about .7 cm wide and 8 cm long. The students begin by making as many observations as they can about these materials under that first heading. When they feel the possibilities are exhausted they may pour the copper chloride into the water and stir gently with a glass rod or wooden splint. Under the original heading, they should now make observations of the solution of copper chloride.

Once this has been completed, a team member can drop the aluminum foil into the solution of copper chloride. During the next ten to fifteen minutes, team members need to watch carefully and record any evidence that a change of some sort is taking place. We are looking at a single displacement reaction where the aluminum metal goes into solution and the copper comes out as a metal element. I say that for your benefit not the students. I don’t tell them any of that. Therefore, comments like “it’s rusting” or “falling apart” or “disintegrating” are all valid. Have students draw on previous experience to try and describe what is happening. At this point I’m moving on to more lab safety but I have the students label their beakers and place them in a safe storage place so we can make a final check for observations tomorrow. At home tonight, I ask them to describe to their parents/siblings what happened and see if they can’t come up with an explanation to share in class the next day.

It does not matter whether the explanations are correct or not. It’s the inquisitiveness and the willingness to share that’s important. I value all the explanations the next day and may or may not share what really happened. Remember, it’s a fairly complicated reaction for them. You might want to revisit it when you get to the chemistry unit.

The next day we take out the beakers and make final observations of the products that remain and share those explanations. Clean up procedures I will leave up to your own disposal and cleanup policies. It’s up to you but depending on the class you might want to share a rudimentary explanation for physical and chemical change. I would however take this opportunity to explain to students what observations entail. In other words, you will need to teach and discuss with them the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative observations, how they are taken, and how they are reported.

For homework that night I will have them create a one page summary that contains the following. First, a brief description of the activity we carried out (what we were up to not the observations). Secondly, state what they thought the objectives were of the lesson. Third, to show me they understand the difference and to practice writing a summary, I have them tell me how many total observations they made and how many they made under the before, during, and after the reaction headings. They should tell me what they believe the difference is between quantitative and qualitative observations and state how many of each they were able to make. If your students are like mine, I am sure you will have very few quantitative observations for reasons you can guess. You might want to have students’ journal why that might be and, now they know what they are, what additional quantitative observations they might have taken. The summary will be handed in so I can check for understanding and give feedback in the form of coaching comments.

Lab Safety (Pt 2): Safety Video – Accident at Jefferson HighIn all probability you will need more time to instruct lab safety. We show the video listed in the title and have a worksheet and discussion about the intent and material shown in the video. There are a couple of other good ones around I’m sure you are aware of and that your board has. Again, whatever you use must fit with your board, school, and department policy.

Equipment InventoryYou probably also do something about the naming and use of the standard scientific equipment you have in the lab. Equipment like graduated cylinders, Bunsen burners, balances, spot plates, etc. You may have assessed their understanding of this material with a quiz, matching sheet, or other device. Again, we’re going to leave this up to you but have provided lesson plan time for its inclusion.

Observation AssignmentA technique I have used in the past to address recognition of equipment used often in the lab is to teach it in the form of a show and tell. Students sketch or identify the piece of equipment from a handout and highlight it. The must also include a use for the equipment and any special instructions I give them regarding its use. Like reading a meniscus for the graduated cylinder or the safe use of a Bunsen burner/hot plate. Later, whenever I have down time, I’ll hold something up and ask for a student to remind us what we know about it. My assessment sometimes is to hold up some of the “show” equipment (only 8-10 important items) and have them fill in some of the important “tell” statements on a quiz.

Cindy has students select a piece of that equipment or another from around the lab and make observations of it. These are handed in/shared and given a mark (easy to get a good one) to generate a good start and get students off on the right foot.

Elephants & Observations

American poet John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) based the following poem on a fable which was told in India many years ago.

(source being investigated)

It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: “God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, “Ho! what have we here So very round and smooth and sharp? To me ’tis mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: “I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand, And felt about the knee. “What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain,” quoth he; “ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant

Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: “E’en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope, “I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, An d all were in the wrong!!

•• ••

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Three

Wrap up for: What’s up with that? & DebriefingYou should already know what to do here. Remember to get out the beakers and make observations of the final conditions within the beaker. Some settling of contents will have gone on but the sediment at the bottom is copper.

Use this experience as a starting point to teach them about qualitative and quantitative observations and the characteristics that make them such (your lesson plan). Have them come up with, or brainstorm with them, several examples of quantitative observations using different units since they will have had the experience identifying these as such. Make sure you distinguish between qualitative statements like “Tom is quite tall” and Tom is 190 cm tall.

Ask them to create the summary statement I described in the Day Two notes for homework tonight.

The 6 P’s of Scientific Discovery You will need: a couple of large bottles of a clear, carbonated beverage, a bag of

raisins, paper towel, balance, hand lenses, and dissecting microscopes (other items – read on)

Safety: no eating raisins or drinking pop. Desks, beakers, and fingers may be dirty and/or contaminated.

This constructivist activity has been modified from the original work of Dr. T. O’Brien at Binghamton University. I prefer to use my own postulate names and descriptions when I actually talk about the scientific method but the use of 6 P’s for this lesson is a good hook to generate student interest. I like to use the original instructions as the basis for my conversation with the students as I lead them through this guided inquiry. In my opinion, work sheets should be kept to a minimum and used only when there is good reason to do so. It is your voice, questioning skills, and insight that will guide the learning and develop understanding. Maintain control in the classroom environment by keeping them engaged …as an effective facilitator, not by doing endless work sheets. I will include some potential responses to help you facilitate on an answer sheet at the end of this discussion. You may want to try this activity yourself at home before debuting in the classroom.

Perceive: This first section is a great opportunity to practice observation making. Put the students in teams (you know how many) and give them a 150ml beaker (narrow if possible) and a raisin. All notes should be made in their hardcover inquiry books using the “P” headings. Encourage students to make as many observations as they can of the raisin by itself and the carbonated beverage itself. Encourage them to make use of their senses. Make sure you have additional scientific equipment available for some requests you might get (having taught that observations lesson) like hand lenses, dissecting microscopes, balances, and so on). Have the students reflect on the nature and origins of the raisins and pop. You might want to have students share some of their comments in this regard (you will be checking for prior understanding and valuing student background knowledge). Dr. O’Brien suggests as an alternative that you might want students to do some of this initial observing blindfolded and with peanuts, grapes and other objects thrown into the mix. Have students describe the objects they feel (the touch sense is one we often overlook) and sort them.

Ponder: This is a good title. Reflection using what you already know is a good description of ponder. At this stage the students can probably guess that you want them to put the raisin in the beverage and see what happens. That’s true but first I want them to ponder the possible range of outcomes that might occur if you did that. Each of these should be recorded. Do not be satisfied with one possibility. Get involved as a coach (“what if”, “have you considered”, and so on) if they bog down at one or two.

Predict: Now the team should come to a consensus on which one or more of their outcomes is likely to occur. Students should include their reasons for thinking this way. The reasons may not be extensive or knowledgeable but this is an important step we will need to practice for future use.

Plan & Perform: Poor planning results in the collection of unorganized and haphazard data. Emphasize to students that they need to plan and record each step they will take to introduce the raisin to the beverage. This is a very simple, short method of course but some students will amaze you with their thinking and this task also is going to become very important to future inquires. For example, can you have confidence in a result (that may confirm or reject your prediction), on the basis of one trial? If more trials (say two or three) are conducted, how will the team control the method (variables) so that each trial mimics the others? Do you see how you’re getting them to behave like young researchers without actually making them sit and memorize your lecture? Again, you will need to walk around the room and prod, stimulate, encourage, and guide teams to varying degrees. Once the plan is completed then have them carry it out and record results of a qualitative and quantitative nature.

Postulate A Theory: I think that the first time through a task like this I would deal with it as a class discussion. Using contributions from the floor, you should be able to collect enough points to build a theory that can be jotted down on the board and in their notebooks. See the answer sheet for some comments to help you.

Publicize the results: Remember the prediction the team came to consensus on? Students should write a very short summary statement reminding the reader what they predicted would happen and then stating what actually happened. You may want to share some of these if time allows.

This section can also be used to complete a task that is integral to scientific inquiry and is also a great exercise to generate some critical thinking. Ask the students to come up with new research questions for study using the same basic premise (some new materials may be involved). You may have class time remaining (doubtful) or can find some later on in the unit/course during which students could test some of these questions. See the answer sheet for examples of such questions. This task (and carrying it out) could be completed for homework as well. Sharing the new questions students come up with is a good strategy. We brainstorm independent variables all the time. Students get better and better at it. By the time the final performance rolls around, they don’t need any more help.

The 6 P’s Facilitation PointsPerceive: For your information: raisins are partially dehydrated grapes and have a fairly large surface area due to the numerous “nooks and crannies”. Use the hand lenses or microscopes to reveal more of this detail. If you have clean, disposable, cups and paper towel, you could add taste and smell to the senses of observation. Carbonated beverages consist of water with dissolved sugar, carbon dioxide, and flavoring in them. The gas is put under pressure and when the top is opened, some of the dissolved gas comes out of solution and bubbles rising to the top of the container. Cold temperatures help to keep the gas in solution while the opposite is true of warmer temperatures.

Ponder: The raisins might sink; the raisins might float; the raisins may suspend themselves in the container; the raisins may perform a combination of these possibilities; the raisins may dissolve in the beverage; the raisins may chemically react with the beverage; the raisins may absorb water and swell up, the raisins may shrink; the raisins may maintain their dry size; the raisins may cause more bubbling, less bubbling, or leave the rate of bubbling unchanged; the raisins will color the solution; ……….and so on.

Predict: Students might find the explaining part difficult but remember, answers don’t have to be well formed or complete at this point in their thinking. You’re using their prior knowledge. Depending on the statement chosen for study, answers may involve density of raisins and beverage; diffusion; osmosis; nucleation sites (they wouldn’t know anything about beer would they?); ………. and so on.

Plan & Perform: As described in the teacher notes.

Postulate: The raisins first sink (since they are denser than pop), collect gas bubbles on their surface, then rise (as the CO2 bubbles attach they increase the volume of the system much faster than they increase the mass). At the top the bubbles are released into the atmosphere (less pressure) and the raisins fall to the bottom again. The cycle continues but at a reduced rate as more and more dissolved CO2 is lost and the concentration decreases. Some swelling of raisins will occur due to the movement of water through its semi permeable membrane (osmosis) and the beverage will become somewhat colored as natural pigments diffuse into it from the raisins.

Publicize: Some future questions for study include: manipulating the temperature of either the beverage or raisins and measuring the speed/duration of the bobbing action; measure the effect of one, two, or three raisins in the container simultaneously on the bobbing or duration of effervescence; study the effect of different material against that of raisins (peanuts or small marshmallows, etc.); add other solutes to the beverage or change the concentration of sugar in it; change its density (using salt); try diet pop; cutting a raisin in half; …. and so on. Only your imagination restricts you.

Lab Safety: Chemical Labels, WHMIS Symbols

I put this title here to remind you that something needs to be done about this and the lab safety you’ve done so far is a good place to put it. You may not get time in this class to do an exercise/lesson. Doing an inventory of chemical products at home (think about safety requirements there) or with some products in the classroom (your own procedures apply) is a good way to tie the real world into the theory. Also, software is available that does a good job of introducing product labeling and workplace/household/school safety. Our co-op department makes that available to us.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Four

The River Weir: Teaching about the Scientific MethodSo, you might remember that I had something to say about the way the scientific method is taught in high school science classrooms. We need to have the scientific method come alive for students which means present it in an authentic context. We also need to practice inquiry which means we shouldn’t just teach the method per say, we must teach it in context. That means role playing, coaching, practicing, and using it just like researchers would.

Bob Hartley, a retired science teacher and mentor of mine, once explained the scientific method to me using a river weir as his vehicle. Bob was also the chair of the local Regional Conversation Authority at the time and took advantage of the fact that this weir sat in a river right across the street from the school. His entire lesson then was grounded firmly in a real world context. I’ve modified the original explanation to fit our use of inquiry but wanted to give credit to Bob and thank him for planting that teachable moment in my mind. I’ll include a picture of the weir following these notes that you can project in class and use. Alternatively, find something in your neighborhood that can adapted to this purpose. Under each of the following headings I have some teaching to do … the students write down the headings and the pertinent information I want them to record under each those headings.

Curiosity – Recognition of a Problem: I use this as my first step in the scientific method because it suggests inquiry can be of an informal nature too. When students enter the work world they will enter from either workplace (high school), apprenticeship, college, or university educational programs. Although the context is to teach them the ways and understandings of researchers, you are also providing them with a problem solving strategy they can use in their own lives as a person who’s curious about something or as one who needs to be more rigorous in their approach.

If the weather is good, I’ll take the class down to the river and conduct my lesson there. If it’s not so good, I’ll project the picture, remind the students where the weir is and continue in class. The first thing I do is ask them why the weir is in the river, what job does it do? Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time, they don’t know but now they’re curious and we have a problem to solve. I’m sure you can provide examples of the motivation behind various kinds of researchers in tackling the kinds of problems they solve as well.

Background Research – Adding to Our Knowledge Base: If you’re like most of the people I know, you don’t launch into a scientific study to solve a personal problem but you do use some of these steps in an informal way. Regardless, you want to know more about your problem or research question. You bring some prior knowledge with you and a part of that understanding should include knowing where to look for more. In some cases, that may be enough; you will find the answers you need during this research process. In other situations you will need to investigate further.

I have the students brainstorm with me all of the potential sources of information they could investigate to add to their body of knowledge about river weirs. I’ve included some below to give you the idea. I’m sure that you and your students could come up with some more. Knowing where to look is important information students will need during future inquiries.

Family, friends, neighbors Teachers, text books, lessons Libraries, internet, CD ROMs, data bases University/college students, professors, researcher assistants, technicians Ontario & federal government departments: MOE, MNR, and so on Local special interest groups: conservation authority, fishing & boating

associations, environmental awareness groups and so on Local municipal offices: recreation, tourism, city planning Private business and industry: ecotourism, landscaping, environmental

engineering, and so on

Taken together there’s lots of places to look. That’s the point. Students need to know how to access, acquire, use and communicate information specific to their needs; now and in the future. This is an understanding, problem solving skill and not a memorizing function.

Depending on where I place an inquiry in my curriculum, I often inform students that the information I’m going to be teaching them over the next couple of days will be important

background information for the inquiry we’re tackling next. It can be referenced as a class lesson or lead you to other potential sources of information.

Hypothesis, prediction, research question: These may or may not be synonymous to you. If I’m actually working with an inquiry assessment, I’ll give the students what I consider to be the nature of the problem. From this statement students develop a research question to answer. Using their background knowledge, they pose a hypothesis and then predict the outcome with explanation attached. This all goes in the introduction. I’m not advocating that here at this point in their experience, just putting the terms in the context of how I use them.

For now, I’m indicating that researchers phrase their prediction in the form of a hypothesis (educated guess base on prior knowledge). We ask that the hypothesis be concise and take the form of an If (this action is taken) … Then (this should occur) statement. Another day, you can have your student practice this kind of statement. Getting back to the river weir though, I now go through a second brainstorm activity where students pose as many answers to the original question (why is it there, what does it do?) as they can. I put all of their responses on the board and in their notes. I really work hard to pull out as many as I can. A few of them are found below:

Erosion control Flood control, water level control Debris control Boating barrier Fish ladder, fish barrier, fish reservoir Aesthetics Lamprey control Water oxygenation Hydro turbine power generation Pollution monitoring And so on

Because it’s a brainstorm, all answers are valued and they cannot be debated. If time allows I sometimes allow students to speak for a selection after the list has been generated. Allowing students to cast votes for their top three uses can also be interesting. I’m not looking for a winner; I’m asking students to make a prediction based on background knowledge and what they’ve heard so far. In the end I tell them that the reason the weir was placed there was for control of lamprey spawning. An additional benefit (important to urban streams/rivers with large amounts of organic material dumped into them) though is oxygenation of the water in order to support the necessary food webs for a viable ecosystem (the organic material encourages algae growth which robs the system of oxygen). It is this benefit I will exploit in the next section.

Design an Experimental Method: Researchers, I tell the students, want to produce a method to test the hypothesis or research question at hand. They want to collect data in amounts that will be sufficient to manipulate, analyze, and use to support or refute their hypothesis. So let’s assume that we think the weir will increase oxygen levels in the

river. How should we go about testing that? What kind of experiment should we carry out? A discussion will result that should be quite interesting as students offer suggestions. Eventually someone will suggest testing the river for its oxygen content. “Can you do that?” someone else asks. “Yes”, I reply, and show them our dissolved oxygen probe I had hidden in the desk until this point. Someone else will point out that “we should test the water below the weir”. “That’s good”, I reply, “but is that the only point?”. “No”, a student answers, “we should also test the water above the weir”. Now we’re getting somewhere. With a little more prodding, I get the rest of the answer I’m looking for. “We should carry out the above and below testing of oxygen levels several times and look for a consistent result to eliminate a chance error that could occur from a human, equipment, calibration, or other anomalous error”. Now that’s a smart student … but you get the idea. Without putting large labels on it we’ve started the discussion and understanding around controlling variables and reducing experimental error.

Collecting the data: During these last three sections I keep it fairly brief. We want to collect sufficient, valid, relevant data (often of a quantitative nature) and display it in a manner that is clear to the reader (a table for example). Again, limiting the effect of error is of prime importance. Each trial should be carried out exactly as the instructions specify. If the data isn’t what we’re after then we must modify the method until it is. It’s not necessary but if you can, go and collect oxygen data from a weir or from the problems you’re using.

Manipulating and analyzing the data: Here we want to treat the data to gain further information or understanding from it. Keep it simple at this point. The researcher might average results, find the middle result, find the result that occurs most frequently, or create a graph. Researchers like to look for trends/patterns in the data and finding none present can be a valid result as well. Comparing the data and analysis to the background research we did (including pervious experiments done by other researchers) in order to look for congruency (agreement) is important as well.

Summary, new questions: Based on everything we’ve done so far, it’s now time to support or refute our hypothesis. Spend some time discussing the implications of a “non result” and how that will simply lead to a new question or a refined method. This kind of research spiral continually happens with difficult research questions like finding an effective treatment for cancer, or the correct way to remediate a contaminated beach and so on. In the case of the weir, the students could brainstorm new questions I’m sure. For instance: Does the number of weirs make a difference? Does weir height have an impact? Do the increased oxygen levels drop the farther from the weir you get? Would a bubbling system produce a similar result? And so on

Assessment: Creating the Scientific Method PosterAs you can see this lesson will end up taking much of the period. There should be just enough time to assign the poster you need to assess their understanding of the scientific method. Tell them you need them to create a poster that shows the teacher what they know and understand about the scientific method. They will need to do the following:

Provide a main heading titled: The Scientific Method Organize their poster into seven different sections or areas Use the headings we have discussed in class somewhere in those areas Find a way to illustrate the intent or the meaning implied by the heading Use the rubric provided to self assess your readiness to hand in the product Hand in this assessment within one week from the date it has been assigned

Generally, if a student simply cut out pictures from a magazine and pasted them under the headings (a cat exemplifying curiosity for example), that might be level one. If the pictures are well chosen representations/drawings, portraying these types of activities we might have a level two. If the pictures/drawings follow a consistent theme from section to section, we are at level three thinking. For example, illustrating how Newton might have studied the apple falling. Level four would be exemplary science thinking as shown by the analogy. For example, thinking of a thing that makes you curious and designing a great analogy to illustrate how you might study it (your mother says you spend the most time on the phone in the whole family and you design your poster with an inquiry to study this in mind).

Ideally you should show students what level 1, 2, 3, 4 work looks like using exemplars. It’s amazing the quality of the product one gets back when the students are shown where the bar is (assessment criteria) and what quality work looks like. You will be hampered by not having exemplars this time around but there will be plenty for next time.

Scientific Method Poster – Rubric

LEVEL 1 2 3 4

CRITERIA

The theme / analogy that is presented

The illustrations/text are random in

nature and may not relate to the same

theme/inquiry

Many of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry

All of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry

All of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry in

an exemplary manner

Headings, steps and illustrations are neat and organized

Headings/sections are missing.

All headings/sections are addressed but the work is un-

organized and hard to follow

All headings and sections are

addressed. The work is neat and

organized

All headings and sections are addressed.

Presentation techniques are

outstandingOriginal / Scientific Thinking

The nature of the problem/inquiry is not clearly evident

and does not follow scientific

thinking

The nature of the problem/inquiry is

not original and copies existing

scientific knowledge

The nature of the problem/inquiry is original in concept

or modifies existing scientific

knowledge

The nature of the problem/inquiry

is addressed using

commendable science thinking

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Five

Making Alka Seltzer Rockets: I picked up and modified this activity from the NASA booth at an NSTA conference I attended in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My thanks go out to them for the resource. You are going to be very busy this period … you may have to push debriefing to the following day.

You will need: 35mm film canisters (these should be the white plastic kind with the lids that snap inside the container … a film developer should be able to give you a big bag of these … hang on to them and pick up more since one day they won’t exist anymore), blank paper, scissors, tape, Alka Seltzer tablets, large wash bottle, control template and other construction materials.

First show the rocket you built from the template (ahead of time) to the class and tell them that the Nature of the Problem for each team is to change one thing about the teacher’s rocket design and then build their own rockets that, in every other respect; model the teacher’s rocket!

Inform them that the rockets will be flown and the flights compared to the standard which will be the teacher’s rocket. Let’s call the teacher’s rocket the control rocket. Explain what will make them lift off.

A very important skill students will need to develop is to consider potential research questions for study (in another lesson we’ll assign the label independent variables to this). You might want to brainstorm these as a class or assign the work to the teams (three in a group right?). Here’s a short list:

Modify the nose cone Modify the fins surface area or shape, or number, or

placement Modify the length of the body tube Modify the material the rocket is made from Modify the amount of water or Alka Seltzer used And so on

Each team should come to a consensus on the modification that will be made and state the decision in the form of a research question; “The team wondered what would happen to the resulting flight if the rockets fins were changed from a square to a triangular shape”. They should also state a hypothesis; “If the fins are changed from a square to a triangular shape, then the rocket will be able to fly higher than the control”.

Each team should study a different research question! Have them check in with you prior to stating the question and hypothesis. Now Build! How many teams will take measurements from the control rocket I wonder?

Firing the Rockets Safety: Some of these rockets may fly up to four meters high.

We take the rockets outside and set up our launch pad on a paved surface, next to a school wall. Launchers should wear safety glasses.

By taping four meter sticks together and placing it against the school wall (have someone hold or secure it), you can measure the height that rockets attain. You may want to designate yourself as the height judge or assign that role to a student(s) or allow individual test fire teams to measure and record their own data. Regardless, all teams should record their own flight data in their inquiry hardcover notebooks.

I have found that the best “control” conditions for launch fuel is half a canister of water and half an Alka Seltzer tablet. Remember that a team might have chosen to adjust either of these amounts as their research question. So, the rocket is held upside down with the lid off; the water is poured in (I use a large lab wash bottle for this); the tablet is dropped into the water; the lid is quickly snapped on tight; and the rocket is placed right side up on the launch pad. There is time to do this; you just need to be efficient. There will be a short delay as carbon dioxide volumes build up. The gas will exceed the volume of the film canister; it will force the lid off the canister and propel the rocket upwards.

Don’t forget to test the “control” rocket as well! It is the “standard” that the modified rockets will be judged against.

Sometimes the lid does not get put on correctly, the rocket falls over, things get soggy, or the design of the rocket just doesn’t allow for lift off. You will have to decide if you are going to record such attempts as a zero flight distance. I usually give each group a whole tablet which they snap it half to give them enough fuel for two attempts. If you do this, you will need to decide if you will average the two flights or take the best result.

Debriefing the experience Okay, well I did this activity to introduce the students to a few

concepts without assigning a lot of vocabulary or definitions. The conversations I have had and will now have with the students are very important though. Very soon, we will have to review these experiences, conversations, and notes in order to create a deeper understanding of the process.

You will find your own way to debrief this eventually but here is one way. One thing I do is have a team member record their data on the board in a class data chart. I don’t identify groups or use names. The only two headings are “Modification” and “Flight Height”. It gives teams an opportunity to simply compare and reflect. It is very important that you stress that this activity was not a contest, nor was the goal to fly the highest. It doesn’t even matter if the modified rocket flew below the control rocket height or if a team’s rocket never got off the ground.

What is important is that teams reflect on their rocket’s performance and state how their rocket flew relative to their hypothesis/prediction. They also need to try and explain why they think the performance was like this. This will be informal reflection since we don’t have the time to do in depth rocket design and flight performance research. Finally, I tell the class that as an actual research project the work was pretty messy in the sense that there was lots of opportunity for error to creep into the rocket construction (maybe you modified the fins but the nose cone also didn’t look like the control rocket’s nose cone); the launch method (did all students use exactly half an Alka Seltzer tablet?); and the data collection (how can Joe tell if the rocket flew 2.4 meters or 2.6 meters?). Teams should now reflect, and jot down considerations under each of these headings.

Assessment: At home tonight I want each student to set up their hardcover beside the computer and word process the following single page.

One paragraph that succinctly states the overall nature of the problem we tackled today

State the teams research question and hypothesis State the actual modification (one paragraph) Support or refute the hypothesis (one paragraph) Discuss experimental error as it relates to the

construction process, launch method, and data collection (three paragraphs)

I will be able to read/assess and give coaching comments to these single pages and get this feedback returned in short order.

Gyrocopters: I have included a gyrocopter template (source unknown) in case you don’t have Alka Seltzer tablets, don’t have time, or love this stuff so much you want to do another. The theory is the same. The “control” gyrocopter is the one built from the template. Students decide on a structural modification and hypothesize. Try brainstorming your own list of potential modifications. Flight times are compared and the debriefing/assessment is of a similar nature as well. You will have to decide what a good height is for gyrocopter release and timing (standing on a desk is good but safety needs to be planned for!); and how many trial will be allowed. This activity really lends itself to multiple trials and averaging of results.

Constructing a Paper Gyrocopter

Construct your gyrocopter from the following instructions:

Cut on the solid lines Fold dotted lines A & B towards each other Fold on dotted line C and paper clip the folder section to the body of the

gyrocopter1.

Fold dotted line D towards you Fold dotted line E away from you Add a small paperclip to bottom of the stem Hold at a predetermined distance from the ground and time the flight from

start to finish

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Six

Safety/Equipment Quiz:In my class I schedule a small safety test around day six so I can assess the conceptual knowledge my students understand regarding safe operating procedures in the science classroom and my priority that students accept responsibility to take an active role in their own/classmates’ safety and use these procedures. The material is also of a nature that usually results in a positive assessment and gets students off on the right foot. As I mentioned earlier however, a weak result requires remedial action as safety cannot be compromised. Later we’ll include a copy of the test we use but for now we will leave this up to you.

Working with the M. K. Walker Consulting Firm:This lesson is your opportunity to begin attaching formal labels to terms you may have used in earlier lessons. You’ve certainly introduced the students to the concepts those terms represent in the first week. Doing it this way helps students reach for that deeper understanding. The experiential learning that has gone on should now pay off because students have prior learning to attach to the understandings and ways of thinking that you want them to have.

Generally, we want students to be able to recall and apply the following terms during scientific inquiry assessments: nature of the problem; research question; independent variable; dependent variable; constants (controlled variables); control; hypothesis; and prediction. I present them in this order simply because that tends to be the sequence that we ask students to discuss them in when planning and writing scientific inquiry.

Students may get the nature of the problem and the research question confused so it is wise to go over these two whenever assigning a new inquiry. For us; the nature of the problem is the task posed to the whole class. As an example, there is a potential inquiry assessment in the Electricity Unit using wet cells. The nature of the problem I ask the class to consider is; what variables may affect the voltage across a wet cell and; can they design and perform an inquiry to study one such variable. The research question on the other hand describes the variable the student team is interested in studying. After brainstorming a list of potential variables for study the team

might then write; “our research question asks what effect electrode surface area will have on the resulting voltage measured across it”.

Note also my reference to the term constants. This has become a part of our inquiry language because of the need to separate the concepts of controlling variables not under study from the need to use a control situation. Students confuse the two ideas, especially on tests. Whenever you brainstorm a list of potential research questions, you are also creating potential independent variables. When a team picks an independent variable for study, all those variables not picked should be considered as constants. The use of a control remains; choosing the normal/standard situation that a system operates in and collecting data for that as well. By comparing the control situation to the manipulated one the team can try and determine if change has occurred.

You will find our definitions for the other variables and terms in the glossary and most show up in the M. K. Walker activity coming up next. Their use is also explained from a scientific inquiry - student report perspective in the formal technical report guideline published by the department and available on line to all the students. You will find a copy of that in the appendices. Do not use this template without teaching and practicing the skills and understandings of inquiry. There is no short cut. Students will not do inquiry with deep understanding and transfer just because you have given them a handout that tells them the kind of product you are looking for. Do not assign activities from this unit using the template in its entirety either. We want to motivate students and have them progress along the inquiry continuum. You may want to have them use parts of it for the student inquiry extension assigned at the end of this unit but be judicious in the selection and assessment of those components. The rigor and attention to detail will come.

Okay … so on to the lesson. I have found that any number of examples of scientific inquiry lend themselves to discussions about the inquiry terms you want to have today. Play with them in a messy way to generate a conversation about inquiry. Two that I often bring up are investigations senior students have often carried out. Asking students what variables they think would affect plant growth or alternatively heart rate would both produce large lists of research questions one of which might become the independent variable. Take the opportunity to define the term independent variable here.

Ask the students what we should measure to see if photoperiod affects plant growth or how body position affects heart rate to pick two examples at random. How should we measure that variable and

in what units would come next. Identify these variables as the dependent ones and define them.

Ask the class what a normal or standard situation would be for these plants or humans. I’m guessing that you might get answers like “the normal amount of light in a day” for the plant example and “a person who is at rest” for the heart rate example. Build on these statements. Get to the idea that we will need to collect data from this control situation in order to see if extending the day with artificial light or if exercise will increase heart rate. Get in the habit of having students write down the reasons why they chose a certain situation as the control. The justification will be good practice and will be needed later. The data gained by using a control will allow us support or refute a hypothesis (you worked with them in the Alka Seltzer rocket experience). If time allows, you might try writing all the potential hypotheses for the independent variable examples you chose to use. I am sure a student might even question that photoperiod would improve plant growth. It is possible that extending the photoperiod would be detrimental or would not affect growth in a significant way. Try writing these hypotheses in the form of If/Then statements. Have them choose the one most likely to occur and then have them explain (predict) why the think the result will show that.

I’d probably wrap up this discussion with a quick look at some ideas for method design for the example(s) we were discussing in class. At this point I would hand out the blank M. K. Walker experiment number one worksheet and have students work through it as you feel comfortable (class discussion, small groups, pairs, alone). You might even use it as your lesson until you get more comfortable with your own examples. Experiment number two provides for additional practice and could be done in class or at home. Time is flying I’m sure. Can you see why fifteen days and maybe a few more are needed? We believe the investment is well worth the effort. You will find the worksheets on the pages that follow.

Reinforcing the understanding: Walking on the Beach & Thinking like Scientists

You may want to use these activities in your review at the end of the unit or you may feel that the conversations and the learning are going well enough that you want to use them to generate even deeper understanding. I usually opt to use them now and keep going. They can also be easily assigned as homework on another day but if that is the case, make sure to debrief them as the interaction of ideas and views is very important.

Walking on the Beach will generate great discussion amongst students and teachers for that matter. You may even disagree with my interpretation. That may be because of the way we approach inquiry at Churchill. Regardless, this activity shows why some messy answers have more than one possible solution.

I like doing the Thinking like Scientists in small teams. I don’t even use the work sheet. I assign each team a different problem from the worksheet and the task I want each of them to do with it (the worksheet blanks). Discussion ensues and information is written down. Next I’ll have a spokesperson for each group inform the class what their particular problem was and what they came up with for answers. For each presentation I mediate making sure students get both positive and constructive feedback from both peers and myself. Some of the tasks are messy (on purpose) and will generate additional discussion as to different ways to consider them.

M.K. Walker Consulting Company: EXPERIMENT #1

The M.K. Walker Consulting Company was studying various ways to recycle materials, including the use of compost as a fertilizer. The ‘Lizards and Lab Coats’ research team investigated the effectiveness of various materials in promoting plant growth. They decided to compare the effect of compost and commercial fertilizer on plant growth. Three flats of bean seeds (25 plants / flat) were grown for 5 days. The plants were fertilized as follows: Flat A received 10 grams of commercial fertilizer; Flat B received 10 grams of aged compost; Flat C received no fertilizer. The plants received the same amount of sunlight and water each day. At the end of 20 days, the ‘Lizards’ recorded the height of the plants in centimetres.

1. What is the Problem Statement?

2. What is the Independent Variable (IV)?

3. Were there Repeated Trials? Explain.

4. What is the Dependent Variable (DV)?

5. What are the Constant(s)?

6. What was the Control group?

7. In which ways could you improve this experiment?

8. What are other dependent variables that could be measured?

Which of these are qualitative and which of these are quantitative?

ANSWERS FOR EXPERIMENT #1

Before you discuss the questions, you may want to write the results on the board, or have students predict what the trends may be.

Results (observations or data)

Compost Fertilizer Control

Height (cm)Range

Average16 - 22

1919 - 28

248 - 16

11

ANSWERS

1. What is the effect of using different fertilizers on plant growth.

2. Independent Variable = Type / addition of fertilizer

Compost Commercial Control (no fertilizer)25 plants 25 plants 25 plants

3. There were Repeated Trials, 75 plants used in trial, 25 for each group

4. Dependent Variable (DV): height of plants measured in centimetres

5. Constant (s): amount of light, water and fertilizer

6. Control group: no fertilizer

7. Ways to improve the experiment: Constants (same plant species, same soil, planting positioning and depth)

8. Other dependent variables...Do fertilizers affect plants in ways other than height?

-colour of leaves (qualitative)-number of flowers or fruit (quantitative)-size (length, width) of leaves (quantitative)-sturdiness of stems (could use both types of

observations)

M.K. Walker Consulting Company: EXPERIMENT #2

Several weeks after the recycling inquiry, the ‘Lizards in Lab Coats’ research group was given another job by the M.K. Walker Consulting Firm. An experiment was envisioned that would look at the effectiveness of various metals in releasing hydrogen gas from hydrochloric acid; they read that the gas company was burying sheets of magnesium next to iron pipelines in order to prevent rusting. Soon after, M.K. Walker was offered a contract by the gas company to see if other active metals would also be effective in preventing rust. The Lizards were assigned the task.

To investigate, they placed each of the following into a separate test tube containing water: one nail; one iron nail wrapped with aluminum strip; one iron nail wrapped with a lead strip. They used the same amounts of water from the same source, equal amount (mass) of the metal wraps, and the same type of iron nail. At the end of 5 days, they described the amount of rusting as small, moderate or large. They also recorded the colour of the water.

1. What is the Problem Statement?

2. What is the Independent Variable (IV)?

3. Were there Repeated Trials? Explain.

4. What is the Dependent Variable (DV)?

5. What are the Constant(s)?

6. What was the Control group?

7. In which ways could you improve this experiment?

8. What are other dependent variables that could be studied? Which of these are qualitative and which are quantitative?

ANSWERS FOR EXPERIMENT #2

Before you discuss the questions, you may want to write the results on the board, or have students predict what the trends may be.

Results (observations or data)

Iron nail with no metal

Iron nail with magnesium

Iron nail with aluminum

Iron nail with lead

large small moderate small

ANSWERS

1. What active metals are effective in preventing rusting of iron.

2. Independent Variable = Type / addition of metallic wrapping strip

Iron nail with no metal

Iron nail with magnesium

Iron nail with aluminum

Iron nail with lead

1 nail 1 nail 1 nail 1 nail

3. There were NO Repeated Trials, 1 nail used for each experimental group

4. Dependent Variable (DV) = amount of rusting (small, moderate, large)

5. Constant (s): amount of water, mass of metallic wrapper, type of iron nail

6. Control group: no metallic wrapper

7. Ways to improve the experiment: -increase the number of trials-quantify the dependent variable (amount of rusting) either by measuring the mass of the combined residues from scrapping the nail clean and filtering the water; or measure the mass of the nail before and after the experiment-controlling the mass of the metallic wrapper might introduce other undetected variables into the experiment (varying the amount of surface area each nail was exposed to water). The amount of surface exposed should be equal because chemical reactions occur there.

8. Other dependent variables...-the difference in mass before and after the experiment -the strength of the nail before and after the experiment

The Scientific Method: Walking on the Beach(Source unknown)

Read the following statements. Put them in the correct order according to the scientific method. Use the letters assigned to each statement.

_____ A The scientist goes back to the laboratory and does the following:1. Fills two beakers with 1L of fresh water.2. Dissolves 35g of salt in one of the beakers.3. Places both beakers in a freezer whose temperature is -5º C.4. Leaves both beakers in the freezer for 24 hours.

_____ B The scientist also reads about the composition of sea water.

_____ C The scientist then writes, “I suggest that the reason sea water freezes at a lower temperature is that sea water contains dissolved salts while fresh water does not”.

_____ D The scientist goes to a library and reads a number of articles about the physical properties of solutions.

_____ E A scientist walking along a beach in Alaska notices that there are icicles hanging from a nearby building, yet pools of sea water remain unfrozen. He asks himself, “Why does sea water freeze at a lower temperature than fresh water?”

_____ F The scientist travels to a nearby beach and observes the conditions there. The scientist notes the taste of the sea water and other factors such as waves, wind, humidity, temperature, and air pressure.

_____ G After 24 hours, the scientist examines both beakers and finds the fresh water to be frozen. The salt water is still liquid. He notes this in his notebook.

_____ H After considering all this information, the scientist sits at a desk and writes, “My guess is that sea water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water because sea water has salt in it”.

Questions:1. Which statement(s) contain conclusions?

2. Which statement(s) refer to research?

3. Which statement(s) contain a hypothesis?

4. Which statement(s) contain observations?

5. Which statement(s) describe an experiment?

6. In which statement is the problem defined?

The Scientific Method: Walking on the Beach: Suggested Answers

6th

A The scientist goes back to the laboratory and does the following:5. Fills two beakers with 1L of fresh water.6. Dissolves 35g of salt in one of the beakers.7. Places both beakers in a freezer whose temperature is -5º C.8. Leaves both beakers in the freezer for 24 hours.

3rdB The scientist also reads about the composition of sea water.

8thC The scientist then writes, “I suggest that the reason sea water freezes at a lower

temperature is that sea water contains dissolved salts while fresh water does not”.

2ndD The scientist goes to a library and reads a number of articles about the physical

properties of solutions.

1st

E A scientist walking along a beach in Alaska notices that there are icicles hanging from a nearby building, yet pools of sea water remain unfrozen. He asks himself, “Why does sea water freeze at a lower temperature than fresh water?”

4th

F The scientist travels to a nearby beach and observes the conditions there. The scientist notes the taste of the sea water and other factors such as waves, wind, humidity, temperature, and air pressure.

7th

G After 24 hours, the scientist examines both beakers and finds the fresh water to be frozen. The salt water is still liquid. He notes this in his notebook.

5thH After considering all this information, the scientist sits at a desk and writes, “My

guess is that sea water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water because sea water has salt in it”.

Questions:

1. Which statement(s) contain conclusions? C

2. Which statement(s) refer to research? B, D, E, F

3. Which statement(s) contain a hypothesis? H Is this a correct hypothesis statement? What might a better one sound like?

4. Which statement(s) contain observations? G

5. Which statement(s) describe an experiment? A

6. In which statement is the problem defined? E

Thinking like Scientists (Source Unknown)

Given the experimental situations below, complete the chart:

Experiment Independent Variable (IV)

Dependent Variable (DV)

Variables that must be kept

constant

What would most likely serve as a

control group1. Determining the effects of antifreeze on the boiling point of water.

2. Determining how storage temperature affects the rate at which milk spoils.

3. Determining the effects of music on the milk producing ability of cows.

4. Testing the effectiveness of a new pain killer such as Advil.

5. Determining the effects of hydrochloric acid on various fabrics.

Thinking like Scientists (Source Unknown)

Given the experimental situations below, complete the chart:

Experiment Independent Variable (IV)

Dependent Variable (DV)

Variables that must be kept

constant

What would most likely serve as a

control group

1. Determining the effects of antifreeze on the boiling point of water.

Addition of antifreeze

The boiling point of water (temp or time)

Amount of water, initial

temp of water, size of pot,

type of water…Water that contains no antifreeze

2. Determining how storage temperature affects the rate at which milk spoils.

Manipulation of the storage temperature

The rate at which milk

spoils

Amount of milk, initial

temp of milk, size of

container, type of milk…

Milk that is kept in

refrigerator temperature

3. Determining the effects of music on the milk producing ability of cows. Addition music

to the lives of cows

The quantity of milk cows can

produce

Age, size, species of cow, diet, exercise, environment,

time of milking…

Cows that do not listen to

music

4. Testing the effectiveness of a new pain killer such as Advil.

Dosage of Advil available

if at all

The degree or intensity of

headache pain present

Type of pain, amount of

water taken with dosage,

general health, etc.

No Advil or perhaps a normal or average

dosage of pain killer

5. Determining the effects of hydrochloric acid on various fabrics.

The type of fabric which the acid is

being added

The effects the acid has on the

fabric

Amount of acid put onto fabric, the method in

which it is applied, size of fabric, length of

time before observing

A fabric that is often exposed

to the acid

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Seven and Eight

Systems of Measurement: The Metric SystemWe all know that the metric system forms the basis of measurement for scientists and researchers the world over. As a language that forms the backbone of quantitative data collection and analysis its use ensures a level playing field in terms of clarity of communication between science professionals. The system is essentially based on the number ten (10) which makes converting between units of a system of measurement a relatively simple task. The prefixes used to differentiate between units don’t change as one moves from one system of measurement to the next and so helps with retention. If you do all of the following, you will need 1.5 to 2 days.

Try to involve your students in actual measuring tasks to gain experience with each system of measurement and incorporate the skill of estimating into that work. I’ll tell you what I do a bit later. Where possible, teachers should mention the kinds of experimental error that creep into measurement work. Discuss cases where the last digit must be estimated as one would when using a ruler marked out in only centimetres (20.5 cm); or when reading a graduated cylinder marked out in millilitres (18.5 ml). On your Pyrex, laboratory beakers and flasks there is a plus or minus 5% error message. Do your students trust what the double pan or electronic balances tell them? Objects of known mass should be used to check a double pan balance and electronic balances should be calibrated. If ten students timed an event (a gyrocopter spinning to the floor) would they all get the same time? How could the degree of this error be reduced? Remind the students of the error discussions related to the river weir and the Alka seltzer rockets. This conversation should produce some great comments and encourage students to look for, account for, and reduce, measurement errors wherever they can.

I begin with length. I use the length chart that follows to point out the base unit and the prefixes that identify each of the other units. I use the term distance between adjacent units to help students visualize conversion between units. So there are ten millimetres in a centimetre, ten centimetres in a decimetre, and so on. Some units get used rarely and I tell the students that. Consider what kinds of objects get measured with the rest. Practice with the units they will use most often. Converting between units is difficult for some students so they need a system to clarify their thinking. The nice thing about the number ten is that it really represents a decimal place

shift. Each ten you go by means another shift. The actual digits in the number don’t change, only the decimal place.

Lengthprefix ending symbol Distance from adjacent unit

Mega * metre Mm 1000kilo metre km 10

hecto metre hm 10deca metre dam 10

Metre m 10deci metre dm 10centi metre cm 10milli metre mm 10

micro * metre µm 1000nano ** metre nm 1000

* These two units are sometimes used in science; the megametre for vast distances and the micorometre for small ones. It is possible that students will bump into these during their high school careers; especially the micrometre during microscope and cellular anatomy work. The distance number shows as a 1000 and not 10 because there are two other units found between the micrometre and millimetre and the Megametre and kilometer but they are rarely used and not included here.

** The nanometre will also be used and discussed in senior science classes to describe very small dimensions like the distance across a cell membrane, wave lengths of light and other objects that can only be seen with an electron microscope.

Let’s assume the length we are working with is 5186.0 cm. How many metres is that?

The first question a student should ask is; will the resulting number get smaller or bigger? That will determine if I move the decimal to the right or left. The metre is a bigger unit than the centimetre. If centimetres can fit into metres than the answer we are looking for should be smaller. Check out the easy tool below:

Mm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- µmConverting in this direction? >>>>>>>>need a bigger #, move the decimal right.Converting in this direction? <<<<<<<<need a smaller #, move the decimal left.

The second question a student must ask is how many decimal places do we move to the left? We must make two jumps; centimetres to decimetres and then again to metres. That’s two tens. Each zero on a ten

represents a decimal place so that’s two decimal places I need to move. The number becomes 51.86 m. Work with a few other examples going in both directions. You can assign more from the mass and capacity volume sections as well. In time, students recall without looking how many decimals and in which direction they must move.Students should create a chart on which they identify six lengths in the room they will estimate and then measure. Measurements should be taken that require the use of two lengths from each of mm, cm, and m. Examples might include; the width of a twooney, the length of a pencil, the width of the room, and so on. Students should not estimate all six lengths and then measure them. Estimate and then measure, estimate and then measure. The feedback will help improve estimating ability. Students should work with partners since they can help and give each other feedback.

Now I work through the other two systems of measurement based on the number ten; capacity volume and mass. The charts and conversion method remain the same but the suffix will change and of course the measurement that requires their use. Students are required to create a second data chart. This time they will find six objects that can hold water. Each is estimated, then filled with water, and then measured in a graduated cylinder. Necessity dictates that millilitres will always be the unit worked with but conversions could be made if necessary into other units. You will need to take a moment to review the concept of meniscus and measuring using it.

Capacity Volumeprefix ending symbol Distance from adjacent unit

Mega * litre ML 1000kilo litre kL 10

hecto litre hL 10deca litre daL 10

Litre L 10deci litre dL 10centi litre cL 10milli litre mL 10

micro * litre µL 1000

* These two units are sometimes used in science; the megalitre for huge volumes and the microlitre for very small volumes. It is possible that students will bump into these during their high school careers; especially the microlitre. The distance number shows as a 1000 and not 10 because there are two other units found between the microlitre and millilitre and the Megalitre and kilolitre but they are rarely used and not included here.

Repeat the chart and conversion process for mass units. Describe the difference between mass and weight and why we prefer to use the term mass. Show students how to work the double pan balance. Students now create a third chart and find six items of varying mass to estimate and then measure (mass). I use this opportunity to show students how to work the electronic balance. Students may want to compare the mass of an object using both the double pan and electronic balance. They may want to measure the mass of a small volume of water (the tare function will be useful here). I have a peer assistant control the station in order to ensure it’s operated properly and that appropriate masses are placed on it. Again, most measurements will be restricted to the use of grams but consider providing students with a body mass scale that they can use for their own mass or the mass of some much heavier objects. Use or convert to kilograms.

Massprefix ending symbol Distance from adjacent unit

Mega * gram Mg 1000kilo gram kg 10

hecto gram hg 10deca gram dag 10

gram g 10deci gram dg 10centi gram cg 10milli gram mg 10

micro * gram µg 1000

* These two units are sometimes used in science; the megagram for massive objects and the microgram for objects of very small mass. It is likely that students will bump into the microgram during their high school careers. . The distance number shows as a 1000 and not 10 because there are two other units found between the microgram and milligram and the Megagram and kilogram but they are rarely used and not included here.

Now we can do some work with area. I define that as the amount of surface something has and that must be measured in two dimensions. I take a look at the area chart provided below and mention a few things but the only converting to do could be restricted to figuring out how many square centimetres are in a square metre and how many square metres are in a square kilometer. The rules are the same for moving the decimal left or right. Each jump will now require a move of two decimal points though. That means there are 10,000 cm2 in 1 m2. Make a metre stick square to illustrate the point.

Areaprefix ending symbol Distance from adjacent unit

Square kilo metre km2 100* Square hecto metre * hm2 100

Square deca metre dam2 100Square metre m2 100

Square deci metre dm2 100Square centi metre cm2 100

The distance number shows as a 100 because we must think in two dimensions for area; those of length and width (sometimes radius). If we take the distance factor between units for linear distance, then length times width is seen as; 10 X 10 = 100.

In reality, it is highly unlikely that students or any person for that matter would use any area units other than the km2, hm2, m2, and cm2. The others are in the chart simply to illustrate the relationship and the conversion between units that you may use.

* The square hectometre (hm2) is often referred to as a hectare since it is the closest metric equivalent to the imperial acre.

If time allows you can continue the estimating/measuring exercise or have them carry out the task at home. Six different surfaces; a floor tile, their text cover, the desk top, window pane, the surface area of the classroom floor and so on. What about the surface of the clock face or of a ball? You will have to give them the formulas and decide if you have the time and they have the mathematical ability to carry out this challenge.

Well we made it to cubic volume. Volume; the amount of space something takes up or contains. It’s measured in three dimensions. Try building a metre stick cube ask students how many cubic centimetres fit in it and then work it out. The conversion rules are still the same but there are three decimal places now for each jump. Students can easily estimate and measure the volumes of six objects; the room; a wooden block; and so on. Small, square or rectangular objects are neat to use because you can displace them as well and check for congruency around the idea that 1 cm3 = 1 ml (for water). Remember the impact of experimental error here. Irregular objects can be measured using displacement of water in graduated cylinders or overflow cans and then converted to cubic units for this same reason. I use some very small plastic cubes/rectangles open on one side. These can be measured for cubic volume, filled for capacity volume, and massed with the tare function to illustrate 1g=1mL=1cm3. Again, cylinders and spheres would present a higher level challenge.

Cubic Volume prefix ending symbol Distance from adjacent unit

Cubic metre m3 1000Cubic deci metre dm3 1000Cubic centi metre cm3 1000

The distance number shows as a 1000 because we must think in three dimensions for cubic volume; length, width (sometimes radius), and height. If we take the distance factor between units for linear distance, then length times width times height is seen as; 10 X 10 X 10 = 1000.

The cubic decimeter is in the chart simply to illustrate the relationship and the conversion between the m3, and cm3 units you might use.

Metric Conversion Exercises

PART A

km dam m mm

4

2.50

Mg hg g dg

0.000075

12.07

hL daL cL µL

1 255

0.36

PART B

mm dam µm km

2 562.3

4.6

g mg kg µg

375

359.23

µL L dL mL

0.0025

23.405

PART C

1. 23 m = ________________ ____ cm

2. 0.4 kg = _________________ __ g

3. 3.51 L = ____________________ mL

4. 991.4 mm = __________________m

5. 7129.3 mg = _________________ kg

6. 4.35 L = ____________________ dL

7. 5.944 55 Mg = _______________ kg

8. 0.331 7 µL = _____________ __ cL

9. 81 737 cL = _________________ kL

10. 0.008 daL = __________________ L

11. 99.85 hm = __________________ km

12. 43.8 m = ____________________ mm

13. 789.2 L = ________________ __ kL

14. 6.813 2 mg = ________________ µg

15. 92.8 cL = ____________________ L

16. 75.2 hg = ___________________ dag

17. 8 183.4 mg = __________________ g

18. 9.007 kg = ___________________ mg

19. 809.0 Mm = _________________ dam

20. 8 446.3 dg = __________________ mg

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Nine

Graphing Lesson

Because of the range in experience and instruction that students have had around graphing it is always a good idea to spend some time to go over what your expectations are for “good graphing”. Grade 9 textbooks often have a section in the skills handbook or appendices sections that you can direct students to but it really needs attention during a class lesson so that all students end up on the same page. It is also important for students to understand why you have a certain protocol or method you want used to create their graphs. Finally, many students have access to graphing software provided by the school, science department, or family. Like calculator use though the basic principles are better understood when done by hand. The basic knowledge you will give them now can be built on through grades ten to twelve as their readiness and mathematical ability to handle data manipulation at a more conceptual level increases.

I start by reviewing the ways in which we can display our results in addition to the tabular format; line graphs, pie charts, and histograms. Grade nine students often choose to bar graph when they should line graph but to simply tell them this would cause exactly the opposite problem. A discussion develops around the reasons for using each type. Each is a tool used for a particular purpose. As Mike (a department member) puts it; “you don’t use a crock pot to fry an egg … it’s the wrong tool … take out the frying pan”. Here’s a good example. One day the teacher brings in a bag of carrots, potatoes, beets, and celery. Students cut the vegetables into different sized cubes; find their masses and volumes; and calculate the average densities for each vegetable. Finally you ask them to produce a graph of the average density for each vegetable. Some students will put average density on the y-axis, and vegetable on the x axis; plot a point for the average density of each; and then draw a line between them. There is no such thing as a “celebeet”. Line graphs require a numerical sequence along the x and y axis and often the plots of many data sets. In the example above, a histogram should have been selected.

Creating a graph certainly qualifies as data manipulation and a great first step for grade nine students. Graphs also allow us to visualize the data in a different way and for some of us our strength may lie in visual spatial intelligence. One of the skills we want students to develop is that of identifying patterns and trends in the data.

Eventually, during formal inquiry assessments in future classes, we assess that skill by having students state the trends they notice in the data manipulation section of their report.

Following this initial discussion we look specifically at line graphs. I like to make sure that I have provided the students with a set of graphing guidelines that they will keep in their experimental notebook and use as the need arises. Here are some of the ideas I like to focus on:

graph paper is to be used graph must have title (usually indicating the relationship between

the two variables) axis should be about 3 cm from the edge of page in order to

accommodate scale, unit and title the independent variable goes on the x-axis, the dependent

variable on the y-axis don’t be thrifty with your graph paper, use at least 2/3 of the

paper; a larger graph makes interpretation and interpolation/extrapolation easier

determine the range of values for each variable, then select an appropriate scale to use

scale must be labeled (increments and unit) the length of the x and y axis should be approximately the same points must be plotted accurately, starting with the first pair of

values from the data table

Often, students ask to do their graphs on the computer. I let them know that this lesson and practice will be done by hand. When they can demonstrate successful understanding of principles then I allow the use of software. Often I observe students in the computer lab waste an entire period trying to use the graphing software at the school. A natural extension for the teacher would be to wait until students generate data in quantity such that they would be better served using software. Book the school computer lab and walk them through that process as well.

Following the general overview, I put some data points on the board and have students construct the graph. This is my chance to walk around and offer coaching points as students produce their products. Simple data sets (y, x points) of the mass/volume or distance/time relationship (not perfect) will produce a decent line-of- best-fit and allow you to explain the concept. Don’t forget to involve a discussion of potential measurement errors to explain why all (y, x) points do not fall exactly on the line. Later, you can use this graph to teach the concept of slope. Once the initial graphs are completed the students and teacher can assess an example together as a class. Students should now be able to use the demonstrated criteria to self/peer assess their own efforts and the teacher can coach this exercise as well.

There will be a range of student ability and experience around their ability to calculate the slope of a line graph. Even when students know how to calculate the slope, they often do not understand what a steep or a shallow slope implies when interpreting a distance/time graph. Since this is a concept they will need to know in grade ten and beyond; collecting mass/volume data, graphing it, and deriving slope is a great place to go to finish up this unit.

To teach slope, build on the graph that the students have just completed and assessed for you. Start by having students draw their line of best fit. Beginning with data that will produce a straight line (slope) will be easier to start with. It’s kind of an eyeball average … you want to draw the line as close to as many points as possible. Some points will fall above the line, some below, and some may fall on it. Anomalous points will indicate potential experimental error.

Now have students draw a right angle triangle somewhere along the line. Discourage extremely small triangles. Introduce the concept of rise over run by measuring the right angled sides of their triangles. Label them rise (y) and run (x) as well. Divide the rise by the run. Have them check the relationship by drawing other triangles (of differing size) along the line of best fit. This should illustrate that the relationship between rise and run or the x and y variable and remains essentially the same along the line. We call this relationship the slope and it has no units.

Now you can advance the concept of rise/run using the y2 – y1 / x2 – x1

that frightens or confuses a surprising number of grade nine students. Again, be sure to discuss why results between members of the class might be subtly different.

Interpolation/ExtrapolationIn the graphing activity that follows they begin to use their graphs for predicting the value of one variable given the other. The graphed line can be extended beyond the first and last data points to allow for prediction outside of the known data as well. These practices are called interpolation (amongst data points) and extrapolation (beyond data points) respectively. You might have students carry out predictions like this in an experiential fashion (if thirteen minutes has passed, what is the distance traveled?); or define and explain the concepts and then practice finding the unknown.

Depending on the nature of the class, a teacher may also decide to show the class how to solve for these unknowns using the equation v

= d/t, derive the other two equations from it and solve for one unknown given the other two variables.

Graphing Practice Graph the following data on two separate graphs, using all of the skills you now know for good graphing.

Experiment # 1: Determining the distance travelled by an army worm over the course of 20 minutes.

Time (min) – x axis Distance (cm) –y axis0 02 394 756 1228 15610 20812 24314 27716 31618 36620 400

Follow up questions:

1. Plot all of the data points and then draw a line of best fit

2. Draw the slope triangle on your graph; determine the rise and run; then calculate the slope. Should it have units?

3. Use the (x, y) data to calculate the average time and distance. Divide the distance average by the time average. Your answer will be the average speed. Should this result have units? What do you think they should be? How does this number compare to the slope value you found in question two?

4. How could you determine from the graph (without using math) where the worm would be once 11 minutes had passed? Carry this out. Record your answer. What is this operation called?

5. Determine from the graph how long it would take the worm to travel 440 cm. Record your answer. What is this operation called?

Note: you will have to decide if you are going to ask students to extend their graph or wait to see if they will solve the problem by extending it themselves. Students will get additional practice graphing over the next couple of days as you pursue density.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Ten

Discussing Density

A good way to begin looking at the concept of density with students is to calculate the population density of your classroom. You will already have the dimensions of the room from the previous measurement lessons. Using population density you can pose the question, “What would happen to the population density if we allowed 20 more people in the room?” “What if we asked 15 people to leave?” This is then is your segue into the packing of particles, atoms, and molecules into spaces of particular size too.

It would be useful to have collected all the materials from around your department and homes that the student teams will eventually work with. Ideally there should be at least three different sized samples of each material. Regular edges on some are good but irregular edges will show up too. Liquids, dents in metal, different species of wood blocks and holes in wood are great. They just add to the messiness of the problem and contribute to student understanding of experimental error. Students will be measuring mass and volume using the best tools and methods available to get the job done. Your inventory might vary a bit but in our “grade nine density box” (all materials go back in it and are stored for the next class or next semester) we have: copper, nickel, lead, zinc, hardwood, softwood, Styrofoam, water, brine, alcohol, rubber (stoppers are great), wax, aluminum, steel, plasticene, glass (edges?), plastic, acrylic, sponge, and so on. Place these materials on the front desk or around the room and draw the students’ attention to them.

Before I move on let me explain another great discrepant event that will challenge student thinking and help to generate discussion and the motivation to look more deeply into the conceptual nature of density. Take one of your larger beakers (2L) and fill almost half of it with a salt water solution. Very gently fill up the remainder of the beaker with distilled water. This will create two layers; one of brine and one of water. Ever so gently, lower an egg into the beaker. It should sink down into the beaker but orient itself so it appears suspended in the middle of the beaker at the interface of the two liquids. Do this ahead of time and just uncover it for the students to look at. The situation should remain stable for weeks! You could give students an explanation or challenge them to keep proposing theories as to why the egg is behaving as it is. At some point students will need to know and graph the mass/volume relationship for water

and brine but you or your students will be doing that in course of the following activities anyway. I don’t know how much help you want to give them so you might share what you did with the brine and water in the beaker or you might wait to see if someone comes up with that idea. The solution would be aided by having students figure out the density of the egg. You’ll need an electronic balance and an overflow can to do that.

You can now have a brainstorm session as to what density means in our material world. When students begin to describe the density of matter, they often use words like “heavy”, “light”, “big” or “small”. For example when comparing materials such as lead and wood, students will often say that lead is heavier than wood. But a tiny piece of lead is not heavy and a large piece of wood is very heavy. Questions that challenge these perceptions might be; “what makes lead more dense than wood”? Bring them back to the classroom density and use the people in the room as an analogous to particles of matter. Increase and decrease the population (# of particles once more). Which situation is lead and which is wood? What we are trying to get students to realize is that at its simplest, density is a measure of the particle packing within a substance. Liquids of differing densities can be made to layer on each other. You many wish to create such a column for this discussion. Ask them to reflect on the density of the layers with respect to each other. Some students may know something about the massiveness of atoms from a nuclear point view and that will just add to the discussion and generate the motivation to investigate further. That’s a good place to start. Finally, spend some time expanding on the definition of density. Include information like; it’s a physical property of matter; each substance has its own characteristic density; and it’s described as the mass per unit volume of a substance. Students may need further clarification, as to the definition but the activities that follow will reinforce the concept.

A discussion can follow around why density is important. Even woods have great differences in their density; compare birch (660 kg/m3) to red cedar (370 kg/m3) and then balsa (120 kg/m3). These differences make give them various uses to mankind (furniture, flooring, decking, construction, sporting and leisure products, and artwork). Airplanes are made from specific, low density metals such as aluminum (2700 kg/m3) and magnesium (1700k g/m3). Denser materials would be heavier and require more powerful engines and more fuel. How might fools gold and real gold be identified as different? Gases are made of matter and so must have mass and take up space too. What do they know about the density of carbon dioxide compared to that of our atmospheric mixture? Try putting a small candle down at the bottom of a narrow beaker and then lighting it. Mix some baking soda and vinegar in a flask then carefully pour the gas (not any liquid in the flask) into the beaker. The candle should snuff out. What implications does this have for fire fighting?

Finding out more: Getting a team and your material

Now you can begin what we call the “International Density Conference”.

I’m sure you have developed some strategies for selecting the members of a team. Remember though; effective, collaborative work is less likely to occur once the team size reaches four. A team member will almost always decide to be a group member instead and opt out. As they coast, team performance and cohesiveness drops. We take this opportunity to introduce the collaborative work skills rubric to the students (if we haven’t already) and reflect on the criteria prior to starting. Remind the students that the assessment evidence you are collecting will form a part of a larger body of data that you will be sharing during parent/student interviews and using to determine the final evaluation of work skills on the report card.

The Task

Student teams will be given 3 different samples of one type of material such as lead. Other potential materials were listed earlier for you and should be in the room. Each team should be using a different material. In this way they become a research group responsible for an important component of a larger initiative. There can be no copying or opting out. The other teams have a different material and will be expecting to get information from you at the conference. If you have chosen to use liquids (water is a must but you may have chosen to do that with the students during the earlier discussions). I include liquids and have one group tackle the three I want to look at. This is because the volume determination will go very quickly and three liquids should create a similar finishing time to the other groups.

Students are asked to create a fictitious country that their team hails from. The name should relate somewhat to their material and in no way cause ethnic tension or embarrassment; The Wooden Islands, Alutopia, and Glassland. Teams will work with and conduct research into their material and then report to the plenary session of the “International Density Conference”. A flag will need to be created that can be attached to a metre stick posted at team table. Once teams receive their material they must calculate the average mass and volume of each sample having carried out three trials for each sample. Ask them why they need to do this. Depending on the nature of the material assigned, teams may need to use overflow cans and displacement. Once teams are satisfied with the data collected then they should calculate the average density of each sample and the material as a whole.

Each team will prepare a poster that outlines their findings. Their final product will be a concise presentation to their colleagues at the conference and should include: Background research on the material (history, occurrences,

availability, uses) How they went about finding the mass and volume for the

samples Note any problems or special considerations observed during

testing Explain any improvisations carried out to limit experimental

error Point out the average mass and average volume for each of the

three samples (all students will need this information in order to produce a master graph

A graph that plots the average mass and volume values for each of the three samples, a line-of-best fit, and a slope calculation (what does the slope tell them … how does it compare to the calculated average density?)

This conference serves as a great first presentation since it is simple and straightforward in its scope and requirements. Grade nine students should be fairly comfortable with the process. Still, there must be some teaching, modeling and practicing of presentation skills in order for the students to be successful. You may want to do a mini “presentation” of the water data and background research yourself. This can serve as a model for the students; you can show them what a good presentation looks like, and how to prepare for one. There are many interesting points to be made about water; especially the idea that 1.0 cm3 of water has a volume of 1.0 ml and a mass of 1.0 g and therefore a density of 1g/ cm3. Other densities/slopes can be compared to it to determine if a substance should sink or float in it. No doubt someone will want to talk about shape and buoyancy as well.

Here are some points that I like to highlight when discussing presentation planning:

Show us what you know and understand, don’t just tell us Never read verbatim your presentation from notes, a poster, or

a PowerPoint … a presentation goal should be to make eye contact with the audience

Try not to memorize a speech ... use bullets on a card or PowerPoint to trigger the thoughts you need

Don’t give us too much information at once Take your time Go easy on the big words. Make sure your diagrams, graphs, and other aids can be

clearly seen

Engage the audience; try to include them in the presentation; check for understanding

Make sure you have all of the equipment you need and that it is working; ahead of time

Does your team have roles? Does each member have an opportunity to participate in the presentation? Is the role a contributing one or a trivial one?

Collecting Data, Doing Research

If time allows you may want to book some computer and/or library time in order for teams to conduct their background research into their material. It is relatively simple content and doable by most students. This is a great opportunity for you to orientate them with the “science” section of your library / classroom or internet sites you want them to frequent. It is also a great time to discuss referencing (in text and on the works cited page) as well as the subject of plagiarism. Show the students how to quote and paraphrase. We ask students to give credit to their sources by using an (author, date, and page) in brackets following a paraphrase or quote. The full bibliographic information shows up on the works cited page. You may decide not to make this a requirement at this time and instead reinforce those ideas at your first full, formal inquiry. Alternatively, this can also be carried out as homework by the students in the team who would then bring their research to school and bring their teammates up to speed on what they found.

Note: The density of nickel is 8.9 g/cm3. A good check for understanding is to teach/demonstrate the following: Students should be able to take any density value like that and convert it into two sentences. The first is: 1 cm3 of nickel has a mass of 8.9g. The other is: 8.9 g of nickel takes up 1 cm3 of space. Give them other densities and ask for those sentences.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Eleven

Material investigation continued

Density ProblemsOnce students are familiar with the concept of density and have begun working with mass and volume data, I give them the D=m/v formula. Once they can use the formula with known masses and volumes, we then practice using the formula to derive the equations for mass (given density and volume) and volume (given density and mass). I find using the “formula triangle” helps them to manipulate the formula but showing students why the triangle works is useful. Anyway, given any two of the three variables, the students should be able to find the third.

I inform the students that each question could be assessed out of 4 marks.To receive all 4 marks they must:1) Select the proper formula and state the givens – 1 mark2) Substitute correctly into the formula – 1 mark3) Obtain the correct answer – 1 mark4) Use the correct units – 1 mark

A correct answer with no other associated work receives only one mark. It’s important that they get into the habit of showing all of their work, since calculation errors are common with grade 9 students. Of course, part marks could be awarded if they plan everything correctly and then make a calculation error.

Here are a few questions I use in class, take up on the board, and provide answers for.

Sample questions (taken from Nelson Science 9, 1999. p.69), may include.1) An irregular solid has a mass of 7.2g and a volume of 3.0mL.

Calculate its density. Answer: 2.4 g/mL2) A unknown liquid has a mass of 6300g and a volume of 9L.

Calculate the density in g/ml. Answer: 0.7 g/mL3) A bar of soap measures 10cm x 5cm x 3cm. If it has a mass of

120g, will it float in your bathtub? Answer: Yes, density is 0.8 g/cm3

4) Gold has a density of 19.3g/mL. If you wanted to buy 50g, but did not have a scale, what volume of gold would you need to

measure? Answer: 2.59 mL5) You need 500mL of gas to fill your tank. You know that the

density of gasoline is 0.69g/mL, and have only a scale. What mass of gasoline must you measure? Answer: 345g

The following questions can be given to students to work on in class or for homework. If you do not have enough mass/volume equipment for the next part of this lesson, they can work on these questions while they are waiting for equipment. These problems have been borrowed from Nelson Science 9, 1999.

Density Problems

1. The mass of an object is 1.86 g and its volume is 14.3 mL. Find the density of the object.

2. An object takes up 8.6 cm3. If the object masses 5 g, find the density.

3. The density of copper is 3.68 g/mL. Find the volume of a piece of copper that has a mass of 14.9 g.

4. The density of steel wool is 1.15 g/mL. If the volume of the steel wool is 13.42 cm3, what is the mass of the steel wool?

5. A piece of metal 11.2 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 1 cm thick has a mass of 60.2 g. Find its density.

6. An irregular object, that is 3 cm wide, has a mass of 72.6 g. When it is placed in a graduated cylinder, the level of the water in the cylinder rises from 12.0 mL to 22.5 mL. Calculate the density of the object.

7. The mass of an empty graduated cylinder was found to be 225 g. When 180 mL of liquid bromine was added, the mass of the cylinder plus the bromine was 783 g.

a) Calculate the mass of the bromine in the cylinder.

b) Calculate the density of the bromine.

8. You need 100 mL of alcohol to conduct an experiment but you only have unmarked beaker (you do not have a graduated cylinder). You know that alchol (ethanol) has a density of 0.785 g/mL. How could you obtain the correct volume of alcohol using only a mass balance and an empty container? What is the total mass of the unmarked beaker and 100 mL of alcohol if the beaker has a mass of 70 g when empty?

9. Object A is placed in an overflow container and displaces 67 mL of water into a graduated cylinder. Object B is 15 cm long, 3.5 cm wide and 5.5 cm high.

a) If object A has a mass of 85 g and object B has a mass of 250g, which object will float in fresh water?

Density Problems - ANSWERS

26960. The mass of an object is 1.86 g and its volume is 14.3 mL. Find the density of the object. 0.13 g/mL

26961. An object takes up 8.6 cm3. If the object masses 5 g, find the density.0.58 g/ cm3

26962. The density of copper is 3.68 g/mL. Find the volume of a piece of copper that has a mass of 14.9 g. 4.05 mL

26963. The density of steel wool is 1.15 g/mL. If the volume of the steel wool is 13.42 cm3, what is the mass of the steel wool? 15.43 g

26964. A piece of metal 11.2 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 1 cm thick has a mass of 60.2 g. Find its density. 1.19 g/ cm3

26965. An irregular object, that is 3 cm wide, has a mass of 72.6 g. When it is placed in a graduated cylinder, the level of the water in the cylinder rises from 12.0 mL to 22.5 mL. Calculate the density of the object.6.91 /mL

26966. The mass of an empty graduated cylinder was found to be 225 g. When 180 mL of liquid bromine was added, the mass of the cylinder plus the bromine was 783 g.

Calculate the mass of the bromine in the cylinder. 558 g

Calculate the density of the bromine. 3.1 g/mL

26967. You need 100 mL of alcohol to conduct an experiment but you only have unmarked beaker (you do not have a graduated cylinder). You know that alcohol (ethanol) has a density of 0.785 g/mL. How could you obtain the correct volume of alcohol using only a mass balance and an empty container? What is the total mass of the unmarked beaker and 100 mL of alcohol if the beaker has a mass of 70 g when empty?

Using the density formula, determine that 100mL of alcohol would mass 78.5g. The total mass would be 148.5g.

26968. Object A is placed in an overflow container and displaces 67 mL of water into a graduated cylinder. Object B is 15 cm long, 3.5 cm wide and 5.5 cm high. If object A has a mass of 85 g and object B has a mass of 250g, which object will float in fresh water?

Object A – density is 1.27 g/mLObject B – density is 0.87 g/mL, and will float in fresh water

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Twelve

Calculating the Density of Carbon DioxideI really enjoy using this investigation to finish off the density and measurement material. Earlier in the unit I’m sure you mentioned that gases have density too. Since they are gaseous states of matter though, the particles that make gases up are not packed very tightly together. In fact, gases take up any space you give them, have no definite shape, can be compressed by pressure, will change volume relative to temperature and for the most part are invisible. How then can you collect a gas let alone get it on a balance to mass it and trap it in a graduated cylinder to measure its volume? What a perplexing problem and definitely one students will be motivated to pursue farther. The solution to the problem is to pursue these values in an indirect way which scientists and researchers must do from time to time. We will use Alka Seltzer tablets as our source of carbon dioxide. I have provided the density of various gases below that you might use during the initial discussion prior to starting but do not share carbon dioxide’s density with the students. Instead, challenge them to be as meticulous as possible in their actions and measurements. The goal is to come as close as possible to the real density of carbon dioxide which you will share with them once all of the class data goes up on the board. This investigation was first presented in the Physical Science textbook by Andrews (1978) and I have modified it to fit my pedagogical needs.

You Will Need: graduated cylinders, electronic balance, water, Alka Seltzer tablets (two per group), large beakers, and 200 ml beakers.

Note: Both tablets should start out with the same mass. Put each on the balance in turn and make sure this is the case. If one masses more than the other, then gently scrape material away from it until their mass is equal.

Finding the Volume:Have students fill the large beaker completely up with water. It is advisable to leave it in a sink or shallow tub while you finish preparations. Now they should fill the graduated cylinder to overflowing; cover the top and get it turned upside down in the beaker. Ideally, there should be no air bubbles in the cylinder. This can be a fun challenge in itself but you may need to demonstrate how it’s done. A big thumb helps or a piece of paper towel under the

thumb. Some of the water can now be poured from the beaker and the apparatus set down in a stable location on the lab table. Students will use the displacement technique to produce and measure the gas. The tablet is dropped into the beaker and immediately covered with the graduated cylinder. The gas will collect in the cylinder, displacing the water. Students read the volume of the gas using a meniscus but the curve will be in the opposite direction from that used to measure liquids right side up. I find that sometimes the amount of gas produced will be over 100 ml and cannot be measured accurately. I compensate for this by having students carefully snap the tablet in half and collect two volumes by carrying out the procedure twice. Add them up for the total volume of the system.I’m sure that some potential experimental error has occurred to you as you’ve been reading. That’s great. Ask students to note these issues as they become apparent in their hardcover notebooks. Later, you can make this analysis part of your assessment. Here’s a partial list to help you out:

Air bubbles trapped in the graduated cylinder will affect the volume measurement. Dissolved gas coming out of solution (not from the tablet) may

affect the volume measurement. Breaking the tablet may cause a loss of some powder or crumbs

that contain active ingredient and will therefore not get under the graduated cylinder, not produce carbon dioxide and not get measured.

The graduated cylinder may not get placed over the tablet quickly enough or may come off the tablet if not held in place. Gas bubbles will escape and not be accounted for.

There will be errors reading the volume from the graduations.

Finding the Mass:Students should now fill the 200ml beaker half full of water. The amount is not critical but make sure that the mass of the beaker and water will not overload your electronic balance. If it does a smaller beaker should work just fine. Place the beaker and water on the balance and then a full tablet beside it (not in it). Record the total mass of the system. Remove the beaker, place it on the lab bench and dissolve the Alka Seltzer tablet in it. When it has finished producing gas, then place it back on the balance and mass the system once more. Record this mass also. Subtract the second mass from the first and record the difference. There should be a small difference which would be the mass of the gas that escaped.

As with the volume method there is inherent error built into the messiness of the massing method as well. Students should think

critically about the method and note their observations once more. Potential errors include: A balance which is not calibrated or is defective. The two tablets used may not be exactly the same mass. There is no guarantee that the amount of active ingredient in each

tablet will be the same and therefore the relationship between mass and volume will not be perfect.

All of the gas may not have escaped before the final mass is taken. The effervescence may carry some moisture out of the beaker with it.

Finding the Density:Now students can substitute into the formula they should know very well by now: density equals mass divided by volume. They should get a very small number. Have each team put their mass, volume, and density on the board in a class data chart. Find the average density value for the class. Now place the actual density value for carbon dioxide. For my purposes I express this value as 0.002 g/cm3. Now we can look at the class data. All groups should have an answer that is very small.

A few will be close to the actual answer, some will be in the 0.01 to 0.09 range, and some will be significant outliers due to experimental/mathematical error. Considering the crudeness of our method and equipment, the overall result is exceptionally good. Congratulate the class on their success and attention to high quality work.

To finish up, I will tell the class that the densities for most materials have been calculated and published. If we wanted to know a density, we could look it up. Virtually all forms of matter have a different density but not always. As such, density can be used to identify unknown samples of material. That makes density a characteristic physical property. Nickel and Copper have the same density and in such cases we may have to look for more help in order to confirm an identity. There are a few other characteristic physical properties like those of melting point and boiling point. Together they can add important evidence as to the identity of the unknown or suspected sample.

You should also mention that because gas volumes vary considerably with temperature and pressure (and therefore their density also), the density value found in a reference will have the temperature and pressure it was determined at. Your sample in these conditions should have the same density assuming it is a pure substance and not a mixture and doesn’t contain impurities.

When I assess this task I’ll often ask students to type up a one page discussion that contains the following: an opening paragraph that describes what the nature of the problem was; a paragraph describing how indirect observation was able to produce data the class could manipulate; a paragraph looking at the potential errors involved in the massing method and another for the volume method; and a final paragraph stating the team, class average, and actual density values of carbon dioxide along with a brief assessment of their accuracy.

Solids @ 200C in g/cm3

Liquids@ 200C in g/cm3

Gases@ STP in g/cm3

Platinum 21.4 Mercury 13.6 Carbon Dioxide 0.00198Gold 19.3 Sea water 1.03 Oxygen 0.00143Uranium 18.7 Water 1.0 Air 0.00129Lead 11.3 Olive oil 0.920 Nitrogen 0.00125Nickel 8.9 Turpentine 0.870 Helium 0.000178Copper 8.9 Methyl alcohol 0.790 Hydrogen 0.000089Iron 7.9 Ether 0.740Zinc 7.1 Gasoline 0.690Tin 5.6Aluminum 2.7Magnesium 1.7Ice (00C) 0.920

(Andrews, 1978, p. 63)

Massing Method

Figure 1 Step One: Massing the system before dissolving the tablet

Figure 2: Step Two: Massing the system after dissolving the tablet

Volume Method

Help with or take up of density problemsThe investigation to find the density of carbon dioxide may be completed before the end of this period. If you are on track and have no other catching up to do, this is a good opportunity to take up the density problems if you have not had the opportunity to do so. Students who don’t need help could be challenged to try graphing the slope of their carbon dioxide mass/volume data. You could scatter plot the classes mass and volume data and then draw a line of best fit from the origin out through the points. Alternatively, you could simply plot the class average mass and volume giving you just one point to draw through from the origin. You could also have students use only their own mass and volume (x, y) point and the origin. The actual slope for carbon dioxide could be plotted and compared to the option you selected.

Assigning the Take Home InquiryYet another option could be to begin describing what the inquiry extension entails. Students will essentially carry out an inquiry of their choice at home. This does not have to be assigned now but should be by the end of the unit. Once I assign the extension, students have one week to complete and turn in their report. For a full description of this performance assessment, please see the discussion following the study list found in the Day 14 Teacher Notes.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Thirteen

The International Density Conference!

Okay. The teams should be well aware that today is the day. Prior to class starting student teams should be setting up the room in United Nations type of organization. Flags could be attached to metre sticks and then to a desk. Some may have decided to have fun with it and wear costumes of some sort. Others may have their work incorporated into a power point. The objective this time around though is that a presentation gets completed and that students receive coaching about how to improve on subsequent presentations. The first team to present should be at the front attaching their poster to the easel or display board.

They and you should already be aware of what needs to be covered. There may not have been time to practice the presentation but that could be good feedback to give the class after their first presentation. Professionals do that …practice … it’s a sign of strength. They will also visit a room they’re talking in and get comfortable with the orientation. Speaking position; equipment set up; technical issues like lighting/sound; computer/LCD hookups; printing/handout issues; and so on can be problem solved ahead of time.

Generally, groups should name their material; show the class a sample of it; provide a brief background of the materials origin/occurrence/use; describe how the samples were massed and volumes found; provide some insight into experimental error observed in the samples and/or method; and conclude by pointing out the graphed data and the slope calculation. This should only take 5-8 minutes per team (three people) and two thirds of your class time although that will vary your first time through.

I have all students keep a chart of the average mass and volume for each of the materials as they are presented. At the conclusion of the last presentation, I show the students how to use that class data in order to produce a master graph of all materials slopes. Of course you could simply list the densities in increasing or decreasing order but this helps to further illustrate the relationship amongst the materials and in particularly to that of water. An example of such a graph follows these notes. Students may have to complete the work at home or in class during the review period tomorrow.

AssessmentYou will need to make some of your own and departmental decisions about what should be assessed. Remember that at this point priorities should focus on motivation, encouragement, and coaching. The tools that we have available are: Individual and collaborative work skills rubrics for the process (see Appendix D) A rubric used to assess and coach individual contributions to

the presentation (see Appendix D) A rubric used to assess and coach the product produced by the

team (see Appendix D)

How you give feedback also needs to be considered. Conferencing can be very powerful. I like to conference with the class to provide my overall perceptions; suggestions for next steps; and lots of positive strokes. I will then find time in the near future to meet with teams and provide more specific feedback about their work and presentation. If my observations and the work skills rubric indicate, I may need to hold an occasional individual conference to work out a strategy that will improve a poor assessment. Alternatively, perhaps praise for a very strong assessment is in order as well. Logging the pertinent segments of these conferences can provide valuable data down the road for guidance, parent interview, report card and other situations.

Producing a Master GraphFollowing all presentations, each student in the class should have a data table which includes the average mass and volume for each of the materials presented during the conference. Students then plot each point and label it according to the material it is. They may use color or simply mark the intercept (see exemplar). They should end up with many points plotted on the graph. It is important that they realize that they are not drawing a line of best fit for all the plotted points (as this would give them average density of all the various materials). They need to connect each labeled point to the zero intercept and continue the line outward into the graph (approximately

2/3 of the page). Once completed, they will have a graph with the same number of lines as there was presentations (plus water). The “water” line should go right through the middle, at a 45 degree angle and the rest of the lines should fall above and below it. You may choose to collect and mark this graph or use it for discussion when comparing densities and the slope of a mass/volume graph.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Fourteen

Study List & Considerations for the Upcoming Test

I usually give students at least one weeks notice as to when their unit test will take place. I let them know the format of the test and what they will need to bring (pen, pencil, eraser, calculator, and ruler). Then, as a class, we generate a study list. I tend not to give them a formal review, but rather a list of concepts which they must be comfortable with.I make sure these concepts are part of my study list:

Characteristics of observations (qualitative and quantitative) The Scientific Method (not just listing the steps, but understanding

how to use each step to solve a problem) Defining and applying knowledge of variables/terms used in

scientific inquiry (independent & dependent variable, use of a control, consideration of constants)

Hypothesis structure Practical considerations for experimental method design Understanding measurements of length, mass and volume

(definitions, measurement techniques, units, conversions) Density (definition of, calculation of) Graphing (graphing requirements, lines of best fit,

interpolating/extrapolating, and calculating slope)

Make the list brief so that you don’t overwhelm them but be sure to speak to each point and remind the students of the experiences/lessons that exposed the students to these concepts. We have the test listed as day fifteen but you could schedule it whenever you wish.

It’s important to remember a few things when you consider the test as we’ve presented it. Our school does not have a written final exam. Therefore the unit tests are the knowledge and understanding component of the final term mark. As such, they are fairly rigorous. Of course you would modify for student course level and learning identified students. We have found that a grade nine, academic student who has participated in and studied for this material does well. Multiple choice tests do not lend themselves to checking for deeper understanding of concepts, nor do they allow students to demonstrate what they know and can do. Inquiry is applied science education which is why you see the questions presented in this format. You can of course modify the test as you see fit to serve your needs. We have not included any bonus question either which may

be a wish of yours as well. In place of the final exam we have a culminating performance worth thirty percent that is a final evaluation of the skills and understandings students have developed around scientific inquiry. Embedded within such a performance evaluation are many of the communication and making connections expectations as well. Traditionally, exams tend to be top heavy in the opposite direction … all knowledge and understanding yet that component only makes up twenty five percent of the achievement charts! That is why we advocate for unit tests to handle that component.

First Unit Extension: Taking Inquiry Home

We want students to have an opportunity to pursue the solution to a problem by using what they have learned to this point in the inquiry unit. This is a chance to demonstrate and practice their skills and understandings but they must do it at home. There are a few benefits to setting the extension up like this. The first is that this time the students must do their critical thinking without a team to help them. They will discover that they understand an awful lot already about how to solve their problem. The second is that they will be demonstrating this knowledge to their parents or guardians and it’s not just homework they’re doing; it’s an active inquiry. This cannot help but generate positive feedback for your department and encourage parent sibling discussion about science. Parents are usually very happy to hear their son/daughter teaching them about scientific inquiry. They will remember the trials and tribulations from the years when their child was in elementary school and brought home that science fair project. Many parents have told me how hard they worked to do that project for their child.

Our department sends a letter home congratulating grade nine students for reaching this point in their inquiry careers at Churchill. The letter also serves to introduce the task to the parents. Students must select one of the following options to complete:

You are curious as to which freezes faster; hot or cold water. Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

You are curious as to what dissolves faster; a pile of sugar granules or a sugar cube. Both samples will have the same mass of sugar. . Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

You have seen various items like pins, staples, and paperclips float on water. You are curious as to what will destroy this surface tension. . Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

There may be other investigations which you could add to the list which is great. For instance, you might ask students to investigate some variable that may affect the ability of a solute like sugar or salt to dissolve. We find that these three problems are simple enough in concept that virtually all students are able to conceive of and design an inquiry; collect data; and write an analysis. For the first time I will be asking them to use the department template to organize their report. Look over the template carefully and decide which components are doable right now. Go through those with the students and explain your take on each one. Show them the assessment template and point out which items you will be deleting or making less high stakes.

For example, here is what I ask for in the introductory section of the report. In the first paragraph, the student must state the nature of the problem they are faced with; that of choosing one of the problems and developing a solution to it. Next, they state the research question they intend to study. In the next paragraph I encourage them to present some background research relevant to the question under study. It does not need to be extensive at this time but it shouldn’t be trivial either. If books, CD ROMs, or websites are used they must be cited and referenced.

Now they can discuss the variables relevant to their inquiry. These would include: the independent variable; the dependant variable; the control situation and a justification for choosing it; and a list of the variables that will need to be held constant in order to increase the validity of the data gathered. Finally, I have them conclude by stating the predicted finding along with a supporting explanation as to why they think things will fall out this way. That concludes the introduction. I’ll leave it to you to read and modify the rest. You will find the department template in Appendix E and the assessment criteria/scale in Appendix D.

See the following page for the letter home to students and parents. Note that I ask parents to sit down with their son/daughter at some point during the process and have them explain: what the variable decisions were; what the hypothesis was; what the method design was; and what data was collected. Parents simply sign and return the letter sent to indicate that the conference took place. In this way students reach for deeper understanding of inquiry concepts as they put their ideas and actions into words for someone who has probably not been exposed to such material. Parents get to see their children taking control of their own learning process by using a problem solving strategy.

Dear Grade Nine Science Student & Parental Unit(s)

We, the science department at Sir Winston Churchill C. & V.I., would like to congratulate you on having completed our first grade nine science unit; An Introduction to Scientific Inquiry. Throughout this unit you have learned the ways and understandings of scientific researchers.

You will have completed work on and discussed with your parents at home the following experiences:

What’s up with that? The 6 P’s Alka Seltzer Rockets The River Weir & The Scientific Method The M.K. Walker Consulting Company – Understanding research

design & terminology The need for metric measurement and practical experience doing it The concept of density & density problems The International Density Conference The Density of Carbon Dioxide

These experiences should have given you a rudimentary understanding of how problem solving strategies are used in science. Now it is time to practice those skills and to demonstrate to both your parents and your teacher what you know and can do using scientific inquiry to solve a problem. You have already been told in class that there are three problems available and that you must select one for study. Your job is to design an investigation to answer the question posed. Then you must carry out that method and collect data that you will use to support or refute your hypothesis. Finally, you must create a formal report to be turned in for assessment. You have been given a copy of the report requirements and have been shown how it will be assessed. Parents; you can obtain extra copies of these two documents from the science department link on the school web site if necessary. The three problems appear below for the parents’ benefit:

You are curious as to which freezes faster; hot or cold water. Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

You are curious as to what dissolves faster; a pile of sugar granules or a sugar cube. Both samples will have the same mass of sugar. . Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

You have seen various items like pins, staples, and paperclips float on water. You are curious as to what will destroy this surface tension. . Design and carry out an investigation that studies this problem.

Parents, please give your son/daughter the necessary latitude to carry out their investigation without taking it over for them. By all means engage him/her in a conversation about: what a hypothesis should look like;

what is their independent and dependent variable and what do those terms mean; what’s been used as the control, what is a control, and why is this situation one; what variables have been held constant; what has their background research shown them; and when it is all said and done … can they support their hypothesis. This performance assessment is due on Wed. Oct. 6th.

Daily Teacher Notes

Day Fifteen

UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

1. Compare and contrast the following pairs of words (give an example of each as each question is 4 marks each)

Qualitative vs. quantitative observationsIndependent vs. dependent variableHypothesis vs. conclusionInterpolation vs. Extrapolation

2. You are an environmental scientist called in to investigate a problem in the local community. The general public are upset because the fish in Lake Churchill are dying. The lake is surrounded by industry and one particular business is dumping a chemical called G48 into the water. The company assures you that G48 is completely safe. Explain how you would use the steps involved in the Scientific Method to investigate the problem. (14 marks)

3. Consider the metric units for length. List the units in order, from largest to smallest and include the symbol for each. (1 mark each)

4. Complete the following metric conversions :( 1 mark each COMPLETE ON ANSWER PAGE)

865mg = _______________cg 10568mL = ______________L

16.8g of H20 = ________ ml 21mL of H20 = ______ cm3

0.00607 mm = __________m 8.9 Mg = _______________kg

5. You have sampled and recorded the following mass and volume data for an unknown sample.

Mass (g) 8 16 32 40 48Volume (mL) 10 20 40 50 60

a) Calculate the density of this material using the average mass and volume. Be sure to show the formula and all of your work!!!

b) Construct a graph of the mass and volume data, being sure to follow the rules for proper graphing (ie. title and label x and y axis). Draw the line of best fit through the points.

c) Using the graph, indicate how could you find the volume of a sample of this substance if you are told the mass is _20_ grams? What would be the mass of a sample if its volume was _70_mL? (We want students to draw the lines on the graph to get their answer)

d) Draw a slope triangle on your graph and label the rise and the run. Calculate the slope of your line. Be sure to show your formula and your work.

e) Will this sample sink or float in water? How do you know?

6. Solve the following density question, and remember, SHOW ALL OF YOUR WORK!A rectangular object has the following dimensions: height = 2 cm; length = 0.1 m; and width = 40 mm. The objects mass is 3653 cg. Calculate the density of this object and record the answer using the units’ g/cm3.

7. Complete the following chart:

Experiment INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

CONSTANTS (List 3)

1. Determining the effects of skipping on body temperature in humans.

COMPLETE THIS QUESTION ON THE ANSWER PAGE

2. Determining the effects of increased tire pressure on the maximum speed of go carts.

8. What are the components of a good hypothesis statement? Give one example of a hypothesis that you have done in class. (3 marks)

9. Why should we make sure to cite references when completing our scientific inquiries (two reasons)? (2 marks)

STUDENT ANSWER SHEET - UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

Scientist: __________ ________ Mark: _____________

1. 4 marks each, remember to use examples.a)

b)

c)

d)

2. Imagine that the experiment has been completed and results have been observed. List each step of the scientific method and explain how you used each step of the scientific method to solve the problem. (Give “made up” results)

3. List each unit for length from largest to smallest AND give symbol (9 marks)

4. Answer below (6 marks)a) ________________________ b) ___________________________

c) ________________________ d) ___________________________ e) ________________________ f) ___________________________

5(a) SHOW ALL OF YOUR WORK!! (4 marks)

5(b) Complete on graph paper provided (6 marks)

5(c) Show on the graph how you were able to solve this question. Place the answers in the space below (2 marks)

5 (d) Show the slope of your line on your graph, but do calculations here (4 marks)

5(e) (2 marks)

6. SHOW ALL WORK (5 marks)

7. (10 marks)

IV DV Constants (3)

1. Determining the effects of skipping on body temperature in humans.

2. Determining the effects of increased tire pressure on the maximum speed of go carts.

8. (3 marks)

9. (2 marks)

ANSWER SHEET - UNIT 1 TEST: THE NATURE OF SCIENCE

Scientist:_____ANSWERS______ Mark: ____100%_____

1. 4 marks each.a) Both describe types of observations used in scientific investigations.

Qualitative Observations: Those which are determined using your senses and describe the physical characteristics of an item, such as color, texture, shape. (i.e. The sample of foam is yellow and soft)

Quantitative Observations: Those which involve measurements of an item, such as mass, length, temperature. These observations always involve a number and a unit. (i.e. The sample of foam is 28.5 grams in mass and 20 cm long)

b) Both are important variables involved in controlled investigations.

Independent Variable (IV): The variable that is purposely changed / manipulated by the experimenter. (i.e. Changing the number of fins on a alka seltzer rocket)

Dependent Variable (DV): The variable that responds to the testing (IV) during the experiment; the variable that is measured. (i.e. The height of flight of an alka seltzer rocket)

c) Both are steps of the scientific method and a section in a design and perform.

Hypothesis: A short and concise, AIF...., THEN...@ statement that predicts the outcome of the experiment. (i.e. If the number of fins is increased by two, then the rocket will fly higher)

Conclusion: Restates the hypothesis, compares the significant results to it and then supports or rejects the hypothesis. (i.e. The hypothesis is accepted; with the addition of two fins, the height of flight increased by an average of 0.4 m)

d) Both are ways of using a graph to predict data that was not measured.

Extrapolation: Extending a line of best fit to predict/estimate values outside of measured data. (i.e. estimating where an army worm may be 5 minutes after testing had concluded)

Interpolation: Using a data on a line of best fit to predict/estimate a value found within a graph. (i.e. predicting the mass of an object, using the slope, when only the volume in known)

2. 14 marks total I. Curiosity – Recognition of a Problem:

Fish are dying in a community lake. There are some suspected causes, and people are very concerned. Students have been called in to investigate.

II. Background Research – Adding to Our Knowledge Base: Many topics can be identified to research such as Lake Churchill, the fish species found in the lake, the companies surrounding the area, the chemical G48. Making sure that students have listed a number of areas which they would look such as; Family, friends, neighbors; Teachers, text books, lessons; Libraries, internet, CD ROMs, data bases; University/college students, professors, researcher assistants, technicians; Ontario & federal government departments: MOE, MNR; Local special interest groups: conservation authority, fishing & boating associations, environmental awareness groups; Local municipal offices: recreation, tourism, city planning; Private business and industry: ecotourism, landscaping, environmental engineering, and so on.

III. Hypothesis, prediction, research question: Make sure that the hypothesis is a short, concise statement that takes the form of an If (this action is taken) … Then (this should occur) statement. This statement should predict the outcome of their experiment. An example may include, “If company X is responsible, then we should find increased levels of G48 in their vicinity”.

IV. Design an Experimental Method: Experimental designs will vary, but students need to make sure that they discuss what the significant variables are in this investigation and how they will be controlled. They must also state how they will go about reducing experimental error and therefore increase validity. An example may include, sampling certain parameters around the lake, making sure to keep depth, volume and test volume constant.

V. Collecting the data: Students should state that they would collect and record data. They may choose to “make up” their own data.

VI. Manipulating and analyzing the data: Students should state how they would manipulate their data (look for trends and patterns within data table, calculate averages, graph the data, examine the relationship between the two variables).

Summary, new questions:

Students should state if they would support or refute a hypothesis and formulate new questions. Examples may include: are there other chemicals causing damage; is there more than one company responsible; is there an effect on the ecosystem; is there an effect on the ground water; can G48 be escape the lake.

3. List each unit from largest to smallest AND give symbol. (1 mark each)

Megametre (Mm) kilometer (km) hectometre (hm) decameter (dam) metre (m) decimetre (dm) centimetre (cm) millimetre (mm) micrometre (µm)

4. (1 mark each)a) 86.5 cg b) 10.568 L

c) 16.8 mL d) 21 cm3

e) 6.07 µm f) 8900 kg

5. (a) SHOW ALL WORK (6 marks) average mass of sample 144/5 = 28.8 g average volume of sample 180/5 = 36 mL

Density = mass/volume = 28.8 g / 36 mL = 0.8 g/mL (cm3)

b) Mark their graph out of 6 marks, making sure to have:i. correct page set up

ii. titleiii. correct scale choseniv. labeled axisv. correctly plotted points

vi. accurate line of best fit

c) Make sure their graph indicates how they were able to solve this question for one mark and the other mark is for indicating that 20 g = 25 mL and 70 mL = 56 g.

d) The slope triangle will give them two marks. The other two are for:

Slope = Rise / Run = the appropriate values = 0.8

e) This sample will float in fresh water, as its density is less than 1 g/mL.

6. SHOW ALL WORK (5 marks)The volume of the object in cm3 = 2 cm x 10 cm x 4 cm = 80 cm3The mass of the object in grams = 36.53 g

Density = mass / volume = 36.53 g / 80 cm3 = 0.46 g / cm3

7. (10 marks)

IV DV Constants (3)

1. Determining the effects of skipping on body temperature in humans.

The act of skipping The resultant body temperature

Sex, age, fitness level, diet, health of participants. Same

environment, altitude, etc.

2. Determining the effects of increased tire pressure on the maximum speed of go carts.

Increasing tire pressure

Maximum speeds attained at each tire

pressure

Same model of go cart, same weight, same driver, same fuel load, weather,

etc.

8. (3 marks)-a short, concise “If …., then ….” statement that predicts the outcome of the experiment-examples could include the river weir, M.K walker experiments, variables charts, their scientific method poster or their unit extension

9. (2 marks)-to give credit to the author where the information was found-to show that the research has been peer/editor reviewed and is acceptable

Appendix A

The Use of Portfolios

I consider a portfolio, a collection of student work that reflects the learning process of a student over the course of a semester. I tend to use them in all of my classes, and find them valuable for many reasons.

At any given time throughout the semester, I have access to all of a student’s work that I have assessed, coached and reflects student understanding. This is an asset during report card time as well as parent-teacher conferences. Students can use their portfolios at any time over the course of a semester to reflect back on content that they may need further instruction around (i.e. graphing or data collection).

I can use the portfolio to evaluate the type of work that I have assigned, and reflect on my own teaching practices at the end of a semester. Once I have finished the semester I can sample through the work and choose exemplars that will help students in years to come.

Exemplars are useful to “set the bar” when assigning a task, to show what each level of achievement looks like, or to show students how the assessment criteria will be used. You may choose to give

all work back to students from the portfolio; I tend not to keep portfolio work unless the student has asked specifically

for it, they should keep electronic copies most of their work.

The portfolio consists

of a large file folder with 5 different inserts that students will use to organize their work. The portfolio can be decorated by the students using a general science theme, or you may find an activity in a future unit the can be used instead.

I have an interesting chemistry one which I will bring in October. The inserts are titled as follows: planning, data collection, data analysis and journal entries and assessment. Planning will include background research, hypothesis writing, variable discussions, etc (the first stages of the rocket report).

Data collection will include data tables, etc. Data analysis will include manipulation of data (collecting averages, the density master graph). Journal entries can include reflections

from student about a topic, literacy preparation-type activities and follow ups to assignments (what to do next time, new questions, etc).

And finally, the evaluation section will include all tests that have been written. Students MUST correct their tests and have parents sign them before they go into their portfolios.

Appendix B

Joe Schwarcz – Observations on Science

Science is a process used to search for truth; it is not a collection of unalterable truths

Certainty is elusive in science; we must rely on less direct evidence for some conclusions

All consequences cannot be predicted Any new finding should be examined with

skepticism One study should not be the basis for a major

lifestyle change Studies must be carefully interpreted by

experts in the field not misinterpreted or misrepresented by some media

Nonsensical lingo can sound very scientific Repeating a false notion often does not make

it true Legitimate, opposing views does not mean

science can’t be trusted. We must be mindful of other factors operating in the background like: who, what, design, profit, esteem, etc.

Chemicals are neither good nor bad, they are simply composed of atoms/molecules

Nature is not safe or benign; the properties of anything are determined by its molecular structure

If something sounds too good to be true it probably is

“Nobody has a monopoly on being right; everybody is ignorant only on different issues” (Will Rogers)

“Every complex problem has a solution that is simple, direct, plausible, and wrong” (H.L. Menken)

(Montreal Gazette, 2004)

Appendix CReal World Problems

Observations by Rick Gordon

Rick Gordon, writing about Real World Problems and Results in a piece on problem based learning notes the following (I have paraphrased the material into the numbered points):

1. Authentic learning means active learning

2. Very few adults do worksheets

3. In authentic learning, people work together and students … move about, talk to one another, and are physically and mentally active

4. Authentic learning involves ones knowledge, skills, and attitudes and they develop in the context of actual work

5. Authentic learning is driven by essential knowledge that is meaningful to students

6. Attention to real life skills will link work to real life experience

7. In authentic activities, learning (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) may carry over from one context to another

8. In authentic learning situations students publicly exhibit their learning and are measured against real life standards of quality (judging culminating performances)

The bottom line is: What do we want students to know, do, and be like (knowledge, skills, & attitudes)(Gordon, 1998, p390-393)

Appendix D

Assessment Tools

1. Millennium Rubric: Individual Work Skills2. Millennium Rubric: Collaborative Work Skills3. International Density Conference: Oral Presentation

Rubric (adaptable)4. Scientific Method Poster Rubric (also found in day 4, page

12) 5. Department Inquiry Assessment Template

A couple of years ago, I spent a significant amount of time working on a project team created by the Assessment and Learning Consortium. At the time, the consortium included the Lakehead, Durham, Toronto, Halton and Waterloo District School Boards. Our work included research into the learning theory behind; and the development of a strategy for; developing performance assessments done by students. Having the opportunity to work with some of the best pedagogical and assessment minds in the country was a wonderful personal growth and professional development opportunity for me. One of the benefits of that collaboration was five rubrics the team developed for assessment of process work. I include the individual and collaborative work skills rubrics here for your use. Please ensure that the term Millennium remains a part of the document.

MILLENNIUM PROJECT – RUBRICS

Individual Work Skills Rubric

CRITERIA LEVEL ONE LEVEL TWO LEVEL THREE LEVEL FOURInitiative Rarely self

starts

Rarely takes appropriate risks

Rarely poses questions

Sometimes self starts

Sometimes takes appropriate risks

Sometimes poses questions

Frequently self starts

Frequently takes appropriate risks

Frequently poses questions

Routinely self starts

Routinely takes appropriate risks

Routinely poses questions

Commitment to the Task

Rarely spends time on the task

Rarely perseveres with the task when faced with problems

Sometimes spends time on the task

Sometimes perseveres with the task when faced with problems

Frequently spends time on the task

Frequently perseveres with the task when faced with problems

Routinely spends time on the task

Routinely perseveres with the task when faced with problems

Self - Monitoring

Rarely monitors own work

Rarely makes adjustments to improve processes and/or products

Sometimes monitors own work

Sometimes makes adjustments to improve process and/or products

Frequently monitors own work

Frequently makes adjustments to improve processes and/or products

Routinely monitors own work

Routinely makes adjustments to improve processes and/or products

Attention to Quality

Rarely ensures that work is complete

Rarely strives for quality work

Sometimes ensures that work is complete

Sometimes strives for quality work

Frequently ensures that work is complete

Frequently strives for quality work

Always ensures that work is complete

Always strives for quality work

MILLENNIUM PROJECT – RUBRICS

Collaborative Work Skills Rubric

CRITERIA LEVEL ONE LEVEL TWO LEVEL THREE LEVEL FOURCommitment to the Task

Rarely focuses on the task

Rarely perseveres with the task(s) when faced with problems

Rarely uses time effectively to complete task(s)

Focuses on the task some of the time

Sometimes perseveres with the task(s) when faced with problems

Sometimes uses time effectively to complete task(s)

Focuses on the task most of the time

Frequently perseveres with the task(s) when faced with problems

Frequently uses time effectively to complete the task(s)

Almost always focuses on the task

Routinely perseveres with the task(s) when faced with problems

Routinely uses time effectively to complete the task(s)

Meaningful Contribution

Rarely contributes useful ideas/solutions

Sometimes contributes useful ideas/solutions

Frequently contributes useful ideas/solutions

Routinely contributes useful ideas/solutions

Fulfilling Responsibilities to the Group

Fulfills assigned responsibilities with minimal effectiveness

Fulfills assigned responsibilities with moderate effectiveness

Fulfills assigned responsibilities effectively

Fulfills assigned responsibilities with a high degree of effectiveness

Working with Others

Rarely listens to, shares with, or supports others

Sometimes listens to, shares with, or supports others

Frequently listens to, shares with, or supports others

Routinely listens to, shares with, or supports others

Monitoring the Effectiveness of the Group

Rarely monitors the effectiveness of the group

Rarely suggests adjustments to improve the group’s effectiveness

Sometimes monitors the effectiveness of the group

Sometimes suggests adjustments to improve the group’s effectiveness

Frequently monitors the effectiveness of the group

Frequently suggests adjustments to improve the group’s effectiveness

Routinely monitors the effectiveness of the group

Routinely suggests adjustments to improve the group’s effectiveness

International Density Conference – Presentation Rubric - Individual

Criteria 1 2 3 4

Comfort / Understanding of the Presentation Material

The presenter has little understanding of material.

The student reads from presentation notes.

Presenter has some understanding of the material.

The student relies on presentation notes for help.

The presenter may refer to the presentation notes in a positive sense. The presenter understands most of the material.

The presenter is eloquently comfortable with and understands the material.

CommunicationSkills: Clarity, Diction, Gestures, Eye Contact

The delivery is broken.Ums, Ahs, Okay, Like, etc.

No gestures or excessive gestures.

The presenter does not speak to the audience, little eye contact.

The presenter’s voice is a monotone.

The delivery has some breaks. Some diction and grammar errors are made. Gestures may be excessive.

The presenter seldom speaks to the audience and makes limited eye contact.

The presenter’s voice has limited effect.

The delivery, diction, grammar, gestures and eye contact are satisfactory.

The presenter speaks to the audience most of the time.

The presenter’s voice varies with some effect.

The delivery is smooth flowing, diction and grammar are good. Eye contact and gestures aid the presentation.

The presenter speaks to the audience.

The presenter’s voice varies with effect; pitch/tone/volume

Presentation RoleOf the Member

The role taken on by this member is a trivial one and contributes little to the team presentation

The role taken on by this member is limited but contributes somewhat to the team presentation

The role taken on by this member is satisfactory and contributes to the team presentation

The role taken on by this member is exemplary and integral to the team presentation

Material Coverage by the Member

There is some content coverage but it is inadequate.

Content coverage satisfies minimum requirements.

Content coverage achieves the desired effect.

Content coverage is exceptional.

Scientific Method Poster – Rubric

LEVEL 1 2 3 4

CRITERIA

The theme / analogy that is presented

The illustrations/text are random in

nature and may not relate to the same

theme/inquiry

Many of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry

All of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry

All of the illustrations/text

relate to the same theme/inquiry in

an exemplary manner

Headings, steps and illustrations are neat and organized

Headings/sections are missing.

All headings/sections are addressed but the work is un-

organized and hard to follow

All headings and sections are

addressed. The work is neat and

organized

All headings and sections are addressed.

Presentation techniques are

outstandingOriginal / Scientific Thinking

The nature of the problem/inquiry is not clearly evident

and does not follow scientific

thinking

The nature of the problem/inquiry is

not original and copies existing

scientific knowledge

The nature of the problem/inquiry is original in concept

or modifies existing scientific

knowledge

The nature of the problem/inquiry

is addressed using

commendable science thinking

Assessment Template for Scientific Inquiry Performances

Titles and Authors Title (what was studied? acting on what?) 0

1 2 Names (authors and instructor) 0

1 Class code, date, all of the above on the 1st page 0

1 /4

Introduction Nature of problem statement 0

1 Research question posed 0

1 Relevant research with in text references 0

1 2 3 4 Proposed Method (variables discussion) 0

1 2 3 4 Justification for approach used and predicted outcome 0

1 2 /12

Hypothesis IF........THEN framework 0

1 2 Concise statements 0

1 /3

Materials/Method Itemized or numbered lists 0

1 Materials and apparatus used 0

1 2 Procedure needed to repeat experiment not errors 0

1 2 3 4 Lab safety and precautions considered 0

1 2 Past tense 0

1 /10

Results Raw data is presented in an appropriate format 0

1 2 3 Data is manipulated / transformed in some way 0

1 2 3 Tables, charts, graphs have are numbered with titles 0

1 2 Trends (present/absent, quantified, direction) 0

1 2 /10

Discussion

Comparison of data to control 0 1 2 3 4

Experimental error 0 1 2 3 4

Congruency with outside research, referenced in text 0 1 2 3 4

Congruency with hypothesis 0 1 2 /14

Summary Short and concise 0

1 Significant result(s) 0

1 2 /3

8. References Cited Sufficient sources consulted 0

1 2 Sources are relevant 0

1 2 Sources listed are cited in text (Intro or Disc) 0

1 2 Various media consulted (net, books, CD ROM=s) 0

1 2 /8

Appendix E

Department Template for Inquiry Assessments

[A generic approach for all science classes]

The writing of a laboratory report is an important part of Science here at Churchill. As a piece of scientific research, a design and perform investigation is not complete until the problem has been researched and the data has been collected, recorded, manipulated, and discussed. Your report is analogous with an investigation printed in a scientific journal; its purpose is to convey the intent, method, and results of an investigation to the scientific community.

Your lab report should include the following principle sections:

Title and AuthorIntroductionHypothesisMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionSummaryReferences Cited

Important Note: All sections of the report should be written in the past tense. You are describing what you studied and how you went about it. Do not use the words AI@ and AWe@ however. A statement like Athe test tubes were placed in a hot water bath for ten minutes then removed and examined for a colour change@ would be acceptable. The report should be clear, concise and written using a word processor. Graphs, tables, and graphics should also be done with computer software. Keep this idea in mind: assume the reader does not have a background in your area of expertise although they may be scientifically literate. Investigations should be verifiable, that is they can be replicated by others. Does your report allow that to happen?

Sections of the Report

Title and Author(s)

On your cover page construct and display a title that indicates what was studied (IV) acting on what (organism, molecule, model, etc). Include your instructors name, the class code, and the date. Although you may wish to include a simple graphic, no additional artwork or formatting should be considered. There are no marks given for this kind of effort.

Introduction

This section should be a page to a page and half long. Paragraph structure must be used. The initial paragraph should state the ANature of the Problem@ under consideration and pose your AResearch Question@. The next few paragraphs should provide a brief review of the state of knowledge around the subject of investigation. Be careful here. Your background information should educate the reader about what you are studying, not inundate him/her with unnecessary facts or trivia. Any references included from research must include an (Author, Date, Page) designation and must show up as a citation on your References Cited page.

The last few paragraphs should explain the predicted outcome of the investigation as it relates to the research question. Provide a brief outline of how you intended to study the question. The outline should mention the independent and dependent variables used, the design of the control condition and how other key variables were kept constant. Justify the approach used.

Hypothesis

This is a concise statement which is to be substantiated or refuted. It is a proposed relationship (cause and effect) between two or more variables. As such you will need to refer to it in your summary. It is intended to be a framework around which you can design an investigation. Ideally, it should be stated in an AIf.........Then@ format. Wherever possible, it should be quantifiable.

For the most part, your investigative design should substantiate or refute your hypothesis only. The data collected should support this and not provide a lot of other information. Simple designs that investigate the relationship between two variables only are best to start with. This limits the number of factors we are working with and

makes the investigation manageable. Remember: a scientist rarely answers the question to his/her satisfaction the first time around or the second or the third..........otherwise we would have a cure for all cancers right now. It is the discussion generated and the new questions raised that we are concerned with.

Materials and Methods

This section should allow another investigator to repeat your study without repeating your errors. Experimental set up and measurement techniques should be described. It is okay to identify points in the procedure where problems arose and modifications were made. That is what scientists do.....nothing is perfect.

Pre-experimental testing or procedures (such as producing a solution of certain concentration or pH) should be described as well. Include a section on laboratory safety and precautions to be taken wherever necessary.

Use numbered or itemized lists.

Results

This section should allow you to display collected raw data, analyze it (manipulate or transform)and present it in a form suitable for evaluation in your discussion. Raw quantitative data is usually displayed in a tabular form. To transform or manipulate data means that you might have:

subjected the data to statistical calculations (mean, mode, %) turned the tabular data into graphical form (line, bar, pie

graphs) converted drawings into diagrams and/or flowcharts stated trends evident from observation or calculated from

tables or graphs (ie. a two fold increase or a 9% decrease) ... note that stating Ano trend is evident based on this data@ is a legitimate observation

For example: AFigure 1 shows the exponential relationship between ambient temperature and heart rate in the rainbow trout. Note that a ten degree rise in temperature resulted in a three (3) fold increase in heart rate.@

Whatever format is chosen, the work must be neat and laid out in a way that is easy to follow. All work should be identified by a Figure or Table number and Title. Be sure to identify all Headings and Axes and include all appropriate units. If you are using a graph, do some research to enable you to make the best decision as to which graphing format to choose. It is very important that you understand what the terms accuracy and precision mean when collecting, manipulating and evaluating data.

At certain times you may find it necessary to record qualitative observations. If so find a way to organize them neatly. Be aware that

these can highly subjective.

Do not attempt to interpret the data in this section or make reference to other results found through research. That belongs in your evaluation of the data contained in the Discussion.

DiscussionIn this section you will:

Interpret (evaluate) your results Relate your results to that found in background research Speculate on the meaning and validity of your results

Evaluation should include: comparing your data against that generated by the control assessing the procedure, equipment, and time used and suggesting

modifications where appropriate (this section is often referred to as experimental error)

looking for agreement or discrepancy between your results and background research

substantiation or rejection of your hypothesis

It is essential to consult a variety of sources when doing background research for both the Introduction and the conclusion. A report which only has Internet based research referenced is considered very weak! Reports that include references to scientific magazines, journals, text books , and non-fiction works become significantly better. Any references to research in your discussion must include an (Author, Date, Page) notation and should show up as a citation on your References Cited page.

SummaryThis section should be short and concise, no more than a few lines long, either in sentence form or in point form as a numbered list. It should only describe your significant experimental results as they relate to your hypothesis.

References CitedAny works used as background research for your Introduction or Discussion must be cited in text (Author, Date, Page) and show up in full bibliographic detail here on this page. Consult the Sir Winston Churchill C. & V.I. , MLA English Style Guide for proper format. Additionally, students can access the Churchill Forum Web Page; click on Departments; then on Science; then on Design & Perform; then on referencing. You must reference electronic sources as well (consult the guide, our web site, or the Lakehead University web site; linked to the Library; linked to Referencing; linked to Electronic). Do not use foot notes and do not reference works consulted but not cited (uncited works could be cited under that heading).

Appendix F

The Cycle of Proof & Principles of Scientific Work[author/source still being investigated for credit]

Cycle of Proof

This version of the cycle of proof is in the form of a flow chart.

From the original data base, the scientist arrives at a hypothesis – a tentative explanation for the data. From the hypothesis, a prediction can be made about the results of an experiment. The scientist then performs the experiment. If the results coincide with the prediction, then confidence in the hypothesis is strengthened. If the results do not coincide, then the hypothesis must be modified or discarded.

In either case, the scientist adds knowledge and insight to the original data base. A different or more sophisticated hypothesis can now be formed for the next trip around the cycle.

The Ten Principles

1. Principle of Objectivity.Scientists cultivate the ability to gather and examine facts. They base their conclusions only on these facts.

2. Principle of Tentativeness.Scientists do not regard their conclusions as final, but are prepared to modify them if they are contradicted by new evidence.

3. Principle of Consistency.Scientists assume that the behaviour of the world is describable in terms of laws which have always operated in the same way, and that the world we now see is the result of the continuous operation of these laws.

4. Principle of Causality.Scientists believe that every phenomenon results from discoverable causes.

5. Principle of Parsimony.Scientists attempt to reduce their view of the world to the simplest possible terms. They prefer explanations, theories, and hypotheses which account for as many phenomena as possible.

6. Principle of Materiality.Scientists prefer material and mechanical explanations of phenomena, rather than those which depend on non-material or supernatural factors.

7. Principle of Relativeness.Scientists think of the world, and the phenomena in it, as consisting of sets of relationships rather than of absolutes.

8. Principle of Dynamism.Scientists expect nature to be dynamic rather than static, and to show variation and change.

9. Principle of Continuous Discovery.Scientists hope that it will be possible to go on learning about the material world, and the material universe of which it is part, until eventually all may be understood.

10. Principle of Social Limitation.The social frame work within which scientists operate may determine and limit the kinds of problems with which they work, and may also influence their conclusions.

Appendix G

NSTA Position Statement (Draft, 2004)

DeclarationsRegarding the use of scientific inquiry as a teaching approach, NSTA recommends

that science teachers Plan an inquiry-based science program for their students by developing both short-

and long-term goals that incorporate appropriate content knowledge. Implement approaches to teaching science that begin with explorations and use

those experiences to raise and answer questions about the natural world. The learning cycle approach is one of many effective strategies for bringing explorations and questioning into the classroom.

Guide and facilitate learning using inquiry by selecting teaching strategies that nurture and assess student’s developing understandings and abilities.

Design and manage learning environments that provide students with the time, space, and resources needed for learning science through inquiry.

Receive adequate administrative support for the pursuit of science as inquiry in the classroom. Support can take the form of professional development on how to teach scientific inquiry, content, and the nature of science; the allocation of time to do scientific inquiry effectively; and the availability of necessary materials and equipment.

Experience science as inquiry as a part of their teacher preparation program. Preparation should include learning how to develop questioning strategies, writing lesson plans that promote abilities and understanding of scientific inquiry, and analyzing instructional materials to determine whether they promote scientific inquiry.

Regarding students' abilities to do scientific inquiry, NSTA recommends that teachers help students

Learn how to identify and ask appropriate questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.

Design and conduct investigations to collect the evidence needed to answer a variety of questions.

Become aware that there is no fixed method of approaching science inquiry, and that students can be creative in designing and conducting investigations and in analyzing data.

Use appropriate equipment and tools to interpret and analyze data. Learn how to draw conclusions and think critically and logically to create

explanations based on their evidence. Communicate and defend their results to their peers and others

Regarding students' understanding about scientific inquiry, NSTA recommends that teachers help students understand

That science involves asking questions about the world and then developing scientific investigations to answer their questions.

That there is no fixed sequence of steps that all scientific investigations follow. Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations.

That scientific inquiry is central to the learning of science and reflects how science is done.

The importance of gathering empirical data using appropriate tools and instruments. That the evidence they collect can change their perceptions about the world and

increase their scientific knowledge. The importance of being skeptical when they assess their own work and the work of

others. That the scientific community, in the end, seeks explanations that are empirically

based and logically consistent.

(http://www.nsta.org/main/forum/showthread.php?t=1175)

Appendix H

The National Science Education Standards (US)It has been said that learning science is something students do, not something that is done to them. To pursue that idea means shifting the emphasis away from teachers presenting information and covering science topics. Stephen Hawkins has said that you don’t want to cover a subject, you want to uncover it. The perceived need to include all the topics, vocabulary and information in textbooks is in direct conflict with the central goal of having student learn scientific knowledge with understanding.

The U.S. National Science Education Standards place importance on the following changes of emphases:

Less Emphasis On More Emphasis OnKnowing scientific facts and information Understanding scientific concepts and developing

abilities of inquiryStudying subject matter disciplines (physical, life, earth sciences) for their own sakes

Learning subject matter disciplines in the context of inquiry; technology; personal and social perspectives; historical; and the nature of science

Separating science knowledge and science process

Integrating all aspects of science content

Covering many science topics Studying a few fundamental science conceptsImplementing inquiry as a set of processes Implementing inquiry as instructional strategies,

abilities, and ideas to be learnedActivities that demonstrate and verify science content

Activities that investigate and analyze science questions

Investigations confined to one class period Investigations over extended periods of timeProcess skills out of context Process skills in contextEmphasis on individual process skills such as observation or inference

Using multiple process skills … manipulation, cognitive, procedural

Getting an answer Using evidence and strategies for developing or revising an explanation

Science as exploration and experiment Science as argument and explanationProviding answers top question about science content

Communication science explanations

Individuals and groups of students analyzing and synthesizing data without defending a conclusion

Groups of students often analyzing and synthesizing data in order to defend conclusions

Doing a few investigations in order to leave time to cover large amounts of content

Doing more investigations in order to develop understanding, ability, values of inquiry and knowledge of science content

Concluding inquiries with the result of the experiment

Applying the results of experiments to scientific arguments and explanations

Management of materials and equipment Management of ideas and informationPrivate communication of student ideas and conclusions to the teacher

Public communication of students ideas and work to classmates

GLOSSARYArea: The amount of surface an object has. It is measured in two dimensions and easily calculated for regular surfaces. The simplest being the length and width of a rectangle. Areas of spheres, cylinders, and circles can also be calculated.

Constant (s): All variables/factors which must be kept held within narrow limits during the experiment to ensure consistency in data collection (validity) and in successive trials.

Control group: The standard used to compare experimental effects against. It usually reflects the normal/standard situation. Students should practice justifying their selection of a control situation.

Density (D): The mass per unit volume of a material. How packed together the particles of a substance are.

Dependent Variable (DV): The variable that responds in some way to the manipulated situation (IV) during the experiment. It is the variable that is measured.

Extrapolation: Extending a line of best fit in order to predict/estimate a value outside of the plotted data points (ie. If a sample of this material massed 67g … what would its volume be?).

Hypothesis: A short and concise AIF.... THEN...@ statement that provides direction to the method design. Some authorities have students follow up this statement with a formal prediction that describes why they think events will happen in this way. We have students provide a prediction as part of their formal introductions and have this statement stand alone.

Independent Variable (IV): The variable that is purposely changed / manipulated by the experimenter.

Interpolation: Using data within the line of best fit to predict/estimate one value given another (ie. If a sample of this material has a volume of cm3 … what would its mass be?).

Length: The base unit for measuring is the metre.

Line of best fit: A line drawn on a graph that comes as close as possible to as many points as possible. It is usually drawn from a scatter plot of (x,y) coordinate points.

Mass: The amount of material in an object. The base unit for measuring is the kilogram but the mass suffix used for the system of measurement is the gram.

Nature of the Problem Statement: What problem has been posed to the class for investigation?

Research Question: The independent variable that the team has decide to study after considering all potential independent variables brainstormed having considered the “nature of the problem”. It is phrased in the form of a question.

Volume: The amount of space contained by an object or taken up by an object. The base unit for measuring capacity volume is the litre and for cubic volume is the m3. It includes three dimensions; those of length, width, and height and can easily be calculated for regular objects like cubes. The volumes of spheres and cylinders can also be calculated. Volume for irregularly shaped objects must be found using a displacement technique with marked columns or overflow cans.

Resources

Dr. Mike Bowen of Lakehead University. Producer of national student website publishing student work in science. Address still to be published.

http://wise.berkeley.edu/

http://www.biology.duke.edu/cibl/

http://www.brynmawr.edu/biology/franklin/InquiryBasedScience.htm

National Research Council. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards. Washington: National Academy Press. 2000.ISBN 0-309-06476-7

Pryde, C., Parolin, B., & Ayyavoo, G. Real Science: Using Projects to Engage Students and Meet the Goals of the Ontario Curriculum. Sci-Tech Ontario. 2003.

References Cited

Ackerman, D. “Taproots for a New Century: Tapping the Best of Traditional and Progressive Education”. Phi Delta Kappan. 84 No. 5 January 2003: 344-349.

“Alka Seltzer Rockets”. Rockets: A Teachers Guide with Activities in Science, Mathematics, and Technology. NASA Educational Division.

Andrews, W., Wolfe, E., & Eix, J. Physical Science. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall. 1978.

Bybee, R. Toward an Understanding of Scientific Literacy.http://ehrweb.aaas.org/ehr/forum/bybee.html#bybee_R._W._andG._DeBoer.

Cycle of Proof & Principles of Scientific Work [author/source still being investigated for credit]

Duckworth, E. The Having of Wonderful Ideas and Other Essays on Teaching and Learning. New York: Teachers College Press. 1987.

Duit, R. & Confrey, J. Reorganizing the Curriculum and Teaching to Improve Learning in Science and Mathematics. New York: Teachers College Press. 1996.

Elephant Poem – John Godfrey Saxe (modern publication data still being investigated)

Gallagher, S., Stepien, W., Sher, B., & Workman, D. “Implementing Problem-Based Learning in Science Classrooms”. Journal of School Science and Mathematics. 95, No. 3 1995: 136-146.

Gordon, R. “Balancing Real World Problems with Real World Results” from Phi Betta Kappan. 1998: 390-393.

Hewson, P. Teaching for Conceptual Change (131-140) from Treagust, D., Duit, R., & Fraser, B. (Eds.) Improving Teaching and Learning in Science and Mathematics. New York: Teachers College Press. 1996.

Hodson, D. “Going Beyond Cultural Pluralism: Science Education for Sociopolitical Action”. Journal of Science Education. 83, No. 6 1999: 775-796.

NSTA position statement (draft) on the use of scientific inquiryhttp://www.nsta.org/main/forum/showthread.php?t=1175

Jones, D. “A Dichotomy of Paradigms – Content Knowledge or Understanding of Inquiry in the Classroom” (Unpublished Paper). 2003.

Malcom, C. Science for All: Learner Centered Science (17-36) from Falmer, R. A Vision for Science Education: Responding to the Work of Peter Fenshem. New York: no publisher information available.

references cited continued …

Michigan Curriculum Framework. 1996.http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Updated_Science_Benchmarks_27030_7.pdf

Michigan Technological University. Engineering Fundamentals Course – “The Grape Smash Machine” Schematic. Engineering Faculty: 2004.

National Research Council. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards. Washington: National Academy Press. 2000.

National Research Council. National Science Education Standards. Washington: National Academy Press. 1995.

Plumb, D. Science 9. Toronto: Nelson Publishing. 1999.

NSTA position statement (draft) on the use of scientific inquiryhttp://www.nsta.org/main/forum/showthread.php?t=1175

O’Brien, T. The 6 P’s of Scientific Discovery. Binghamton University. (other publication information is being searched for).

Ontario Ministry of Education. Science – The Ontario Curriculum – Grades 9 and 10. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 1999.

Schwarcz, J. “Observations in Science”. Montreal Gazette. 2004. (date being searched for)

Thinking Like Scientists (author and publishing information being investigated)

Wong, D. & Pugh, K. “Learning Science: A Deweyan Perspective”. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 38 No. 3 2001: 317-336.

Index

Administrative TasksDay 1........................................8

Alka Seltzer Rockets..................26analyzing the data....................22Assessment Template for

Scientific Inquiry Performances................................................96

Carbon Dioxide, Density of.......64Chemical Labels.........................18Collaborative Work Skills, Rubric

................................................93Collecting Data..........................59constants........................32, 33, 74Constructing a Paper Gyrocopter

................................................31Curiosity....................................20Cycle of Proof..........................101data, collecting..........................22Day Eleven.................................60Day Fifteen.................................79Day Five.....................................26Day Four....................................19Day Fourteen..............................74Day Nine....................................50Day Seven and Eight..................43Day Six.......................................32Day Ten......................................56Day Thirteen..............................71Day Three...................................15Day Twelve................................64Density.................................56, 65Density Problems.......................60Density Problems - ANSWERS.63Department Template for Inquiry

Assessments...........................97dependent variable...................33Design........................................22Discovery, 6 P’s of Scientific....15Doing Research..........................59Elephants & Observations..........14Equipment Inventory.................12extrapolation..............................52Facilitation Points, The 6 P's......17Firing the Rockets......................28Foreword.......................................i

GLOSSARY............................106goals, Ontario 3 main.........xv, 103Grape Mash Machine..............iii, 8Graphing....................................50Graphing Practice.......................53Gyrocopters................................29Hypothesis.................................21independent variable...............33International Density Conference

................................................71Interpolation/Extrapolation........52Knowledge Worker.....................viLab Safety..................................18Letter home................................77M. K. Walker Consulting Fir.....32Mass:..........................................65Massing Method.........................68Metric Conversion Exercises.....48Metric System............................43National Science Education

Standards (US).....................105NATURE OF SCIENCE............79nature of the problemxii, 21, 24,

29, 32, 66, 75, 95, 106Notebooks...............................iii, 5NSTA Position Statement........103Observation Assignment............13Observations on Science............89Observations, Making................11Organization of the Unit..............3Portfolios....................................88Poster..........................................23Poster – Rubric...........................24prediction..................................21Proof.........................................101Real World Problems.................90References Cited......................108Research....................................20research question. .xiv, 4, 20, 21,

22, 26, 28, 29, 32, 76, 85, 98Research Skills............................ixResources.................................107Rick Gordon...............................90River Weir..................................19Rubric, Individual Work Skills. .92

Rubric, International Density Conference – Presentation.....94

Rubric, Scientific Method Poster................................................95

Safety Video...............................12Safety,Lab....................................9Safety/Equipment Quiz..............32Schwarcz....................................89Scientific Inquiry..........iii, v, x, 77Scientific Literacy.........iii, xv, 108Scientific Method...iii, iv, xiii, 19,

23, 39, 40, 74, 77Scientific Method Poster – Rubric

................................................24Scientific Notebooks....................5

Student Teaching.........................vtechnical report writing and

research skills...........................iiTen Principles of Scientific Work

..............................................102TEST..........................................79Thinking like Scientists..............41Unit Extension: Taking Inquiry

Home......................................75unit plan...................................ii, 1v = d/t.........................................52Volume.......................................64Volume Method.........................70WHMIS Symbols.......................18