TEKS and Objectives:

The big idea: This lesson is intended to give students the opportunity to put scientific reasoning skills into practice. The students are going to verbally create a design to test a given hypothesis.

TEKS: 6.2(B), 6.2(E), 6.3(A)

Objectives: Students will plan descriptive investigations by making observations, asking well-defined questions. Students will analyze, evaluate and critique scientific explanations by using logical reasoning.

Generating Questions:

How do you think that scientists learn? Do you think that they always begin with the correct idea? Do you think that they make one question and then find the answer? What do you think happens if they want to answer an impossible question? For example, we all have a balance of bacteria in our intestines; too much causes death and too little will also kill a person. But what is the balance? How much do we need to survive? How would you test this question when you are unable to cause harm to a test subject?

Focus Question:

I have this theory...I think that if you frown for long enough your face will actually get stuck that way.

Activity:

Day 1: Students break into small groups and begin their brainstorming session. During this session their goal is to come up with ways to investigate this theory; either to prove that it correct or incorrect. After they have brainstormed the ideas students are to put on paper how they would investigate this theory.

Day 2: Students should discuss and include the limitations that they see/predict and any additional questions they think may have to be answered in order to throughly investigate this hypothesis. Finally, each group will present their plan to the class.

Assessment:

Students will each fill out the rubric for their group work.

Basic Collaborative Work Rubric: Your Rubric Collaborative Work Skills Basic Science.htm