Inquiry EA Scientific Inquiry

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Introducing and using scientific inquiry

Band of development: Early adolescence

Curriculum organiser: Science

Year level(s): 6-8

Proposed duration: 2-3 weeks (flexible)

Essential LearningAchievements

2. The student understands and applies the inquiry process.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Thank you to the Curriculum Support Section for developing and sharing this unit.

This is a sample unit. Teachers need to consider its usefulness within the context of their own students needs andschools curriculum plan and adapt it accordingly.

Posted:November 2007


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Unit of work including Essential Content that will be addressed under each aspect of inquiry.

Aspect of Inquiry Essential Content Outcomes Assessment Teaching and Teacher reflection

2

Introducing and Using Scientific Inquiry

Curriculum Organiser: ScienceUnit duration: a series of lessons that can be used a part a unit or individually to address aspects of the inquiry process.

Band of Development: Early adolescence

Unit Description

This unit outlines a process for introducing the inquiry process and includes links to useful websites to assist with different elements ofscientific inquiry. In this unit students will have the opportunity to understand and apply the scientific inquiry process.

Big Understandings

The scientific inquiry process is a means of testing ideas and making new knowledge.

It is a rigorous process that incorporates careful planning, testing and analysis of information.

Essential Learning AchievementsELA2 The student understands and applies the inquiry process

Attitudes and values

In this Essential Learning Achievement, students have opportunities to:

develop curiosity, openness to new ideas and inquiring habit of mind

appreciate the steps required to undertake a rigorous inquiry that draws valid conclusions

respect intellectual property rights and use procedures to acknowledge ownership of information

Focus Questions

What is the scientific inquiry process?

How is scientific inquiry used?

Overarching Essential Content items that will be developed as a result of experiencing the use of the scientific inquiry process.

Students will have the opportunity to:1. understand variations of the inquiry process used in particular disciplines (e.g. in historical research, scientific testing,

mathematical analysis)

2. select and use appropriate forms of the inquiry process for particular purposes, including a range of investigative, modelling

and problem-solving strategies


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2.4 plan steps to conduct

the inquiry, including

equipment, safety, time

and level of

collaboration required

2.5 determine data or

information needs and

devise suitable methodsto collect the data or

information required

Plan an experiment,

(including data

collection techniques)

that tests only one

variable.

FA from students

completing a

worksheet

SA from the

question and

hypothesis written fortheir final report.

FA through student

groups discussing

their experimental

design

How to write an

Hypothesis using the

If ----then ---

method

Eg If the

temperature is

increased then the tinfoil will glow red

Writing Hypothesis: a

student lesson4.

Use a Mindmap to

develop an

understanding of

different types ofvariables, which to

change, measure and

keep the same (p.5

from

Investigating

Scientifically stage 45

Students use the

variable informationto list their materials

and design a fair test(eg Worksheet 7 & 9

p.14 & 17 from:

Investigating


Clarify and define 2.6 plan and conduct Safely and accurately SA observation of

4
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ICT), summarise and

explain patterns in data,

or compare and

synthesise information

from different sources

SA ICT generated

data sets for the final

report

graph.

Using Microsoft

Excel in a classroom 7

Students practice with

sample data

2.12 review their

understanding in light of

new information

2.16 discuss and

compare their results

with those of others for

the same investigation,

suggest reasons for any

differences, and makesuggestions to improvetheir investigations or

conduct further

investigations

2.17 reflect on the

appropriateness of

methods of presenting

data in terms of clarity

and/or ease of analysis

Discuss the

relationship between

the results collected

and the original

hypothesis.

FA student

responses ( sample

data may need to be

used to practice this)

Use the scaffold sheet

13.1 p28 from

Investigating


to assist students

or

Brainstorm answers

to three questions:

a) what are the resultstelling you?b) what worked or did

not work in your

experiment and what

did you do to change

or improve it?

c) what could be

extended or improved

if you were to

continue this

investigation?Demonstrate

chunking of ideas tohelp write paragraphs.

Communicate and

justify their

conclusions

2.13 draw reasonable

conclusions based on

analys

is of data and

Draw conclusions

from the analysis of

data collected.

Use the scaffold sheet

13.2 p29 from

Investigating

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information

Prepare a scientific

report

SA final report


Scaffold report

sample p4 in

InvestigatingScientifically stage 45

2.15 present the inquiry

focus, problems,

background, ideas and

approaches and report

on results, findings and

conclusions using

suitable representations

and discipline-based

terminology2.18 acknowledgesources of information

using bibliographies.

Provide a presentation

of the scientific

inquiry to a class

including a

bibliography if

appropriate

SA students prepare

a scientific poster

about their inquiry

and present this to the

class

Provide sample

posters for students to

look at and/or

guidelines of what to

do

Creating Effective

Poster Presentations:

An Effective Poster

References:

1. Working with Questions

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Inquiry EA Scientific Inquiry