Guiding+Activity+3


 * Big Idea:** Inquiry


 * Timeline:** 1 class period

What is a "controlled" experiment? What are "independent" and "dependent" variables? Why must only one thing be different in test groups?
 * Essential Questions for this Guiding Activity:**

The purpose of this activity is to assess students' prior knowledge of investigating a problem scientifically. However, since this is an activating strategy, this purpose shall remain hidden from the students at the beginning of the lesson and revealed as it progresses. The activity is done in a whole-group setting and begins by having this information read from a slide to the class:
 * Activity Introduction:**

(copied from Notebook slide show) //"A horticulturist (plant scientist) complains to the city that a nearby residence is ruining his flowers because of the detergent being used to wash their cars. The soap runs into a stream that goes near his flower beds. As an inquiring scientist, you want to find out whether soap can affect flower growth. Let's try an online experiment for starters... Click the link below://"

Individual Links: []


 * Guiding Activity:**
 * 1) Without discussing or even mentioning the scientific method, invite one student to the Smart Board to choose his/her own way of determining if soap affects plant growth.
 * 2) Once completed, poll the class to determine whether they feel if the student truly proved whether soap affects plant growth or not.
 * 3) Invite a second student to conduct a second experiment in a different way.
 * 4) Once completed, poll the class to determine whether they feel if the student truly proved whether soap affects plant growth or not.
 * 5) Use these examples to promote a discussion about variables, both dependent and independent, and what is means to control an experiment. Be sure to stress the idea that it is necessary to single out just one condition to test. Otherwise, an experiment would not be considered valid.


 * Lesson Closure:**
 * 1) The teacher should conduct the experiment a third time and intentionally make errors. Students are to write down at least one error they noticed.
 * 2) Use a turn-and-talk strategy for students to share what they observed then report back to the whole class.
 * 3) Use this lesson as a lead-in to an introduction of the formal steps of the scientific method.

Guiding Activity Created by Alex Shubert Lesson Resources listing on our [|Group 2 Diigo]