Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 26705
Experiment or Investigation?
Students will explain how experiments and other kinds of investigations, such as building a model, observing things in the natural world, or researching
a science topic are different.
Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 5, 6
Intended Audience: Educators
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Investigation, experiment, writing, journal, evidence, control group, control, variable
Instructional Design Framework(s): Learning Cycle (e.g., 5E)
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Learning Cycle (5E Model)
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will know that scientists find answers to questions about the natural world in different ways.
Students will know that there are different types of scientific investigations and that an experiment is one kind.
Students will be able to explain that an experiment is different than other types of investigations in that it tests a hypothesis by changing one variable while keeping the
other factors constant.
Students will be able to explain that some science investigations are not experiments because they DON'T involve testing a hypothesis by changing one variable while
keeping the other factors constant.
Students will be able to identify examples of investigations that are experiments and examples of investigations that are NOT experiments (e.g. making models,
observational studies, doing research, measuring and collecting data, hands-on activities, collecting, examining, and exploring)
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
SC.4.N.1.3: Explain that science does not always follow a rigidly defined method ("the scientific method") but that science does involve the use of observations and
empirical evidence. Note: Although there are benchmarks in grades K-3 leading up to this targeted fifth grade standard, it is in fourth grade that students are expected
to begin differentiating between experiments and other types of scientific investigations.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
Think about the work that a scientist does. Are all the investigations that a scientist does called experiments? Why or why not?
What is different about experiments and other types of investigations? Can you give examples of each?
Have you ever done a scientific investigation that is not an experiment? How do you know?
If you have ever done a science fair project, was it an experiment or another type of investigation? How do you know?
Given an example of another kind of investigation: How could we change this investigation so that it would be an experiment?
Engage: What object, event, or questions will the teacher use to trigger the students' curiosity and engage them in the concepts?
page 1 of 3 Note: Students are in cooperative groups, with their text books and science notebooks.
Say: "Think about what scientists do and remember, you too are scientists, as you explore and investigate the natural world. In your cooperative groups, use your
brains, your books and your notebooks to find examples of scientists asking questions and exploring the world to find new answers. You also might think of ways that
scientists explore the world as a way to confirm scientific theories in new ways. Each group will create one list of ideas, working together. You have ten minutes for
your brainstorming before we get back together to discuss your ideas."
Sample List
our bean plant journals; our data and notes from observing our incubating chicken eggs; our data collected from playing the "Oh Deer" simulation, along with the line
graph we made; answers to the chapter 3 study guide; our inner and outer planet facts foldable; picture of a scientist in the text book using a telescope to look at
stars; my science fair project notes; activity/question from the text book: How does changing the temperature of a substance affect how quickly salt will dissolve?; our
foldables of the Earth's layers; our notes and diagrams of separating mixtures by their properties.
Explore: What will the students do to explore the concepts and skills being developed through the lesson?
Materials: three pieces of chart paper taped to the board/wall.
Part I:
1. Tell students that you will be using their lists to discover first the similarities and then the differences between experiments and other types of scientific investigations.
2. In whole group discussion, work together to make a list for one of the chart papers of the science process skills used in science and label your chart. (Answers may
include process skills such as: observing, inferring, recording, measuring, classifying, communicating, predicting, collecting data, questioning, investigating.)
3. Say: "These skills are used in all forms of science investigations. Within your groups, look at a few examples from your list and discuss how each utilizes some of
these process skills." (Allow a few minutes for group, then, whole group discussion.) Say: "These skills are common, or the same, in all kinds of scientific investigations.
So what makes an experiment different?"
Part II:
1. Tell students you will record some of their examples of science on your two remaining charts. (Teacher Note: Do not label or explain each chart yet, but you will be
listing their examples in one of two areas; experiments and other investigations. Use a red marker for one chart and blue for the other.) As student groups offer
examples, list it on the appropriate chart. Students will begin asking why you are putting the examples on two separate charts and why you are using two different
colors. Tell them it is up to them to figure out which chart is for experiments. (Teacher Note: Only examples that involve all the steps of the scientific method with
constant variables should be listed on the "experiment" chart.)
Troubleshooting: If your students are not coming up with examples for the experiment chart on their own, ask some students for their science fair questions and list
those questions on the chart. You may also want to list some experiments you have previously done as a class.
Talk aloud as you are writing these examples; "Hmmm… Johnny's project was finding out how different shapes of paper airplanes affected the flying distance. I'll
bet he controlled his test, or kept it fair, by using the same kind of paper for each. He probably flew each one in a place where wind wouldn't affect his results. And
here's Sally's project – she wanted to see if watering bean plants with different liquids affected their growth. I'll be she watered some of her plants with plain
water, so she had something to compare with the others. That would be a control group…"
As you complete the two charts, ask groups to discuss what is special about the items listed under the "experiment" chart.
Explain: What will the students and teacher do so students have opportunities to clarify their ideas, reach a conclusion or
generalization, and communicate what they know to others?
Now label each of your two charts – "Experiments" and "Other Scientific Investigations." Above both charts, write the words "Science Investigations" in big letters in
purple, and draw an umbrella around your words. Explain that all the examples are forms of science investigations. Some are models (such as the layers of the Earth
foldable), some are observational studies (such as the bean journals) and some are examples of research (such as their answers to chapter 3 study guide questions or
the planet facts foldables.) Experiments are a special kind of investigation that use the scientific method to test a hypothesis with constant variables. Again – use student
science projects as a familiar way to point out controlled variables and the use of a control group to compare results.
Important points to make to correct possible misconceptions:
Just because it is "hands-on," doesn't make it an experiment. During a science activity, we might separate out a mixture of sand, salt and iron filings, using a
magnet and water for dissolving. This is an investigation, but since we are not controlling our variables ("messing with different conditions") or using a control
group, we are not experimenting.
The process skills of science are common with all investigations, but only when we are using the scientific method, with constant variables, are we experimenting.
Use a non-example with students to highlight this point: Jane Goodall is a biologist who studies chimpanzees in the wild. She observes their behavior, records data,
communicates her results with others, etc. She is investigating, but she is not experimenting, since she is not changing conditions or controlling variables.
Elaborate: What will the students do to apply their conceptual understanding and skills to solve a problem, make a decision,
perform a task, or make sense of new knowledge?
Ask students to think about how experiments can be useful for solving real world problems. Groups can brainstorm a list to be discussed as a whole group.
Examples:
"Does the type of material used as a filament in a light bulb make it glow brighter?" was an experiment of Thomas Edison's. His results led to the modern light bulb,
which gives off a sufficient amount of light to be useful.
"Do different varieties of tomato plants require the same amount of sunlight to produce tomatoes?" might be a useful experiment for a home gardener. The measurable
results of the experiment (such as size of tomatoes, number of tomatoes, quality, length of time to ripen, etc.) could help the gardener decide what variety to plant and
how much sun exposure to give the plants.
Summative Assessment
Assess students using the following list. Ask them to decide whether each is an example of an experiment or not and to justify their answers.
page 2 of 3 Observing temperature changes throughout the day on the playground.
Researching the best way to germinate seeds using the Internet
Finding out if mealworms prefer light or dark by testing it. (Experiment because conditions are changed and variables would need to be controlled to have reliable
result)
Recording the number of birds that visit a feeder at the same time each day.
Observing a group of people to find out if they put a puzzle together faster if they practice first. (Experiment because conditions are being changed and the control
group has no practice.)
Formative Assessment
Ask these questions to determine student understanding and misconceptions, and to inform instruction in order to clarify concepts.
What is an experiment?
How is it different from other types of investigations?
Think about you own science fair project. What makes this investigation an experiment? (You used constant variables to run a fair test; you may have had a control
group to compare against others; you systematically tested your hypothesis – you followed the steps of the scientific method.)
Ask students to write in their science notebooks about the difference between an experiment and other kinds of scientific investigations. Give students time to share
and compare their responses with each other, as you circulate to listen to responses.
Feedback to Students
Through peer discussion students will gain a clearer understanding of the concepts.
Teacher will use guiding questions and explicit teaching to help students construct their own meaning of concepts.
Activities are varied and scaffolded to allow for feedback and further attempts to display their mastery.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Special Materials Needed:
3 pieces of chart paper taped to the board
Further Recommendations: Use the key vocabulary listed below to enhance student understanding:
experiment: A test under controlled conditions that is made to demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy of
something previously untried. (Student friendly: a special kind of investigation that uses steps of the scientific method to test a hypothesis and uses constant
variables.)
scientific investigation: the act or process of investigating; a careful search or examination in order to discover facts, etc.
empirical evidence: (from the prior knowledge fourth grade benchmark):
Empirical evidence is verifiable observations that are testable. It is the observable proof that knowledge was gained by data, rather than hypothesis, or conjecture.
(Student friendly: factual information – not personal opinions, that is based on observation.)
variable: a condition that is changed in order to find out the effect of that change
control: a factor in an experiment that is kept the same; a constant
control group: a group of subjects that is treated in the "normal" way to be compared to groups where a variable has been changed
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Ed Short
Name of Author/Source: Ed Short
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Brevard
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.5.W.2.4:
LAFS.68.RST.3.7:
SC.5.N.1.2:
Description
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade­specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed
visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Explain the difference between an experiment and other types of scientific investigation.
Remarks/Examples:
Explain that an investigation is observing the natural world, without interference, and an experiment involves
variables (independent/test and dependent/ outcome) and establishes cause-effect relationships (Schwartz, 2007).
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