Scientific Inquiry Lesson Outline

Scientific

Inquiry

Lesson outline

Pages NOS 4 - NOS-11

A. Understanding

Science

A.1. The investigation and exploration of
natural events and the new information that results from those investigations is called Science

A.2. Marie Curie was a scientist who won two
Nobel Prizes in the early 1900’s for her work
with radioactivity

B. Branches of

Science

B.1 The study of matter and energy is called Physical Science.

B.2 The study of natural processes that occur on and deep within Earth is called Earth Science.

B.3 Life science is the study of all organisms
and the many processes that occur in them.

Multiple Choice

If you were studying the life cycles of a giraffe, which science would you be using?

• Physical Science

• Life Science

• Earth Science

• Pseudoscience

C. What is
Scientific
Inquiry?

C.1 When scientists want to answer
questions about the natural world, the conduct investigations.

C.2 Scientific Inquiry is series of steps used
to answer questions.

C.3. Using one or more of your senses to
gather information and taking note of what occurs is called making observations.

C.4 A logical explanation of an observation
that is drawn from prior knowledge or
experience is called an inference.

Match

Match the following inferences to the observation

• Your parent calls you by all 3 names

• A dog is growling in front of you

• Dark clouds begin to fill the sky

• You eat a peanut even though you are allergic

• Your sister approaches you with a water balloon

you may be in trouble

It is angry and may bite

It may start to rain

you may break out in a rash

she may throw it at you

• you may be in trouble

• It is angry and may bite

• It may start to rain

• you may break out in a rash

• she may throw it at you

C.5. A hypothesis is a possible explanation
for an observation that can be tested by
scientific investigations.

C.6 A statement about what will happen next in a sequence of events is called a
prediction.

C.7 Testing a hypothesis includes:

Design an experiment,
Make a model
Gather and evaluate evidence
Collect data/record observations.

C.8 Three ways to analyze results are:

Graph results
Classify information
Make calculations

C.9 To communicate their results, scientists
may write scientific journal articles, speak at science conferences, or exchange
information on the internet.

D. Scientific

Theory

D.1 An explanation of observations or
events based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations is called a scientific theory.

D.2 The kinetic molecular theory, which
explains the behavior and energy of particles that make up a gas is an example of a scientific theory.

E. Scientific

Law

E.1 A rule that describes a repeatable pattern in nature is called a scientific law.

E.2 A scientific law only states that a pattern
will happen; it does not explain why or how
the pattern happens.

Dropdown

A scientific theory states ​

Select answer

something happened, but a scientific law states that something ​

Select answer

happen

F. Results of

Scientific

Inquiry

F.1 The practical use of scientific knowledge,
especially for industrial or commercial use, is
called technology.

F.2 Scientific investigations can lead to the
discovery of objects or events such as
colliding galaxies.

F.3 Scientific investigations are often
launched to answer who, what, when, where,
or how questions.

G. Evaluating

Scientific

Information

G.1. Pseudoscientific information is
information that is incorrectly represented as being scientific.

G.2 Comparing what you know with the
information you are given, in order to decide if you agree with it is called critical thinking.

H. Science cannot answer all questions

H.1 Science cannot answer questions that
deal with beliefs, values, personal opinions,
and feelings

H.2 Science cannot answer some questions
because it is impossible to objectively collect
data about these topics.

I. Safety in

Science

I.1 You should always wear protective
equipment when you begin scientific inquiry.

I.2 To be safe while doing science, you
should learn the meaning of safety symbols.