The Nature of Science

1
The Nature of Science

• Scientific Process for 5th Grade

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Investigations Leading Students Through
Scientific Inquiry
Ideas for investigations taken from 2004 AIMS
Education Foundation
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Rubber Band Shoot

• Key Question
• If you stretch a rubber band, how far will it
  fly?
• In this investigation you will
• relate the potential energy of a stretched rubber
  band to its kinetic energy by measuring the
  distance it flies.
• create a line graph of data to display and
  interpret the results.
• Key Vocabulary
• Mechanical Energy The energy an object has
  because of its position or motion. The two types
  of mechanical energy are potential and kinetic.
• Potential Energy The energy an object has
  because of its position.
• Kinetic Energy The energy an object has because
  of its motion.

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Rubber Band Shoot

• Hypothesis
• I think that if I.. then.
• Materials
• centimeter ruler, rubber band, paper pencil
• Procedure
• Measure the length of the rubber band with all
  the slack pulled out of it. This is L.
• Stretch your rubber band on a ruler by 10 mm
  (L10 mm) and release it.
• Measure the distance it traveled in cm, record
  the data.
• Repeat the process, each time stretching the
  rubber band by 10 mm more.
• Use a table to collect data.

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Rubber Band Shoot

• Results
• Using excel, create a data chart to organize your
  data. The sample table below
  will help you get started.
• Using chart wizard, create a bar graph or a line
  graph to display your data.
• Print your table and graph. Use it to answer the
  questions on the next slide.

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Rubber Band Shoot

• For which rubber band stretch did it travel the
  furthest?
• How far did it travel?
• Did all groups get similar results? How do you
  know?
• What do you know about the relationship between
  the stretch length and the distance the rubber
  band travels?
• What are some variables that might affect the
  distance the rubber band travels?

Answer these questions in your science journal.
7
Glubber Formula

• Key Question
• What is the best formula to use to make Glubber?
• In this investigation you will
• compare and contrast properties of matter.
• recommend a product formula based on experimental
  data.
• Key Vocabulary
• Chemical Change The interaction with substances
  combine to form a new substance.
• Precipitate A new solid that forms when two
  liquids are mixed together.
• Polymer A polymer is a chemical compound formed
  from long chains of the same molecule group,
  repeating over and over.
• Graduate to separate equally (graduated
  cylinder)

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Glubber Formulas

• Materials
• Prepare three different formulas of Glubber,
  using water,
• glue and a saturated Borax solution - one
  liter of water add
• powdered borax while stirring until no more
  will dissolve in the water.
• Inexpensive containers, zip lock baggies,
  graduated cylinders, paper cups marked with
  following lines 10 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 40 ml to use
  as a graduated measuring cups, plastic spoons to
  stir mixtures.
• Once formulas are mixed, put each one in a
  separate baggie and mark the baggies A, B, or C
  depending upon the formula used.
• Allow free exploration with each formula.
• Write observations down in your
  science journals.
  

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Glubber Formula

• Problem
• Which formula is best for a new product. Conduct
  the
• tests to find out.

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Glubber Formula
A
B
C
Average
Bounce Test
Shape Test
Imprint Test
Stretch Test
Transfer Test
Create a chart in excel similar to the one
pictured above. Once you have collected the data,
create a graph to help you decide upon the best
formula. Remember the smallest number/shortest
bar is the best formula.
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Glubber Formula

• 1. What evidence do you have that a chemical
  reaction has taken place when you mixed the glue
  and borax solutions?
• 2. How did your group decide upon the best
  formula?
• 3. Why is it important to base product decisions
  on experimental data?
• 4. The Glubber you made is a polymeric solid. It
  is made up of long chains of molecules wrapped
  around each other. What evidence did you observe
  while mixing the two solutions that chains were
  forming?

Answer these questions in your science journal.
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Glubber

• Summary
• Use a file folder. On the left hand side, give a
  written summary on which formula you recommend
  based on the results of the experiments.

• Ad
• On the right side of the folder, design an ad to
  sell your product. Use the properties of the
  Glubber as a selling feature.

13
Paper Towel Tests

• Key Questions
• Which brand of paper towels absorb more water?
• Which brand of wet paper towels is the strongest?
• Is the brand that is the most absorbent the
  strongest?
• In this investigation you will
• follow the scientific method to check which brand
  of paper towels absorb the most water
• follow the scientific method to check which brand
  of paper towels, when wet, is the strongest.
• recommend a product based upon experimental data.
• Key Vocabulary
• Control a neutral "reference point" for
  comparison that allows you to see what changing a
  variable does by comparing it to not changing
  anything.
• Variables are things that affect the system you
  want to
• investigate.

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Paper Towel Tests

• Hypothesis
• I think that is the strongest wet paper towel.
• I think that retains the most water.
• Materials
• 4 different brands of paper towels
• A jar of pennies, washers, or cubes (they must
  all be the same)
• Bowl of water
• Teaspoon
• Group members to hold the towel
• Record sheet and pencil
• Clear plastic cups
• Graduated cylinders marked in milliliters
• In research laboratories, papermakers test the
  paper they make
• for physical properties such as strength,
  absorbency, stretch, tear
• resistance, and stiffness. They also test for
  optical properties
• such as transparency,
  brightness, color and gloss.

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Paper Towel Tests

• Testing Wet Strength (the amount of weight that a
  wet
• paper towel can support)
• Procedure
• First design a sheet in excel to record your
  data.

( The highest amount of coins gets
the lowest rating.)
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Paper Towel Tests

• Record the four brands of paper towels on your
  sheet.
• Tear or cut equal pieces from each brand. Your
  four sheets must be exactly the same size. Be
  sure to measure each sheet and trim off excess.
• Ask team members to hold the Brand A paper towel
  at each of the four corners over a container.
• Pour 5 teaspoons of water onto the middle of the
  paper towel.
• One by one, carefully place the coins onto the
  wet area of the paper towel. Record how many
  coins the paper towel will hold before tearing.
  Repeat with the other three brands. Record your
  results.
• Rate the four brands of paper towels according to
  the number of coins they held. The brand holding
  the most number of coins receives
• a rating of 1.

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Paper Towel Tests

• Testing absorbency (the amount of liquid a paper
  towel retains)
• Procedure
• First, design an excel sheet to record
  your data.

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Paper Towel Tests

• Cut equal pieces from each brand. Your four
  sheets must be exactly the same size. Measure
  the sheets and trim.
• Put 30 ml of water into 4 clear plastic cups
  labeled A,B,C,D
• Soak each piece of towel into the plastic cup
  matching its letter.
• Squeeze the water out of Brand A into another
  plastic cup.
• Pour this water into a graduated cylinder to
  measure.
• Subtract this measurement from 30 ml to get the
  amount of water retained by the towel.
• Repeat this procedure for each brand, record your
  data and rate the towel 1,2,3,4 1 being the
  towel that retained the most water.

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Paper Towel Tests

• Results
• Present the results in chart and graph form.
• Using your results create a commercial to sell
  your brand of paper towels.

20
Swinging Bears

• Key Question
• How many cycles will your bear pendulum make in
  30 seconds?
• In this investigation you will
• Investigate the variables that affect a
  pendulums swing
• Display data on a real graph
• Make a line graph of the data
• Draw conclusions from the data
• Key Vocabulary
• Period is the time it takes to make one complete
  in, out cycle.
• Frequency is the number of in, out cycles in a
  minute
• Pendulum is a body that swings back and forth
  from a fixed
• point.

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Swinging Bears

• Hypothesis
• I think that the bear attached to the . String
  will have the highest frequency in 30 seconds.
• Materials
• Number line from 1-50
• clock with a second hand
• push pins,
• bear counters,
• strings for bears cut ahead of time to random
  lengths between 10 cm and 70 cm
• Students should work in groups of three or four.

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Swinging Bears

• Procedure
• Give each group two strings, two bears and tape.
• Students make a pendulum by taping the bear to
  one end of the
• string and tying a knot in the other end.
• Each group must count how many cycles (one
  complete out and back swing) their pendulum makes
  in 30 seconds. (The pendulum bobs should be
  started from about a 45 degree angle with the top
  of the pendulum (the knot) being held steady.
• After students finish counting the number of
  cycles poke the pushpins through the knot, and
  hang the pendulums under the appropriate numbers
  on the number line.
• Students examine class graph to predict how many
  cycles their second pendulums will make in 30
  seconds.
• After predictions have been made students should
  count the cycles of their second pendulum and
  hang the second pendulum on the graph.

Excel document to record data.
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Swinging Bears

• Connected Learning
• What generalizations about pendulums can you
  make?
• 2. What patterns do you see in the class graph?
• 3. How did the graph help you in making your
  prediction for the second pendulum?
• 4. How long would you need to make a pendulum to
  give you ten cycles in 30 seconds? How could
  you find out?
• The weight at the bottom of a grandfather clocks
  pendulum can be moved up and down. It the clock
  is running slow, what way should the weight be
  moved? Why?

Answer these questions in your science journal.
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Grow Toys

• Key Question
• Grow toy manufacturers advertise that
• toys grow seven times or 700.
• How can you determine if the advertising is
  honest?
• In this investigation you will
• Compare growth over time with measures of length,
  area, mass and volume found using a variety of
  methods.
• Check the validity of claims using the scientific
  process.
• Background
• Grow toys are made of a material that expands as
  it absorbs water and shrinks as the water
  evaporates. Manufacturers of these toys often
  make misleading claims such as the toy will grow
  700 or to seven times its original size. Most of
  us assume that the dimension being described is
  length. So we look for a toy to be seven times
  longer then the original length. In this
  investigation you will use the scientific process
  to see if the growth claims on these toys are
  valid.

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Grow Toys

• Materials
• Grow Toys
  Rulers
• 250 mL graduated cylinders Balance and
  masses
• Plastic containers Paper
  towels
• Before you begin
• Purchase the grow toys at a novelty supply store.
• Grow a toy prior to doing the activity so that
  you have an ideas of how often, how long and what
  graduated cylinder the measurements will be
  made.
• Students need to be in groups of 3 or 4.
• Volume must be measured by displacement. Students
  will need
• instruction in this calculation.

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Grow Toys

• Procedure
• Have students read the advertisement on the
  capsules.
• Students list measurements the manufacturers
  might
• be talking about in their claims (length, width,
  height, area, volume, and weight/mass.)
• 3. Distribute a grow toy to each group. Use the
  following procedure
• Place the toy on a centimeter grid and trace
  the outline.
• Use the tracing and a ruler to measure length
  of toy.
• Estimate and record the toys area by counting
  square covered.
• Place toy on a balance to measure its mass.
• Measure and record the toy volume by using
  displacement
• method.
• Place toy in plastic tub filled with purified
  water.
• At regular intervals (three to six hours) over
  several days have
• students follow measurement procedures.
  Record in an
• excel document.

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Grow Toys

• Results
• After all measurement have been recorded, and the
  toys have stopped growing, students can make a
  bar graph of each dimensions change.
• Students can calculate how many times each
  dimension has increased by dividing the final
  measurement by the original measurement.
• Return to the advertisement on the package of
  Grow Toys.
• Respond in your journal about the
  manufacturers claims and whether these claims are
  misleading. Use data from your table to support
  your writing.

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Loop Plane

• Key Question
• How far will your loop plane fly?
• In this investigation you will
• Make measurements of how far a paper loop plane
  flies and record these on a bar graph.
• Decide how to alter the plane in order to make it
  fly better.
• Draw conclusions as to what factors make for
  better flights.
• Key Vocabulary
• Lift created by the airfoil is what allows the
  aircraft to fly.
• Thrust is the force which opposes drag, for the
  aircraft to move forward, thrust must be greater
  than drag.
• Gravity is the force that pulls the aircraft, and
  everything else, towards the earth. In order to
  fly, the force of lift has to exceed the force of
  gravity.
• Drag is the force which opposes the forward
  motion of
• the aircraft.

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Loop Plane

• Materials
• Straws, loop pattern, transparent tape, measuring
  tape
• Procedure
• First build a plane using a drinking straw and
  two loops of paper. (Loops made from 2 paper
  strips measuring ½ inch by 4½ inches, and ½ inch
  by 6½ inches.
• Working in pairs, one person launches a plane
  while the other marks the distance it flew.
• Measure each test flight from the rear loop to
  the starting line.
• Do five tests flights for each plane measuring in
  both centimeters and meters.
• Create an excel document to record your data.
• Finally create a flight distance graph.

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Loop Plane

• Recording Data
• Use the following chart as an example

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Loop Plane
Record your best flight on the class data chart
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Loop Plane

• Connecting Learning
• Answer these questions in your science journal.
• What was your longest flight? How long was it?
• Who had the longest flight in the class? What
  made this plane go the furthest?
• Where is the center of gravity of your loop
  plane? How did you find out?
• What modifications did you make while you were
  testing your plane? Why?
• Make a class graph showing the maximum flight
  distance for each students plane.
• Using excel, find the mean , median and mode of
  the distances measured.
• Use the recorded measurements to work with
  scientific notation.