Scientific Enquiry, Scientific
Process or Problem Solving?
What do you Think?
Let’s test our knowledge
•Form groups of 5-7 using the card
you were given, and choose a leader.
•The leader will conduct a KWL with
your group using 2 flipcharts and
your topic.
•Report to the whole group
Now lets do the feedback:
1. Scientific Process
2. Scientific Inquiry
3. Problem Solving
How does the feedback fit with
the following ideas??
The Scientific Process
The commonly accepted concepts
and headings:
•Title
•Purpose/Aim
•Hypothesis/Prediction
•Procedure/Method
•Results/Data
•Conclusion
Now use the worksheet,
“Science Investigation: Planning
and Reporting”
to place each heading from the
previous slide on the worksheet….
(Think/Pair/Share)
Scientific Inquiry
The US National Science Education
Standards (NSES p. 23) defines
Scientific Inquiry as
“the diverse ways in which scientists
study the natural world and propose
explanations based on the evidence
derived from their work.”
Scientific inquiry also refers to the
activities through which students
develop knowledge and
understanding of scientific ideas.
NSTA also recommends that
teachers help their students
understand that "there is no fixed
sequence of steps that all scientific
investigations follow. Different
kinds of questions suggest
different kinds of scientific
investigations."
Scientific Method
Scientific Inquiry
Linear / defined order
Non-Linear / fluid
May end up generating
Answers a single posed
more questions
question
Results may be
communicated at the
conclusion of the
experiment
Communication is a
key component
throughout
One way of thinking about this is:
•The Scientific Method is
essential for lab reports,
•Scientific Inquiry is essential
for scientific thinking.
Now complete the
“How Do Scientists Really Work?”
by placing the possible list of
statements in the table.
(Checking for Understanding)
(2 Step Interview)
Check against the Master
What Scientists Think About
What Scientists Do
How to do things
Use equipment
Measure things
Make things fair
Try things out
Investigate
Experiment
Record things
Draw graphs
Use a computer
Look at results
Write reports
Ask questions
Make things
Test things
Control Variables
What to measure, what to use
How many times to do something
Where to find out about things
Whether they are right
How to prove they are right
How to record, what to record
What information is needed, how
and where to find out, who to talk
to , what to read
What the information says
What they need to know
What is the problem, how to solve
it
Whether data is valid and reliable
Whether they believe information
Look at and think about results
Draw conclusions
So What is Problem Solving??
You have 5 minutes to produce an
answer in one sentence alone.
(5 minute paper)
Scientific Inquiry is the process by
which scientists carry out Problem
Solving.
The Scientific Method is the way of
ensuring the solution to the
problem is reliable.
However, there is a time and a
place for the formal lab write-up,
and many Science Fairs require
such a report at the conclusion of
the investigation. Some hints:
Title
Purpose
Hypothesis (specific and supported)
Materials - list
Procedure (written in specific steps)
Results (any observations, data tables, graphs)
Conclusion
Do you accept or reject your hypothesis?
Tell your results (use numbers)
Any errors or things you could not control?
Future questions or investigations?
Connections to the real-world?
Is there a place for Scientific
Inquiry or Problem Solving in
Science Fairs??
How do you organize your science
fairs?
Form groups with other members of
your school or groups of 3.
Discuss how you organize your
Science Fair.
(Brainstorming)