Building background knowledge is a critical beginning for all inquiry! The Explore phase provides experiences for students so they can build on those experiences to understand the science concepts being developed. It also provides prior knowledge and base line data for making predictions. The Explore phase of the lesson “levels the playing field” for all your students by providing background experiences and discussions. When one student tells the class what s/he knows, then everyone in the class is given the information.
Materials:
Fortune Telling Fish (order from www.orientaltrading.com
Item #N-39/761, Price
$7.99 for 144 fish)
Procedure
1. Have students take the Fortune Fish out of the wrapper and draw or trace the
outline of the fish.
2. Guide them to label the following parts of the fish so they are using the same
terms to describe fish movements: head, tail, and sides.
3. Instruct students to place the fish in the
palm of their hands and use the chart to
check off the movements they observe.
4. Have each student draw and label a diagram
to illustrate how his/her fish moved.
5. Then instruct students to describe in detail
how the Fortune Fish moved when placed in
the palm of his/her hand.
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Name
4 points exceptionally accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
3 points sufficiently accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
2 points somewhat accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
1 point not accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, or detailed
0 points not attempted
Points
0-4
Followed directions using appropriate safety precautions to complete the investigation 0 1 2 3 4
Drew or traced the outline of the Fortune Fish
Labeled the head, tail, and sides of the fish diagram
Use the chart to check off the fish movements observed
Drew and labeled a diagram to illustrate how the fish moved
Described the fish movement in detail
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
Total
0 1 2 3 4
______/24
Comments:
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Directed Inquiry: Descriptive Investigation (Systematic Observations)
The role of the teacher during Directed Inquiry is to introduce and model the process of conducting inquiry. Ask students to describe and/or demonstrate different ways the Fortune Fish moved when they placed the fish in the palm of their hands.
Question: Direct students to conduct an investigation to answer the following question, “How does the fish move in most people’s hands?”
Prediction: Have students predict how the fish will move in people’s hands based on the results of their explorations. Tell them to complete the following prediction, “The fish will (describe movement) in most hands.
Procedure: Then have students follow this step-by-step procedure to conduct the descriptive investigation (systematic observations):
Take the fish out of the wrapper and place the fish in the palm of your left hand.
Record how the fish moved by circling the movement observed in the chart.
Make a chart on the board and use tally marks to record the fish movements observed by students in the class.
Data Collection: Instruct students to fill in the chart on their activity sheet using the data on the board.
Organize Data: Instruct students to make a bar graph to display the class data. Point out the movements listed on the horizontal axis and the intervals for the number of people on the vertical axis. Discuss how to construct the bar graph for different numbers of people that are between the intervals. For example, if the fish moved its head in 5 people’s hands, how high should we make our bar graph?
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Conclusion: Have students analyze the chart and bar graph to write 3 true statements about their results. Encourage students to find the range, mean, median, mode, etc.
Explanation: Ask students to synthesize and summarize their conclusions by explaining why they think the fish moved a particular way in the palms of most people.
Next Question(s): Ask students what questions they would like to investigate to find out if the explanations are accurate. Instruct students to write at least two more questions about what causes the fish to move.
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Name
4 points exceptionally accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
3 points sufficiently accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
2 points somewhat accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
1 point not accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, or detailed
0 points not attempted
Points
0-4
0 1 2 3 4 Followed directions using appropriate safety precautions to complete the investigation
Predicted how the fish would move in most people’s hands
Followed a step-by-step procedure to conduct the investigation
Recorded the class data in a chart
Constructed a bar graph to organize the class data
Drew a conclusion by making 3 true statements to analyze the chart and graph
Gave an explanation, which suggested a reason for the results
Listed at least two “Next Questions”
Total
Comments:
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
/32
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Guided Inquiry: Experiment
The role of the teacher during Guided Inquiry is to facilitate and to provide an opportunity for students to practice the inquiry skills. Review the results from the Directed Inquiry and the processes of inquiry used to conduct the investigation. Ask students what they did to answer the Directed Inquiry question and to explain their results. Then tell students that today they will have an opportunity to practice conducting inquiry to answer another question.
Announce to students that they will work with a partner to conduct another investigation because they will need 2 Fortune Telling Fish.
Arrange students in pairs.
Question: Direct students to conduct an investigation to answer the following question, “What causes the fish to move?”
Brainstorm: Have students write down everything they can think of that might cause the fish to move in the palm of the hand. Then ask how they could observe or measure differences in fish movements. Explain that when conducting an experiment, only one variable can be changed and that variable is the manipulated or independent variable. Have students circle the variable they will change from the list they brainstormed. Then explain that what they will observe or measure to detect any differences in the outcome is the responding or dependent variable. Explain that everything else has to be the same or experimenters won’t know if what they changed actually made a difference in the outcome. Experimenters plan for these variables and tell how they will be kept constant. These variables are called the controlled variables or constants.
Hypothesis: Have students construct a hypothesis by completing the following, “If
I do this (the independent or manipulated variable they will test – what they will
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change), then the fish will do this (the dependent or responding variable – what they will observe or measure).
Instruct students to identify the independent or manipulated the variable, the dependent or responding variable, and the controlled or constant variables.
Materials: Have students list the materials they will need to conduct the investigation.
Procedure: Then have students list the step-by-step procedure they will use to conduct the investigation by completing the following sentences:
I will do this to one fish:
I will do this to the other fish
I will observe and/or measure this
I will record my observations and measurements.
Data Collection: Tell students to construct a table and graph to record their observations.
Conclusion: Have students analyze their table and graph to write 3 true statements about their results.
Explanation: Ask students to synthesize and summarize their conclusions by explaining what they think caused the fish to move.
Next Question(s): Ask students what questions they would like to investigate to find out if the explanations are accurate. Tell students to write two question they have about the Fortune Telling Fish.
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Name
4 points exceptionally accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
3 points sufficiently accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
2 points somewhat accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
1 point not accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, or detailed
0 points not attempted
Points
0-4
0 1 2 3 4 Followed directions using appropriate safety precautions to complete the investigation
Brainstormed at least 3 variables that may cause the fish to move
Completed the statement to construct a hypothesis
Identified the independent/manipulated variable, the dependent/responding variable, and the controlled/constant variables
Listed the materials
Listed a step-by-step procedure by completing the sentences
Labeled a table and a graph to record the data
Conducted the investigation
Drew a conclusion by giving three true statements about the results recorded in the table and graph
Gave an explanation which suggested a logical reason for the results
Listed at least two “Next Questions”
Total
Comments:
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
/44
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Connected Inquiry: Questions
The role of the teacher during Connected Inquiry: Questions is to teach students how to compose a question that can be answered by doing classroom inquiry. Tell students that today they will have an opportunity to compose a question that can be answered by conducting classroom inquiry.
Begin by printing the Fishing for Inquiry questions double sided with the question on one side and the type of question on the other side. Cut out the questions and put each set in an envelope. Give each group of students an envelope and “Sorting
Questions.” Have groups take the questions out of the envelope and turn them to the side with the questions. Have them read each question, decide whether they could conduct classroom inquiry (systematic observations or an experiment) to answer the question, and place the question on the “Sorting Questions” sheet under
“Investigable” or “Not Investigable” or “Note Sure.” Discuss any differences to try to come to consensus. Have students turn over the question that were classified as
“Not Investigable” and read the question type on the back. Point out that these are
“How” and “Why” questions. Tell students that these are the questions that drive scientists by they do not lend themselves to classroom inquiry, instead you would have to go to references such as books, articles, or the internet to find the answers.
Then have students take the questions that were classified as “Investigable” and do a second sort by placing them under “Descriptive Investigation” or “Experiment” or
“Not Sure.” Have them turn over the questions and read the question type. Point out the “Measuring” and “What-happen- if” questions can be answered by doing a descriptive investigation (systematic observations) and “Comparing” questions can be answered by conducting an experiment.
Then ask students to list their “Next Questions” from their Directed and Guided
Inquiries. Then have them check the questions that could be answered by conducting classroom inquiry. Tell students that to answer the question by doing classroom inquiry, the materials should be available in the classroom, it should not be dangerous to conduct the investigation, and they should be able to answer the question by conducting the investigation.
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Then have the students sort and list the questions in 2 groups: 1) questions that can be answered by conducting a descriptive investigation (systematic observations) and 2) questions that can be answered by conducting an experiment.
Then have students select a question to investigate from the 2 lists of questions that can be answered by doing classroom inquiry.
Instruct students to check the type of investigation they would do to answer the question: systematic observations or an experiment.
Have students work with a partner to review their questions to make sure their questions are clearly stated. Then instruct students to rewrite their questions and try to improve them.
Tell students to predict the outcome if they are going to do systematic observations or formulate a hypothesis by composing an If…then statement that indicates the relationship between the manipulated (independent) and responding
(dependent) variables if they are going to do an experiment. Also, if students are conducting an experiment, tell them to list the manipulated (independent), responding (dependent), and controlled (constant) variables.
Then have students list the materials and draw the set up for the investigation.
Finally, instruct students to write a step-by-step procedure in enough detail that someone else could follow the step-by-step procedure to conduct the investigation.
Collect the Connected Inquiry: Questions. Review the investigation plans to offer feedback and suggestions for improvement so students can revise their investigation plans and conduct Full Inquiry.
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1. List the “Next Questions” from your Directed and Guided Inquiries.
2. Check the box if the question can be answered by doing
Systematic observations or an experiment.
Next Questions
3. Sort the checked questions that can be answered by doing systematic observations or an experiment into two groups.
Questions that can be answered by doing systematic observations
Questions that can be answered by doing an experiment
4. Select a question to investigate:
5. Check the type of investigation you would do to answer the question you chose:
❏
Systematic Observations
❏
Experiment
Work with a partner to check that your question is clearly stated.
✓
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Systematic Observations
❏ Is the question a “measuring question” or a
“what happens if” question?
❏ Does the question indicate what will be observed and/or what data will be collected?
Experiment
❏ Is the question a “comparison” question?
❏ Does the question indicate what variable will be changed and what variable will be observed or measured?
6. Rewrite and improve your question.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ 7
7. Prediction or Hypothesis?
Make a prediction if you can answer the question by conducting systematic observations (descriptive investigation).
Formulate a hypothesis if you can answer the question by conducting an experiment
(If…then statement).
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
If you are doing an experiment, list the variables:
Manipulated or independent variable:
Responding or dependent variable:
Controlled or constant variables:
8.
: List or draw.
9.
Write what you plan to do.
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Name
4 points exceptionally accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
3 points sufficiently accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
2 points somewhat accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, detailed
1 point not accurate/reasonable/logical, complete, or detailed
0 points not attempted
Listed “Next Questions” from the Directed and Guided Inquiries
Points
0-4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4 Checked the questions that could be answered by conducting classroom inquiry
Sorted and listed the questions according to the type of investigation that could be conducted to answer the question (systematic observations or experiments)
Selected a question to investigate and checked the type of investigation that would be conducted to answer the question
Worked with a partner to revise the question so it is clearly stated
Made a prediction or stated a hypothesis that indicates the outcome of the investigation
If the investigation is an experiment listed the manipulated (independent), responding (dependent), and controlled (constant) variables
Listed the materials and drew the set up for the materials
Listed a step-by-step procedure
Total
(Systematic observations or experiment)
Comments:
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
0 1 2 3 4
/32
/36
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st
Sort your questions into 3 categories: (1) questions that can be answered by doing classroom inquiry – a descriptive investigation (systematic observations) or an experiment; (2) questions that can’t be answered by doing classroom inquiry; or (3) questions you are not sure are investigable.
(questions that can be answered by doing classroom inquiry – a descriptive investigation or an experiment)
(questions that can’t be answered by doing classroom inquiry)
nd
Sort the questions you categorized as Investigable into 3 categories: (1) questions that can be answered by doing a descriptive investigation (systematic observations); (2) questions that can be answered by doing an experiment or (3) questions you are not sure can be answered by a descriptive investigation or an experiment.
(setting up objects, organisms, or events according to a plan and then carefully observing over time)
(comparing two objects, organisms, or events in which all variables are the same but one)
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The “fortune telling fish” twists and wiggles when placed in the palm of your hand. Do these movements tell your fortune? Unfortunately, the fish can tell your fortune as well as a fortune cookie. The fish moves because of its chemical composition.
The “fortune telling fish” is made of sodium polyacrylate. This is the same chemical used in disposable diapers, fake snow, detergents, thickening agents, fire-control gels, soil conditioners, floral gel, toys that grow when you add water and the astronaut maximum absorbency garments.
Scientists at Dow Chemical Company invented sodium polyacrylate, a superabsorbent chemical. It is made by combining sodium acrylate and acrylic acid to produce a large molecule called a polymer. Polymers are long, winding, chains made up of thousands of smaller molecules linked together (
means many;
means part.) The amazing thing about this particular polymer is that it can absorb as much as eight hundred times its own weight in water.
This is because of its unique structure. It is a large, twisted molecule resembling a tree with tangled branches. These branches have highly charged carboxyl groups hanging from them that attract the water molecules. When sodium polyacrylate molecules absorb water, the “tree” swells up into a gel-like substance that does not dissolve easily and continues to grow with each water molecule that is absorbed onto its
“branches.” The sodium polyacrylate will continue to absorb water until there is an equal concentration of water inside and outside the polymer.
When the fish is placed on the palm, moisture is absorbed from the hand on one side of the fish, causing that side to expand. When one side expands, the thin fish curls.
When the water on the fish evaporates, the fish becomes flat. The sodium polyacrylate in the fish absorbs the water molecules that it touches, causing the shape of the sodium polyacrylate molecules to change. As the molecules change
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shape, the shape of the fish changes. The fish will wiggle if air circulates around the fish so water can be both absorbed and released.
If you immerse the fish in water, it won’t be able to twist and wiggle when you place it on your palm. However, if you let the fish dry out, it will be able to move again!
Try This!
Use your fish to try to detect 2 drops of water that have been placed on an absorbent surface such as a tablecloth or rug. Hold the fish by the tail and lower the head over the absorbent surface without touching it. What do you think will happen when the fish is over the water?
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Hand back the
to students. Instruct them to investigate their revised questions and incorporate your feedback and suggestions into their final investigation plan.
Print the layered inquiry booklet by making double-sided copies exactly the way the document is sequenced in the book. The backside of each page will be printed upside down. Take the three double-sided pages and fold each one on the solid line to make a layered booklet.
Supervise groups of students as they plan an investigation by filling out the first four layers of their booklets (Title, Question &
Prediction/Hypothesis, Materials &
Procedure, and Data Collection- tables/charts, and graph).
Have each group plan an investigation to answer their revised question in the layered inquiry booklet.
Explain that the Layered Inquiry Booklet can be used to plan and conduct both descriptive investigations/systematic observations and experiments.
If students are conducting an experiment, instruct them to write a hypothesis and identify the manipulated (independent), responding (dependent), and controlled (constant) variables.
Begin by instructing students to write an If … then hypothesis. Tell the students to list the one thing they will change on the line for the manipulated or independent variable. Then tell the students to list
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what they will observe or measure on the line for the responding or dependent variable. Then tell students to list the controlled or constant variables.
Ask students to list the materials and the step-by-step procedure they will use to conduct the investigation to answer their question. Tell students to create a title and labels for the table they will use to record the data they collect. Direct them to construct a graph to organize the data collected.
After they have completed the planning process. Have each group exchange their layered booklet with another group to do a peer review on each other’s investigation plan making suggestions for improvement.
Tell the groups that they will receive final approval from the teacher before they will be allowed to conduct their investigations. You may want to ask students to bring in any materials that are not available in your classroom for their investigations.
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