The Nature of Science
Scientific Process for 5th Grade
Investigations Leading Students Through
Scientific Inquiry
Rubber Band
Shoot
Glubber Formula
Paper Towel
Test
Swinging Bears
Grow Toys
Loop Plane
Ideas for investigations taken from 2004 AIMS Education Foundation
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.
Rubber Band Shoot
Hypothesis:
•
I think that if I….. then….
Materials:
•
centimeter ruler, rubber band, paper pencil
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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 (L+10 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.
Rubber Band Shoot
Results:
•
Using excel, create a data chart to organize your data.
The sample table below will help you get started.
Total Stretch (mm)
10
20
30
40
50
Total Distance (mm)
•
•
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.
Rubber Band Shoot
1.
For which rubber band stretch did it travel the furthest?
2.
How far did it travel?
3.
Did all groups get similar results? How do you know?
4.
What do you know about the relationship between the stretch
length and the distance the rubber band travels?
5.
What are some variables that might affect the distance the
rubber band travels?
Answer these questions in your science journal.
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)
Materials:
•
•
Glubber Formulas
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.
FORMULA A
20 ml glue
20 ml water
40 ml of borax solution
•
•
FORMULA B
30 ml glue
10 ml water
40 ml of borax solution
FORMULA C
40 ml glue
0 ml water
40 ml of borax solution
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.
Problem:
•
Glubber Formula
Which formula is best for a new product. Conduct the
tests to find out.
Bounce Test
Drop each Glubber from a
height of 100 cm. How high
does the Glubber bounce?
Sequence the formulas from
highest bounce (1) to lowest
(3).
Shape Test
Roll Glubber into a ball.
Does it retain its shape?
Sequence the formulas from
best shape retention (1) to
least shape retention (3).
Imprint Test
Use large paper clips to make an
imprint in the Glubber. How
long does the imprint last?
Sequence Glubber from longest
(1) to shortest (3).
Stretch Test
Roll the Glubber into a 20
cm rope. Pull the rope until
it snaps. How long was each
rope. Sequence formulas
from longest rope (1) to
shortest rope (3).
Print Transfer Test
Draw three simple marker
designs on white paper.
Press Glubber on the
designs. Which formula
transferred the design the
best. Sequence formulas
from best (1) to poorest (3).
Record
Create a data chart in excel to
record your findings.
Use your results to answer
questions on slide 11 in your
science journal.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hypothesis:
Paper Towel Tests
• 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.
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.
Brand Name
Results
Rating
(Number of coins)
(1,2,3,4)…1 is most coins)
Brand A
Brand B
Brand C
Brand D
( The highest amount of coins gets the lowest rating.)
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.
Paper Towel Tests
Testing absorbency (the amount of liquid a paper towel
retains)
Procedure:
•
First, design an excel sheet to record your data.
Brand Name
Brand A
Brand B
Brand C
Brand D
Results
Rating
(ml of water retained)
(1,2,3,4)…1 most water
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.
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.
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.
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.
Swinging Bears
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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.
Swinging Bears
Connected Learning:
1.
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?
5.
The weight at the bottom of a grandfather clock’s 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.
Key Question:
Grow Toys
• 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.
Grow Toys
Materials:
• Grow Toys
• 250 mL graduated cylinders
• Plastic containers
Rulers
Balance and masses
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.
Grow Toys
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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.)
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 toy’s 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.
Grow Toys
Results:
• After all measurement have been recorded, and the toys have
stopped growing, students can make a bar graph of each
dimension’s 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.
Key Question:
Loop Plane
• 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.
Loop Plane
Materials:
•
Straws, loop pattern, transparent tape, measuring tape
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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.
Loop Plane
Recording Data:
1.
Use the following chart as an example:
Flight
Number
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Average
Distance Flown
(centimeters)
Distance Flown
(meters)
Changes made to
plane
Loop Plane
Record your best flight on the class data chart…
Plane’s
Name
Distance Flown
(centimeters)
Distance Flown
(meters
Loop Plane
Connecting Learning:
Answer these questions in your science journal.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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 student’s plane.
Using excel, find the mean , median and mode of the distances
measured.
Use the recorded measurements to work with scientific
notation.