Standard #: SC.7.N.1.5


This document was generated on CPALMS - www.cpalms.org



Describe the methods used in the pursuit of a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science such as biology, geology, and physics.


General Information

Subject Area: Science
Grade: 7
Body of Knowledge: Nature of Science
Idea: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Big Idea: The Practice of Science -

A: Scientific inquiry is a multifaceted activity; The processes of science include the formulation of scientifically investigable questions, construction of investigations into those questions, the collection of appropriate data, the evaluation of the meaning of those data, and the communication of this evaluation.

B: The processes of science frequently do not correspond to the traditional portrayal of "the scientific method."

C: Scientific argumentation is a necessary part of scientific inquiry and plays an important role in the generation and validation of scientific knowledge.

D: Scientific knowledge is based on observation and inference; it is important to recognize that these are very different things. Not only does science require creativity in its methods and processes, but also in its questions and explanations.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/08
Date of Last Rating: 05/08
Status: State Board Approved
Assessed: Yes

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Related Access Points

Access Point Number Access Point Title
SC.7.N.1.In.4 Identify ways that science can be used to study different areas, such as life science, earth and space science, and physical science.
SC.7.N.1.Su.4 Recognize that science includes different areas, such as life science, earth and space science, and physical science.
SC.7.N.1.Pa.3 Associate objects and activities with science.


Related Resources

Image/Photograph

Name Description
Common Water Measurements USGS

This site uses text and images to describe methods that the U.S. Geological Survey measures water temperature, pH, specific conductance, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, and suspended sediment.

Lesson Plans

Name Description
SYMBIOSIS - Episode 4: From Pests to People (Dr. Wilson's Amazing Pea Aphids)

Dr. Alex Wilson of the University of Miami is an evolutionary biologist whose research centers on symbiotic relationships. "" from Day's Edge Productions on Vimeo is the last of four films created with funding from the National Science Foundation. This lesson, which includes a pre-test, slide presentation, and activity, was developed to support the learning concepts provided by Dr. Wilson's films.

SYMBIOSIS - Episode 1: Symbiotic Super Powers (Dr. Alex Wilson's Amazing Pea Aphids!)

Dr. Alex Wilson of the University of Miami is an evolutionary biologist whose research centers on symbiotic relationships. In this short animated film, she introduces the concept of symbiosis to the viewers. from Day's Edge Productions on Vimeo is the first of four films created with funding from the National Science Foundation. This lesson, which includes a pre-test, slide presentation, activity, and formative assessment was developed to support the learning concepts provided by Dr. Wilson's films.

Irrigation Station

This STEM lesson, complete with a design challenge, helps students design, build, and test irrigation methods. Students will incorporate and develop math skills through solving proportions as they work in teams to solve an engineering challenge.

Microscope Investigations Lab

This is a lesson to energize your classroom with real world, hands-on advanced science equipment. This lesson could work well at the beginning of the school year when students learn about the Nature of Science or to start off the second semester with an exciting exploration of the objects invisible to the unaided eye.

Dig It! (A Thematic Integrated Geology Unit)

This lesson (2 parts) is an engaging way to strengthen student understanding of the Law of Superposition and evidence of Earth's changes over time. Students will excavate "fossils" from plastic tubs in class and then have the option of a larger outside excavation. The lesson not only supports science benchmarks but Math and Language Arts Standards as well and has an optional Social Studies extension. Materials are required but can be easily obtained and are reusable year after year. The more imagination you put into setting the context, the more powerful the lesson's outcome.

Original Student Tutorials

Name Description
Different Scientists

Learn how different scientists all over the world use vastly different skills to work toward the common goal of understanding and fighting an emerging disease in this interactive tutorial

Science in Action: Engineer

Engineering and science may be similar but their goals are somewhat different. In this interactive tutorial, learn about engineers; some of the different fields of engineering, where engineers work, what they do, and some of their goals. 

Science in Action: Geoscientist

Learn about the work of geo-scientists: What they do, where they work and the types of questions they strive to answer in this interactive tutorial. 

Science in Action: Physicist

Learn about the world of physics and explore what physicists do. In this interactive tutorial, you'll discover where they work and what kinds of questions they try to answer. 

Science in Action: Chemist

Learn about the work of chemists, various fields of chemistry, where chemists work and the types of questions they strive to answer in this interactive tutorial.

Science in Action: Biologist

Learn about the varied job of a biologist; where they work, what they do and the types of questions they try to answer. 

Perspectives Video: Experts

Name Description
Birdsong Series: STEM Team Collaboration

Researchers Frank Johnson, Richard Bertram, Wei Wu, and Rick Hyson explore the necessity of scientific and mathematical collaboration in modern neuroscience, as it relates to their NSF research on birdsong.

Antarctic Core Research

Charlotte Sjunneskog, curator of the Antarctic Research Facility, discusses the aspects of the cores that are collected and what researchers are looking for in the samples.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Camera Trapping as a Research Method in Biology

Dr. Bill McShea from the Smithsonian Institution discusses how camera trapping allows him to study elusive organisms he might not otherwise be able to find.

This video was created in collaboration with the Okaloosa County SCIENCE Partnership, including the Smithsonian Institution and Harvard University.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Creativity and Science Methodology: Seeing Data through Sound

Did you hear? Science methods are always changing to help us learn about the world around us.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiasts

Name Description
What's the Distance from Here to the Middle of Nowhere?

Find out how math and technology can help you (try to) get away from civilization.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Bird Research Methods: Art and Scientific Influence of John James Audubon

Listen as this modern-day bird researcher paints a picture of how naturalists conducted research in the past.

Produced with funding from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Perspectives Video: Teaching Ideas

Name Description
The Value of Marine Science Field Research Experiences for Teachers

In this video, Angela Lodge describes the value of hands-on experiences gained from field research for transforming both teachers and their classroom practices. 

This research is made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI/C-IMAGE II).
This research is made possible by a grant from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico BWET program.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Enhancing Teaching Practices through Watershed Research Outreach Programs

Field experiences are powerful and capable of improving teachers' ability to impact students in the classroom. Watch as USF Outreach Coordinator Teresa Greely explains the experiences offered to teachers through the NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program.

This research is made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI/C-IMAGE II).
This research is made possible by a grant from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico BWET program.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Applying Marine Field Experiences to Classroom Practices: Susan Cullum

In this video, science teacher Susan Cullum describes the impact of field research experiences on classroom teaching practices.

This research is made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI/C-IMAGE II).
This research is made possible by a grant from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico BWET program.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Applying Marine Field Experiences to Classroom Practices: Patty Smukall

Listen as science teacher Patty Smukall recounts past and present marine field experiences and how they affect teaching practices back in the classroom. 

This research is made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI/C-IMAGE II).
This research is made possible by a grant from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico BWET program.

 

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Applying Marine Field Experiences to Classroom Practices: Lauren Watson

Listen as science teacher Lauren Watson explains how marine field experiences are translated for the classroom.

This research is made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI/C-IMAGE II).
This research is made possible by a grant from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico BWET program.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Problem-Solving Task

Name Description
Scientific Method - Group Project Students are asked to design an experiment to answer an experimental question. Students should identify a control group, dependent and independent variables and possible outcomes or what type of data would be gathered. Students are not actually performing these experiments but will need to explain their investigations.

Teaching Ideas

Name Description
Pump Up the Volume

This activity is a statistical analysis of recorded measurements of a single value - in this case, a partially filled graduated cylinder.

A Certain Uncertainty

Students will measure the mass of one nickel 10 times on a digital scale precise to milligrams. The results will be statistically analyzed to find the error and uncertainty of the scale.

MIT BLOSSOMS - Geologic Time: The Ticking of Our Planet’s 4.6 Billion Year Clock The Earth is 4.6 billion years old. That's a hard number to conceptualize. What does 4.6 billion look like, and what happened during all those hundreds of millions of years between the formation of our planet and now?

This BLOSSOMS lesson will help students conceptualize the enormity of geologic time and learn about important events in Earth's history. Students will also learn how geologic time can help explain seemingly incomprehensible processes, like the formation of the Himalayan Mountains from a flat plain to their current height, and the evolution of a tiny group of reptiles into enormous dinosaurs.

The lesson will take approximately 45 minutes. Students should have a basic understanding of biology, and a familiarity with geology is helpful but not necessary. The supplies required include a measuring tape that is at least 5 meters long, a 5 meter long piece of string, ribbon, or rope, index cards or other stiff pieces of paper, and calculators.

During the breaks, students will construct a geologic timeline of their own in the classroom and do simple calculations to determine how long amounts of time can lead to impressive changes in the height of the Himalayan Mountains and the size of a group of reptiles.
Cool Shapes-A SeaWorld Classroom Activity Students will investigate how the shape and volume of body forms affect heat loss.
All Numbers Are Not Created Equal

Although a sheet of paper is much thinner than the divisions of a ruler, we can make indirect measurements of the paper's thickness.

Text Resources

Name Description
Move Over Cheetah: Mite Sets New Speed Record

This informational text supports reading in the content area. This text discusses the findings of studying mite speed and mite's affinity for high temperatures. The article explores how the data could be used in the field of biomechanics.

How Do Scientists Determine the Age of Dinosaur Bones?

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. Scientists use radiometric dating to estimate the age of objects, including fossils and geological formations. Radiometric dating methods include measuring carbon-14 and uranium/potassium isotopes. This article details how these methods can be used to date a variety of objects, including the Earth itself.

Gold Can Grow on Trees

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area.Tiny particles of gold have been found in the leaves of trees growing high above an underground supply of it. Biogeochemical prospecting uses living organisms to locate precious metals deep beneath the surface. From termite mounds to "roo poo" from a kangaroo, biological clues point prospectors in the right direction.

World’s Biggest Volcano is Hiding Under the Sea

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article explores scientists' identification of the largest volcano on Earth—Tamu Massif—which is found below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Due to its underlying geology, the volcano is mostly found below the ocean floor at the edge of two tectonic plates. It formed when magma emerged as the plates pulled apart. The article compares Tamu Massif to other giant volcanoes on Earth and on other planets.

Surprise! Fossils in a Flash

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. In this article, scientists explore the fossil of a dead fish whose cells were perfectly preserved from 100 million years ago. The remains led to further studies of decay and fossilization. Taphonomy, the study of what happens after plants and animals die, is discussed in detail, showing how studying fossilized animals can tell us about how they evolved.

A Success for Designer Life

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article reveals how scientists have found a way to make a synthetic chromosome and insert it into yeast cells. Scientists discovered that this chromosome can alter or create new traits in an organism. This research could lead to creating an entirely synthetic genome, which scientists expect to accomplish in the next few years.

Discovery of Infrared Light

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The article outlines the scientific mindset that led William Herschel to arrive at the discovery of infrared light, an unexpected consequence of an experiment he was conducting. More generally, the article demonstrates the scientific process, from hypothesis to observation and from inference to conclusion.

Native 'Snot'

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The article describes how an algae species previously thought to be invasive is actually a "hidden" native species that blooms when environmental conditions change. It describes those conditions as well as the algae's ecological impact on other populations. The article concludes by connecting that human impact—climate change—is causing algae blooms to become more and more common.

How Earth's Surface Morphs

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article focuses on how plate tectonics change the surface of Earth, and how new research is changing the way we think about geological behavior. The article goes in depth about two new ideas that are changing the way we think about the planet's layers and the processes that have shaped Earth over its long history.

Electronics May Confuse a Bird's "Compass"

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. Scientists are finally able to support the hypothesis that electromagnetic radiation from human electronic equipment can confuse a bird's sense of direction; the radiation impacts the orientation necessary for birds' migration. When shielded by an aluminum screen (a Faraday cage), this interference is eliminated and birds can orient themselves properly.

Where Native Americans Come From

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The article describes how scientists have found that Native Americans have ancestral roots in Asia using DNA evidence from a 12,600 year old toddler skeleton from the Clovis culture in Montana.

Video/Audio/Animation

Name Description
Autism Genes This 13-minute video segment produced by NOVA Science Now explores the work by one committed family and researchers to identify patterns in the genetic information of autism patients.

Student Resources

Original Student Tutorials

Name Description
Different Scientists:

Learn how different scientists all over the world use vastly different skills to work toward the common goal of understanding and fighting an emerging disease in this interactive tutorial

Science in Action: Engineer:

Engineering and science may be similar but their goals are somewhat different. In this interactive tutorial, learn about engineers; some of the different fields of engineering, where engineers work, what they do, and some of their goals. 

Science in Action: Geoscientist:

Learn about the work of geo-scientists: What they do, where they work and the types of questions they strive to answer in this interactive tutorial. 

Science in Action: Physicist:

Learn about the world of physics and explore what physicists do. In this interactive tutorial, you'll discover where they work and what kinds of questions they try to answer. 

Science in Action: Chemist:

Learn about the work of chemists, various fields of chemistry, where chemists work and the types of questions they strive to answer in this interactive tutorial.

Science in Action: Biologist:

Learn about the varied job of a biologist; where they work, what they do and the types of questions they try to answer. 

Image/Photograph

Name Description
Common Water Measurements USGS:

This site uses text and images to describe methods that the U.S. Geological Survey measures water temperature, pH, specific conductance, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, and suspended sediment.

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Name Description
What's the Distance from Here to the Middle of Nowhere?:

Find out how math and technology can help you (try to) get away from civilization.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Video/Audio/Animation

Name Description
Autism Genes: This 13-minute video segment produced by NOVA Science Now explores the work by one committed family and researchers to identify patterns in the genetic information of autism patients.


Parent Resources

Image/Photograph

Name Description
Common Water Measurements USGS:

This site uses text and images to describe methods that the U.S. Geological Survey measures water temperature, pH, specific conductance, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, and suspended sediment.

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Name Description
What's the Distance from Here to the Middle of Nowhere?:

Find out how math and technology can help you (try to) get away from civilization.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Video/Audio/Animation

Name Description
Autism Genes: This 13-minute video segment produced by NOVA Science Now explores the work by one committed family and researchers to identify patterns in the genetic information of autism patients.


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