Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the collected evidence.
| Course Number1111 |
Course Title222 |
| 2002100: | M/J Comprehensive Science 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2002110: | M/J Comprehensive Science 3, Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2001010: | M/J Earth/Space Science (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2001020: | M/J Earth/Space Science, Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2000010: | M/J Life Science (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2000020: | M/J Life Science, Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2003010: | M/J Physical Science (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2003020: | M/J Physical Science, Advanced (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 1700020: | M/J Research 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 7820017: | Access M/J Comprehensive Science 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current)) |
| 2002055: | M/J Comprehensive Science 1 Accelerated Honors (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2003030: | M/J STEM Physical Science (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2002200: | M/J STEM Environmental Science (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2001025: | M/J STEM Astronomy and Space Science (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2000025: | M/J STEM Life Science (Specifically in versions: 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| 2001105: | M/J Coastal Science 2 (Specifically in versions: 2022 and beyond (current)) |
| Name |
Description |
| Moon Formation Theories | Students will evaluate what types of evidence provide relevant and logical support for moon formation theories. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Drink Mix Mix-Up | In this inquiry activity, students will identify unknown powdered drink mixes. They will use their knowledge of various physical properties to design tests for the unknown drink mixes and then compare them to the known. Students will use their own generated data as evidence to form a conclusion and support their findings. |
| Sea Ice Analysis Grade 8 | The changing climate is an important topic for both scientific analysis and worldly knowledge. This lesson uses data collected by the National Snow and Ice Data Center to create and use mathematical models as a predictive tool and do critical analysis of sea ice loss. |
| Research Project: Sensing Nature | In this week-long, open-ended activity, students will observe their local environment, devise and pose a testable research question, conduct observations using sensors, and use mathematics skills for quantitative analysis and plotting. To communicate results, students will summarize their findings on a custom poster that explains their work. |
| Expanding the Universe | Students will draw three dots on an unblown balloon to represent three different galaxies. They will measure the distance between these "galaxies" and then blow up the balloon in three stages, measuring the distance between the "galaxies" at each stage. |
| What if ….you never saw another shell? | This lesson connects the Carbon Cycle with the elevation of global temperatures causing dissolution of carbon-containing substances and rise in acidity. Students conduct a simulation experiment and model carbon loss due to temperature changes lowering pH. |
| "The Stars That We Don't See" a YMAA Report | In this activity students will review some characteristics of stars and the use of the H-R Diagram especially referring to the color and the temperature of the stars. They will describe their findings in a report format. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Discovering Density | Students observe the effects of density on flotation and develop an understanding of density as the amount mass per unit volume through discussion and experimentation. Students also work in groups to design an experiment to determine the densities of several irregularly shaped objects and use data to support a conclusion about the buoyancy of each object. |
| Discovering Kepler's Law for the Periods of Planets | Students listen to a video that describes Kepler's determination that planetary orbits are elliptical and then will use data for the solar distance and periods of several of the planets in the solar system, then investigate several hypotheses to determine which is supported by the data. |
| NASA Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology | The NASA BEST Activities Guides is designed to teach students the Engineering Design
Process. These lessons are created to accommodate grades 6-8.
All follow the same set of activities and teach students about humans' endeavor to return to the
Moon. Specifically, how we investigate the Moon remotely, the modes of transportation to and on
the Moon, and how humans will live and work on the Moon. |
| Scientific calculations from a distant planet | Students will act as mathematicians and scientists as they use models, observations and space science concepts to perform calculations and draw inferences regarding a fictional solar system with three planets in circular orbits around a sun. Among the calculations are estimates of the size of the home planet (using a method more than 2000 years old) and the relative distances of the planets from their sun. |
| Moon Formation Theories | Students will learn about moon formation theories, the evidence scientists have to support the current one, and how models can be used to support the theory. |
| Mars Rovers | Students will work in teams to conduct research and compare Mars and Earth. They will develop a procedure and explain their reasoning to rank different rover models to determine which one could be the best to deploy as a part of Mars Exploration Project. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Making Observations and Inferences | This lesson allows the students to discover that science is everywhere. It encourages students to apply their scientific skills and to think creatively in their everyday lives. |
| MYSTERY BOXES - Uncertainty & Collaboration | Students manipulate sealed "mystery" boxes and attempt to determine the inner structure of the boxes which contain a moving ball and a fixed barrier or two. The nature and sources of uncertainty inherent in the process of problem-solving are experienced. The uncertainty of the conclusions is reduced by student collaboration. The students are asked to relate this activity to how to learn about "mystery boxes" in nature (interior of the earth, the atom, etc). |
| Natural Records of Climate Change: Working with Indirect Evidence | Students play a dice game to explore the differences between direct and indirect evidence. Student pairs roll dice and record the numbers rolled as a series of colors instead of numbers. Other pairs of students try to crack the color code to figure out the sequence of numbers rolled. In this way, students gain an understanding of how indirect evidence of climate change can be interpreted. In conclusion, the class discusses the various records made by humans and indirect evidence found in nature that can be studied to understand how climate has varied through time.
Key Concepts
- Scientists collect data from many sources to identify, understand, and interpret past changes in Earth's climate.
- Natural records of climate change, such as tree rings, ice cores, pollen and ocean sediments offer indirect evidence of climate change. They require knowledge of how the natural recorder works.
- Records made by humans , such as artwork, harvest records, and accounts of changing seasons, are more direct, but can be incomplete.
|
| Ancient Archery: Scientific Method and Engineering | Students must assist an archaeological research team to determine which material ancient archers likely used to string their bows. Students must design an experiment to test various materials for power, precision, and durability. After the data is collected, they must develop a system to determine which material would have been most desirable for the ancient archers.
This MEA is a multifaceted lesson designed to address both the processes of discovery through scientific investigation and problem-solving through engineering. The full-scale MEA involves the development of a complete experiment and a proper lab report and then an application of the collected data to address the problem-solving requirement of the MEA. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Detemination of the Optimal Point | Students will use dynamic geometry software to determine the optimal location for a facility under a variety of scenarios. The experiments will suggest a relation between the optimal point and a common concept in geometry; in some cases, there will be a connection to a statistical concept. Algebra can be used to verify some of the conjectures. |
| Tablet of Knowledge MEA | This MEA will give students the opportunity to analyze and organize data about tablet devices that their school is looking to purchase for daily use in the classroom.
In this MEA, students compare different tablet devices. They will be given empirical evidence and must organize this data to allow for interpreting key factors to determine which device is best suited for the client. Basically, students are given data and must use this information to make a recommendation to the principal about which tablet or device should be purchased with the school's funds. They will have to provide evidence to support their recommendation. This MEA is designed to help students with data that is collected from an investigation or a lab. In the past, students were able to generate data, but in this MEA they are given the data and asked to make it relevant. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Name |
Description |
| Solving Bad Breath One Walnut at a Time | This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The science fair project of two junior scientists in Nigeria may hold the key to ending "morning breath." Through experimentation, the two teenage girls determined that African walnuts were able to kill bacteria that cause bad breath. Their project was presented at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. |
| Defying Gravity: Eye-Opening Science Adventures On a Weightless Flight | This article describes a weightless flight taken by student researchers investigating several questions all centering on zero gravity. NASA's Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program uses flights by the commercial Zero Gravity Corporation to perform weightless science. |
| Florida Riding a Lucky Streak as Hurricane Season 2014 Opens | This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article reports on the "lucky streak" Florida has had in hurricane seasons since 2005 and explains why the trend cannot last forever. The author also focuses on storm surge damage and explains the new computer programs that use interactive real-time maps to predict storm surges and the need for evacuations. |
| The Newest Superheavy in Town | This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. Russian and U.S. scientists have collaborated to create for the first time element 117: "ununseptium." The element was created inside a machine called a cyclotron when atoms of berkelium and calcium were smashed together. While the element decays quickly, the new discovery has scientists very excited, as it fills a gap in the periodic table. |
| When a Species Can't Stand the Heat | This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article discusses how global warming could leave New Zealand's tuatara (a reptile species) dangerously short on females. When the temperature rises as little as one degree, far more males than females are born. One island habitat is now 75% males, with fewer, frailer females. Without intervention, the tuatara could become extinct. The article offers some possible solutions, including having the colonies relocated to cooler islands. |
| Moon Crash, Splash | This resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This article describes how NASA sent a Centaur rocket attached to a mother craft (LCROSS) to the moon. The rocket detached, crashed and stirred up a plume of debris. The mother craft flew through the debris plume, took pictures and analyzed the plume's contents. The measurements revealed the presence of water in significant quantities. |
| Why Isn't Pluto A Planet? | This Frequently Asked Question page can be used by educators and students as a scientific resource to answer the question, "Why isn't Pluto a planet?". From the International Astronomical Union, the definitive answer from the governing body that classified Pluto as a dwarf planet. |
