Do You Really Need to be Teaching The Scientific Method?

Have you ever questioned the need to teach the Scientific Method because it isn't part of your county's or school's pacing guide or the NGSS standards?  Then read this post to help you decide!

From a Standards Perspective, No

It's not a Performance Expectation in the NGSS, but it is in the Science and Engineering Practices. With NGSS, it's meant to be woven through your curriculum as opposed to it being taught by itself.

NGSS is more correlated to the CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning), as opposed to the scientific method. 

From A Life Skills Perspective, Yes

You might think of it like the Scientific Method, or inquiry, is now referred to as "engineering practices", so it means that you should still teach it.

It will be helpful as science requires investigations and labs. It may not be assessed but it is still imperative to teach to hone their skills in doing investigations and writing lab reports.  If you think about it from a procedural perspective (outside of standards alone), they need it to successfully complete labs. You might not need to spend a ton of time on it, but I’d at least expose them to it.

So how do you teach it without spending too much time on it since it’s not standards-based?

Have Students Generate Their Own Labs

This is the blank lab report sheet I have students use when they are creating their own labs.  

Give Students an Example Lab and Have Them Identify the Steps of the Scientific Method

I use this Scientific Method Foldable to do just that.

Get Students Moving to Review the Scientific Method

We have a lot of fun reviewing with my Scientific Method Human Bingo Board. 

What else would you add to the activities that you use to review the Scientific Method or teach it in context?  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Science Fair-Scientific Method: Resources to Save Your Sanity

Does the mere mention of the Science Fair raise your blood pressure?  Do you wish there was a way to simplify the process while keeping it fun?  Then this post is for you!

This is my first year as a middle school science teacher where my students have been required to participate in the science fair.  Along the way, I've picked up some handy resources that I wanted to share with any of you who are also taking this journey into the world of the Scientific Method.


First of all, let me introduce a wonderful website: Science Buddies.  This is a completely FREE website.  No need to create an account, either.

If a student truly has no idea what topic/project they'd like to pursue: 
They can click the "Find a Project Idea" button in the middle of the main page.  This will have them take a short quiz about their interests and hobbies, from which the website creates an extensive list of projects that match the student's answers.

What if the student already has a topic that interests them?  
Then simply type the topic in the search box at the top of the screen.  The website will produce a list of projects involving your topic.

Easy, peasy!


The following are some criteria I use to help students narrow down their search.  The project must:
Not be too expensive (no more than $50 without parent permission)
If it includes humans or animals, extra consent/permission forms are required
Be a real-world problem that can be solved (no demonstrations or "How-To" projects)
Not include substances or items that are against school policy (weapons, drugs, etc.)
Be something that can be done within the school year (about a 3-4 month period)
Be approved by a parent (with a signature)


The student has chosen a project.  Now what?

They need to do research on the topic and find out what information already exists.  
I have students find 3 sources:  1 print and 2 websites.  This will be made easier if one of the websites is Sciencebuddies.

I then have them use this free bibliography/works cited generator website.  They can copy and paste the results into a Word or Google Doc.

Once the sources are cited, I have students write a 4-6 sentence paragraph on what they learned while doing the research.

After the research, students begin the process of writing the rough draft of their report.
Graphic organizers are the best and easiest way I've found to start this process.


For primary students, this organizer will help them begin to collect data.

This foldable is a good graphic organizer for older students or introduction to the scientific method for younger students.
It includes:
~Directions on how to cut, fold, and glue the foldable.
~The 6 steps to the Scientific Method (Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observation, Results, Conclusion).
~Brief explanations of each step to guide students in their thinking.
~Space for students to write their thinking for each of the steps.



For secondary students, this organizer includes more details and steps of the Scientific Method.

This organizer helps students prepare for writing a final report for either a traditional experiment or the science fair.  It includes the following sections to be filled in by the student as they progress in the experiment:
~Problem
~Hypothesis
~Materials
~Variables
~Procedures
~Data Collection
~Results
~Conclusion



After the experiment is done, students type the report from the graphic organizer in a formal way and create the display board.  This year, I'm having students use Google Slides instead of the traditional display boards.  This is less cost-prohibitive and it can be typed, saved, and shared much more easily through Google Drive.


Since this is my first year doing the Science Fair with middle-schoolers, I need all the help I can get!  If you'd be willing to share some of your favorite resources for the Scientific Method/Science Fair, I'd be so grateful!

Scientific Method Foldable

I usually start off the year in Science with a mini lesson on the Scientific Method.  I have always used a foldable to show the steps of the Scientific Method in the past, however, I edited it this year to include the steps in the order in which we practice them in class.  I also added descriptions that better describe each step.

This editable PowerPoint includes:
~Directions on how to cut, fold, and glue the foldable.
~The 6 steps to the Scientific Method (Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observation, Results, Conclusion).
~Brief explanations of each step to guide students in their thinking.
~Space for students to write their thinking for each of the steps.


You can pick up a copy by clicking here.

Do you have any graphic organizers or foldables that make teaching the Scientific Method easier?  I'd love to see your ideas!

Starting the Year Off with the Scientific Method

One of the first things I like to do with my little scientists is a mini unit on the Scientific Method.  As 4th graders, this may actually be their first experience with the formal steps that they will be expected to use from now on.

I like to use urban myths to introduce this concept.  After all, what's more fun than pretending to be the Mythbusters?  One of the best myths from my childhood was the Pop Rocks and Coke belief.

I find it funny how few students even know of it now, so I show them a couple of videos to get their minds working in that direction.

This one is my favorite.  I let them wonder about what happened and why.  We record our observations and hypotheses on the sheet below, created by another teacher (Time2Teach).  Here's the link to her Teacher's Notebook.

 

I really like this foldable because it's simple and there's plenty of room to write student observations in the middle.  Of course, I let them taste the Pop Rocks before adding the Coke and amend their hypothesis if need be.  Then the magic begins!

   

 

We also discuss variables and how the Coke is the variable in this experiment because it's the only thing that really gets added or changes.  A great website to let the kids practice variables is Blasto!  It's about a human cannonball.  It lets them adjust variables such as angle of the cannon and gun powder.  It's great for discussing not changing too many things (variables) at once!

 

Do you use the Scientific Method?  I'd love to hear your ideas on lessons, websites, foldables, and videos!