Ideas For Use
This curriculum is designed to be taught from beginning to end (Day 1 to Day 40).
For the teacher with limited time, however, we outline three “Fast-Track” options
on pages ix–xi. Overall, the curriculum presents scientific inquiry skills in
a sequentially logical manner and creates opportunities for students to practice and apply the skills in a research project of their own. The centerpiece of the curriculum is the Long-Term Research Project (LTRP), in which student groups formulate a testable research question and hypotheses, design their experimental methods, collect and analyze data, and present their research results and conclusions in a written and oral format.
Contents
About the Authors
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Organization
• Section I: Research Questions and Hypotheses. Days 1–10
• Section II: Experimental Design. Days 11–20
• Section III: Summarizing and Analyzing Results. Days 21–32
• Section IV: Presentation of Research Projects. Days 33–40
Fast-Track Options
Assessment of Student Learning
Planning Essentials
Alignment with Atlas of Science Literacy Maps
Correlations with the National Science Education Standards
Materials List
sciLINKS
SECTION I: Research Questions and Hypotheses
Background Information
Day 1—Ooze Observations
Day 2—Imagining and Planning Ooze Experiments
Day 3—Ooze Experiments
Days 4, 5—Science Boxes
Day 6—Long-Term Research Project (LTRP): Local Landscape
Day 7—LTRP: Field Techniques
Day 8—LTRP: Research Questions and Hypotheses
Day 9—LTRP: Library Research I
Day 10—LTRP: Introduction Paragraph
SECTION II: Experimental Design
Background Information
Days 11, 12—The Toughest Towel
Days 13, 14—Wigglin’ Worms
Day 15—The Wheel of Inquiry Game!
Days 16, 17—LTRP: Methods and Materials
Day 18—LTRP: Data Sheets
Days 19, 20—LTRP: Field Trip
SECTION III: Summarizing and Analyzing Results
Background Information
Day 21—LTRP: Tables Tell the Tale
Day 22—Aqueous Averages
Days 23, 24—LTRP: Graphing Data
Day 25—Faux Fish Figuring
Day 26—Stat Savvy
Day 27—T-Test Practice
Day 28—LTRP: T-Tests
Day 29—LTRP: Results Paragraph
Day 30—LTRP: Library Research II
Days 31, 32—LTRP: Discussion Paragraph
SECTION IV: Presentation of Research Projects
Background Information
Day 33—LTRP: Peer Reviews
Days 34, 35, 36—LTRP: Poster Preparation
Days 37, 38, 39—LTRP: Preparing Research Presentations
Day 40—LTRP: Practicing Research Presentations
LTRP: Celebration Night
Award Certificate
Appendix A: Definitions of Statistical Terms
Appendix B: Example Posters
Appendix C: Worm Presentation
Appendix D: How to Make Tables and Graphs Using Microsoft Works
Appendix E: Scenario-Based Assessment Questions