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Explanations: Getting Explanations That Fit
Book Chapter |
This chapter deals with “getting explanations that fit.” When scientists do experiments, they try to explain their findings by connecting the results to what they already know. When they encounter a new happening—or…
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Sharing Your Findings: Writing Your Report
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After scientists have done an experiment or a series of experiments, they usually take time to write their reports. This not only gives them a chance to get their thinking together but also—and even more important—…
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Judging Projects: Suggesting Improvements
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This chapter focuses on “suggesting improvements.” When a scientist sends a report of an investigation to a journal for publication, the editor consults experts on whether the investigation was done well and if the…
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Generating Ideas for Projects: Ideas All Around You
Book Chapter |
Some of the best science fair projects can be found right in the world around you. These projects are found when you start looking at cooking, gardening, and TV commercials from a scientist’s perspective. The best way…
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The apparent daily motion of the Moon and other celestial objects through the sky is a major science concept. This story is designed to call attention to the changes in position and shape of the Moon over time. Its…
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Book Chapter |
It is not difficult to understand that students may have a misconception that the clocks we use are directly related to Sun time and that changing the clocks will alter the Sun-Earth time relationship. This chapter and…
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Astronomical rules are not always correct, especially when they use the word “always.” Students should learn that unless they live on or very near the equator, there are only two days in the year that the Sun rises…
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This story obviously is aimed at the technology standards. Two simple timing devices are mentioned with the suggestion that more are possible. These can be improved to meet the challenge or other devices could be…
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Book Chapter |
The two concepts at work here are conservation of matter and the question about many surfaces vs. fewer surfaces absorbing heat. You may wonder what this story is doing in the Earth system science area, but it has to do…
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Book Chapter |
Science fair projects are about real problems that you choose to explore. The problems are challenging and fun. The best way to find out what science fair projects are all about is to do a project and take it to a…
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Book Chapter |
The wing of a bat, the bone in your leg, the stem of a plant—all have elegant, elaborate structures. Scientists would like to understand how and why these structures developed and engineers are also concerned with…
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Science Without Numbers: Searching for Patterns
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Searching for patterns is often the very beginning of sense making. We do it all the time. Scientists try to find patterns in their observations, then understand how these patterns are connected. For example, the way…
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The Numbers Game: Designing Your Own Measures
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Have you ever wondered how people managed before the ruler and the clock were invented? Today, scientists use the metric system of measurement—one based on the meter, kilogram, and second. It is a decimal system. To…
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Experiment Design: Preparing Experimental Designs
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This chapter focuses on turning cooking into a science. A cookie recipe is shared with students along with a list of questions to consider. Students are also invited to develop the recipe. If scientists were given a…
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Sources of Error: Sampling: An Introduction
Book Chapter |
Sampling is a technical matter—it has to be planned carefully. The accuracy and reliability of the results are calculated using statistics. For example, the connection between high salt consumption and high blood…
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