Unit A.1. Freezing Water
Teacher Guided 45 Minutes
Summary of objectives: Over the next 3 weeks, you will conduct a thorough investigation of an everyday winter phenomenon. Your job is to document your thinking in your notebook, create visual models that can be used to explain your ideas to others, and to design a simple experiment that will prove or disprove your ideas. You will be evaluated on your commitment to excellence, the thoroughness of your thoughts, and the logical connections (reasoning) that you make between facts, ideas, research, and observations. The “right answer” improves your ability to reason--to make observations, think critically, evaluate your own ideas, and share your ideas with others. Feedback is essential for developing your thinking. You will want to take ownership of your education and this assignment because it lays a foundation for the rest of this course and ultimately the rest of your life. Discuss with your classmates why the “right answer” may not necessarily be the right answer.
Summary of objectives: Over the next 3 weeks, you will conduct a thorough investigation of an everyday winter phenomenon. Your job is to document your thinking in your notebook, create visual models that can be used to explain your ideas to others, and to design a simple experiment that will prove or disprove your ideas. You will be evaluated on your commitment to excellence, the thoroughness of your thoughts, and the logical connections (reasoning) that you make between facts, ideas, research, and observations. The “right answer” improves your ability to reason--to make observations, think critically, evaluate your own ideas, and share your ideas with others. Feedback is essential for developing your thinking. You will want to take ownership of your education and this assignment because it lays a foundation for the rest of this course and ultimately the rest of your life. Discuss with your classmates why the “right answer” may not necessarily be the right answer.
1. Observe a Phenomenon (Step 1 of a Scientific Investigation)
1. Observe a Phenomenon (Step 1 of a Scientific Investigation)
Phenomenon: An observable fact or event that is knowable through the senses even though the underlying causes are not directly observable (without advanced technology). We investigate phenomenon to understand the cause and effect of nature--to understand that which cannot be observed with our senses.
Phenomenon: An observable fact or event that is knowable through the senses even though the underlying causes are not directly observable (without advanced technology). We investigate phenomenon to understand the cause and effect of nature--to understand that which cannot be observed with our senses.
Lake
Lake
Ocean
Ocean
Step 1. Observation: Living in Maine, you observe that a lake freezes while the ocean does not.
Question/Wonder: Why? How?
Spend no more than seven minutes in a small team sharing your ideas of how and why the lake freezes but the ocean does not, then independently complete the following:
1. Brainstorm and document your observations and known facts that could lead to an explanation about how and why the lake freezes and the ocean does not?
1. Brainstorm and document your observations and known facts that could lead to an explanation about how and why the lake freezes and the ocean does not?
2. List all the possible reasons causing this phenomenon. Base your list on your current knowledge and the observations you made in question 1. After you have listed your possible causes, number your list with the most likely explanation being number 1.
2. List all the possible reasons causing this phenomenon. Base your list on your current knowledge and the observations you made in question 1. After you have listed your possible causes, number your list with the most likely explanation being number 1.
3. Write a brief explanation of how and why this phenomenon occurs. If you think there are multiple causes, write a brief explanation of how the multiple causes interact to produce the phenomenon.
3. Write a brief explanation of how and why this phenomenon occurs. If you think there are multiple causes, write a brief explanation of how the multiple causes interact to produce the phenomenon.
4. Create a concept map that models your explanation described in question 3. Be sure to include all the key factors, objects, and mechanisms that come together to produce the phenomenon. Use pop-out to "zoom" in on ideas or concepts that cannot be seen by the naked eye.
4. Create a concept map that models your explanation described in question 3. Be sure to include all the key factors, objects, and mechanisms that come together to produce the phenomenon. Use pop-out to "zoom" in on ideas or concepts that cannot be seen by the naked eye.
Time permitting, Show video and discuss answers to question 5.
Intuitiveness: the ability to make correct decisions or judgments even though you do not have all the necessary information or a full understanding of a thing.
Intuitiveness: the ability to make correct decisions or judgments even though you do not have all the necessary information or a full understanding of a thing.
Since we have limited resources, being intuitive in science is essential because you have to make a decision about the best possible "hypothesis" to test in an experiment. The better your intuition the more quickly your thinking matches reality.
Since we have limited resources, being intuitive in science is essential because you have to make a decision about the best possible "hypothesis" to test in an experiment. The better your intuition the more quickly your thinking matches reality.