Name of Unit Scientific Method

Grade Level 6th Grade Content Area Science

Standards being addressed:

C.8.11 Raise further questions which still need to be answered
C.8.7 Explain* their data and conclusions in ways that allow an audience to understand the
questions they selected for investigation* and the answers they have developed
C.8.1 Identify* questions they can investigate* using resources and equipment they have available
C.8.9 Evaluate*, explain*, and defend the validity of questions, hypotheses, and conclusions to their
investigations*
B.8.4 Describe types of reasoning and evidence used outside of science to draw conclusions about
the natural world
H.8.2 Present a scientific solution to a problem involving the earth and space, life and
environmental, or physical sciences and participate in a consensus-building discussion to arrive at a
group decision

Day 1

Day One Learning Target: Students will be able to identify the steps of the scientific method and
recognize what questions to ask for each step.

Day One Lesson Outline: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

- Essential Question: What is the scientific method and what is it used for?
1. What is the scientific method?
a. It is a list of steps that scientists use to help guide them through their problem solving
b. It is the most important tool a scientist will use during their thinking process
2. How is it used?
a. It can be used to answer questions
b. It can be used to design and conduct an experiment
3. What are the steps?
a. Purpose: What question am I trying to answer?
b. Research: What resources will I use?
c. Hypothesis: What do I think will be the outcome of the experiment?
d. Experiment: What steps will I take during my experiment? What tools will I use?
e. Analysis: What data did I collect?
f. Conclusion: Was my hypothesis correct? How do I know?

Day One Resources: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Scientific Method Slideshow
Scientific Method Video

Formative/Summative Assessments: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Group Activity using the scientific method to work through a case study. Students will practice
finding evidence and asking questions to problem solve. Groups will be based on ability to ask valid
and productive questions of others.
 DAY 2

Day Two Learning Target: Students will be able to determine if information is a piece of evidence or
a fact.

Day Two Lesson Outline: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

- Essential Question: Why is it important to be able to pick out evidence?
1. What is evidence?
a. It is something you look for that leads you to another clue
b. It is not always easy to find
c. It is not something you can find by looking up information, you must use clues around
you
d. It is essential to the scientific method
e. Proves something to be true or false
2. What is fact?
a. It is something that states a characteristic or a piece of knowledge
b. It a piece of information you can look up
c. It is helpful to know facts about your topic but is not as helpful as having evidence
d. Does not prove a piece of information true or false

Day Two Resources: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Scientific Method Slideshow
Evidence vs. Fact Slideshow

Formative/Summative Assessments: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Relook at same assignment to make changes: Group Activity using the scientific method to work
through a case study. Students will practice finding evidence and asking questions to problem
solve. Groups will be based on ability to ask valid and productive questions of others.

DAY 3

Day Three Learning Target: Students will be able to explain how the scientific method is used in a
lab report.

Day Three Lesson Outline: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

- Essential Question: Why are lab reports important?
1. What is a lab report?
a. It is a scientific report that allows others to read about results or conduct the same
experiment
b. It uses the steps of the scientific method as a guide to answering all possible
questions a reader may have
2. How do we use lab reports?
a. As a scientist, you create a lab report to track your findings
b. Other scientists should be able to conduct the same experiment the exact same way
just by following the steps of your lab report
c. You can use tables and graphs to write down the date you collect

Day Three Resources: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

How to Write a Lab Report Activity Sheet - as a class, we will go over how to write a lab report one
section at a time. Students will be given examples and questions to ask themselves as we go
section by section.

Formative/Summative Assessments: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

At level:
What are the headings you should put on a lab report? How do you know what order they go in?
Above level:
What part of the lab report would be the most helpful if you wanted to redo someone else’s
experiment the same way they had done it?

DAY 4

Day Four Learning Target: Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method
in writing a lab report about a simple lab.

Day Four Lesson Outline: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

- Essential Question: How do you incorporate the scientific method into lab reports?
Review:
1. What are the steps?
a. Purpose: What question am I trying to answer?
b. Research: What resources will I use?
c. Hypothesis: What do I think will be the outcome of the experiment?
d. Experiment: What steps will I take during my experiment? What tools will I use?
e. Analysis: What data did I collect?
f. Conclusion: Was my hypothesis correct? How do I know?

Day Four Resources: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Gobstopper Lab
- The colors off Gobstopper candy will fade onto a paper towel if the correct amount of water is
added. Students will have to make observations based on their Gobstopper colors. Each
group will be given three colors at random.

Formative/Summative Assessments: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Students will work with a partner to create a lab report using the scientific method. They will have to
track data as they go through the lab. They also have to follow a very strict procedure in order for
the experiment to work.

DAY 5

Day Five Learning Target: Students will be able to utilize all steps of the scientific method to design
and conduct a safe and realistic lab experiment with their group. **One day to design and one day
to conduct**

Day Five Lesson Outline: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

- Essential Question: How can you use the knowledge from your group mates and of the
scientific method to build and conduct a lab experiment?

Day Five Resources: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Groups based on interest
- Lab Options: Classmate Comparisons: Speed, Height, Age / Most effective way to make a
 s’more / Most effective way to crack an egg

Formative/Summative Assessments: (highlight all opportunities for differentiation)

Lab reports written correctly and in order
Students can successfully create an experiment using the tools provided