Category: Science Methods
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Investigation: How Does Temperature Affect Respiration Rates
This lab is focused on fish and the metabolism of ectothermic (warm-blooded) animals. The investigation also be useful for beginning students in reinforcing good lab procedures and graphing. I’m always surprised by how many students have difficulty reading thermometers and setting up a water bath. This lab has been redesigned to make it simple and quick.…
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A Simple Demonstration for the Scientific Method
A simple demonstration using bromothymol blue to show students how the scientific method can be incorporated to determine why the chemical changed color after you blow into it with a straw.
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Case Study: John Snow and the Origin of Epidemiology
This case study explores a time before the Germ Theory when doctors were uncertain how disease was spread. Current models, such as the humoral or miasma model could not fully explain how cholera infected some households, but not others. This case story explores London, England in 1854 after an outbreak of cholera which had…
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Quiz: The Science of Biology
This practice quiz aligns with chapter 1 of biology textbook where concepts such as the nature of science and the scientific method are discussed.
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Investigation: What Factors Affect the Heart Rate of Daphnia
This investigation starts with a guided procedure where students gather data on the heart rate of daphnia when the organism is exposed to 1% ethanol. Daphnia are tiny crustaceans that are visible with the naked eye, though a microscope or stereoscope will be needed to see their heart rate.
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Saving Sam – Icebreaker Activity
A cooperative activity where students devise a way to save Sam, a gummy worm trapped on a boat. Students use paperclips to try to get Sam’s life preserver on.
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Investigation: How Much Water Is In a Plant?
Students compare the amount of water in three types of plants: a root (carrot), a fruit (grape) and a leaf by weighing samples and dehydrating them overnight.
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Investigation: Plop Plop Fizz Fizz
This investigation asks beginning students to develop a hypothesis about how quickly an effervescent tablet will dissolve and then design an experiment.
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Investigation: How Can a Microscope Be Used to Make Observations?
Activity begins with an overview of different types of microscopes. Students learn to focus objectives, measure the viewing field, and create a wet mount.
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Scientific Method – Answering Causal Questions
Examine a flow chart which considers a question about water evaporation; hypotheses are proposed to test the effects of air flow, light, and temperature.
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How Can the Scientific Method Solve Real-World Problems?
Read short stories about how scientists used the scientific method to solve real problems, such as the discovery of penicillin and the cause of beriberi.
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Student Activities on the Importance of Observation
This activity combines literature with science as a fun way to show students how important it is to make good observations in science.
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Introduction to the Light Microscope
Students learn to use a basic light microscope by examining the structures and using a prepared slide of the letter “e” to practice focusing.
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Growing Sponge Animals
This simple activity provides an introduction to laboratory techniques and data collection. Students measure how a sponge animal toy grows when submerged in cold and warm water.
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Investigation: What Are the Processes of Science
Inquiry investigation where students develop hypotheses to answer a question about lung capacity, design an experiment, collect data, and draw conclusions.