Tag: hypothesis
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Scary Pumpkin Statistics
Students predict the number of seeds in a pumpkin and then count the seeds. They use chi square analysis to accept or reject the null hypothesis.
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What Causes Algae Growth in Ponds?
Students examine data on two ponds to determine what is causing the algae growth in the pond near a farm.
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Analyzing Data – Snake Detection Hypothesis (CER)
Explore the snake detection hypothesis by reading about a study and identify claim and evidence.
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Investigation: Oreo Cookie Lab with Stats
Introductory lab introduces students to hypothesis testing. Students determine if “double stuff” Oreo cookies really do contain double the amount of stuffing.
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Experimental Design
Students in most science classes start with an overview of scientific processes. For advanced students, I use this cheat sheet to remind them of the major features of the scientific method, such as a control group, dependent and independent variables. AP Bio students are also introduced to the concept of the null and alternative hypotheses…
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Fortune Telling Fish
This activity is perfect for a first day or as an introduction to the scientific method. Though there isn’t quite as much cooperation as the “Saving Sam” activity, the fortune telling fish allows students to explore the nature of science together. The handout linked can be given to students, or you can also project them…
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Reinforcement: Scientific Processes
I designed this worksheet for an introductory biology class. It reinforces concepts that are introduced in the first chapter. Students learn about how science works, what a hypothesis is, and how data is analyzed. Reinforcement worksheets have definitions or sentences that include a key word and students much choose from a bank of vocabulary words…
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Investigation: How Does a Water Strider Stay Afloat?
This lab was modified from the “Penny Lab” to focus more on the properties of water and how surface tension is important for aquatic organisms like the water strider. The instructions were designed for an intro (vocational) biology class that only meets for a semester.
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Investigation: Processes of Science
Students must develop their own causal question about what biological factors affect a person’s lung capacity, Then test their hypothesis using a respirometer.
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Lab Report Guidelines and Template
Help students organize a lab report for any experiment, includes basic layout: title, introduction, hypothesis, materials and methods, data, and conclusions.
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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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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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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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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.