Preparing Your Students for the GED Science Test:

The Scientific Method

Sara Turnbull, Adult Academic Program, Robbinsdale Schools

Session Objectives:● Define the scientific method and key vocabulary

● Explore the elements of the scientific method and key vocabulary

● Identify real-world applications of the scientific method

● Identify how the scientific method will appear in the GED tests

● Identify instructional resources to teach scientific method

● Identify strategies for scaffolding scientific method instruction

● Identify the scientific practices which are addressed through scientific method instruction

Science Practices

What is the scientific method?

Here is an excellent presentation to use with your students:

Download for free from Teachers Pay Teachers:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Scientific-Method-PowerPoint-with-Notes-for-Teacher-and-Student

Created by Amy Brown, Science Stuff, this includes student pages for use with the presentation and teacher notes too.

Vocabulary of the scientific method:

The Simpson’s Worksheet - controls and variables

Scientific Method Stories – identify steps of the scientific method used to solve a real world problem about patient illness (beriberi) and penicillin

Tip: To write a hypothesis, use “I predict….” or “If…., then….” To remember variables, the Independent (manipulated) Variable is what “I do or change and the Dependent (responding) Variable is the Data collected.

Graphic Organizer

My favorite is from Teachers Pay Teachers, Kim Sal, the Science Gal.

Scientific Method Graphic Organizer

Using the Graphic Organizer

KAPLAN GED Science TestScience Practices - Practice QuestionsContent Page - Static Electricity

Using the Graphic Organizer

Creating an Experimental Design

Experiments outlined in graphic organizers

New Readers Press

Scientific Method - Group Project

Student groups are given a scenario and design an experiment together and then share with the class.

Scaffolding Strategies● Reformat essay that accompanies video, to scaffold summarizing skill

pbslearningmedia.org

● Use Graphic Organizer to outline experiment

● Create sentence frames for the Scientific Method or try My Template

● Write a paragraph describing an experimental design

Current Research on Aging at UC Irvine

Student scientists in action

From Question to Conclusion, an excellent look at the Scientific Method through Drosophila (fly) research

The Simplified, Linear Scientific Method vs. Reality

An entertaining video on the fluidity of the scientific method

and practical problem-solving

Lesson Plan with Short Videos

The Process of Scientific Experimentation - pbslearningmedia.org

PBSLearningMedia.org makes it easy to create an account to save your favorite videos from this marvelous website.

And another… Blood Vessels Help Tumors Grow - pbslearningmedia.org

Graphing and Analyzing Data

“Dopamine May Affect Thrill-Seeking Behavior in Humans"

Using a Graph to Find Area: A Science Skill Lab

Find at Teacherspayteachers.com (Amy Brown, Science Stuff)

Using Picture Books to teach the Big Ideas of Science

My favorite Evolution book:Life On Earth, The Story Of Evolution by Steve Jenkins

(My favorite PBS Evolution Series, 7 videos - http://bit.ly/17VDksE)

More Big Ideas of Science

Cells and GeneticsDozens of interactives on topics from stem cells to cloning to gene therapyThe Atom pbslearningmedia.org - Cool interactiveKitchen Chemistry TV411.org - Videos plus Math lessonsPlate Tectonics pbslearningmedia.orgClimate Change nasa.gov - Excellent graphicsA Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change epa.gov

Daphnia Heartbeat

Observing and measuring the Daphnia heartbeat - worksheet

Graphic Organizer; Graphing; Design an Experiment (Find Experiment at Teachers Pay Teachers>Science Skills: Graphing, Applying the Scientific Method, and Scientific Writing #2 by Amy Brown, Science Stuff)

The Biology CornerBiology lesson plans, worksheets, tutorials and resources for teachers and students

Scientific Method

● Stories and Scenarios

● Hands-On Activities

● Virtual Labs

● Analyzing and Graphing Data

and more….

A Guide to Understanding Science 101

Explore an interactive representation (flowchart) of the process of science.

Discovery: The Spark for Science - Everyday Science Questions

Science Misconceptions

Science Checklist

ResourcesTeachers Pay Teachers, Amy Brown - Science Stuffhttps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

Lesson Plans; Videos and accompanying essays with questionshttp://www.pbslearningmedia.org/

The Biology Cornerhttp://www.biologycorner.com/lesson-plans/scientific-method/

UC Berkeleyhttp://undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/guide_to_us.php

Scientists at the Smithsonian - Scientists in the Fieldhttp://www.smithsonianeducation.org/scientist/index.html

TV411 - Kitchen Chemistry Science Lessons with Mathhttp://www.tv411.org/