THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD 2

Unit essential questions:

- What safety precautions must be taken before an experiment?
- What happens when the data results are different then the
hypothesis?
- Why is safety in the science classroom so important?
- How can I use the scientific method in my life?
- What are the steps of the scientific method? How do they connect or
work together?
- How does data help us understand the world?
Lesson question:
-What are controls and variables?
- How do I identify controls and variables in an experiment?
-What is the difference between the independent and dependent
variable?
Standards:
- NYS COMMON CORE ELA
o Grade 5: Reading Standards for Informational Texts
3. Explain the relationships or interactions between
two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in
a historical, scientific, or technical text based on
specific information in the text.
- NYS SCIENCE STANDARDS
o Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
S3.2a State, orally and in writing, any inferences or
generalizations indicated by the data collected
S3.4b State, orally and in writing, any new questions
that arise from their investigation
Lesson objective:
Students will define what controlled, independent, and
dependent variable is.
Students will identify the control group, the independent variable
and the dependent variable in an experiment.
Assessment:
Students will be given scenarios or experiments with which they
will have to identify the control group and the dependent and
independent variables.

Opening:
Students will gather in the LGI room (Lecture hall) down the hall
and sit in the first few rows with the worksheets in front of them.
Then we will activate prior knowledge by reviewing what the
scientific method is and what the steps are.
Then I will tell the students we are going to be working on
controls and variables.
Procedure:
1. Anticipatory Set: So last time I was in class with you we
were talking about the scientific method and
how to graph data. Today we will be working
on a different area of scientific method. We
will be working on controls and variables.
2.
Then I will go on to tell them what each of these
three are. (What I change? What I observe? What I
keep the same?)
3.
Then once the students have repeated the three to
me I will give them an example of an experiment and
the three variables.
4.
Next We will as a class go over examples of what
students can look for and how to pick the three
variables out of a word problem of an experiment.
5.
Once the students have taken turns helping me find
my answers I will then distribute a worksheet with
multiple examples of the same types of problems
with which we had just worked on.
6.
Ask students closing questions about the lesson and
what each of the three are.

Tiered by: Complexity

Tier 1:
Students in tier 1 will be given a worksheet with a brief 3 brief
write ups
Each will have a control group, an independent and a dependant
variable the students will have to identify.
The students will read the scenario given and try and figure out
which is the control group, an independent and a dependant
variables.
These students will also have a little reminder at the top of the
worksheet reminding them that the control group is what I keep

the same, the independent is what I change and the dependent

variable is what I observe.
Control Group
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

What stays the

What changes?

What do you
same?
observe

Tier 2:
Students are given a similar worksheet then that of tier 1.
Students are given 5 scenarios or experiments with which they
have to find the control group, independent variable and
dependent variable.
This group will not have the reminder box like the one shown
above in tier 1.
Students are also given a problem with which they will have to
create the necessary experiment to finish the problem and then
identify the control group, independent variable and dependent
variable.
Closure:
Students will be asked to tell me what the control, independent
and dependent variable are and then on exit ticket give me one
example.
Materials:
ELMO
Worksheets for both Tier 1 and 2
Pencils

Identify the Controls and Variables

Name:____________________________Date:_________

Smithers thinks that a

special juice will increase
the productivity of
workers. He creates two
groups of 50 workers
each and assigns each
group the same task (in
this case, they're
supposed to staple a set

Identify the:
1. Control Group
2. Independent (Manipulated)
Variable
3. Dependent (Responding)
Variable
4. What should Smithers'

of papers). Group A is
given the special juice to
drink while they work.
Group B is not given the
special juice. After an
hour, Smithers counts
how many stacks of
papers each group has
made. Group A made
1,587 stacks, Group B
made 2,113 stacks.

conclusion be?
5. How could this experiment
be improved?

6. What was the initial

observation?

Homer notices that his

shower is covered in a
strange green slime. His
friend Barney tells him
that coconut juice will get
rid of the green slime.
Homer decides to check
this this out by spraying
half of the shower with
coconut juice. He sprays
the other half of the
shower with water. After 3
days of "treatment" there
is no change in the
appearance of the green
slime on either side of the

Identify the7. Control Group

8. Independent
(Manipulated) Variable
9. Dependent (Responding)
Variable
10. What should Homer's
conclusion be?

shower.
Bart believes that mice
exposed to radiowaves
will become extra strong
(maybe he's been reading
too much Radioactive
Man). He decides to
perform this experiment
by placing 10 mice near a
radio for 5 hours. He
compared these 10 mice
to another 10 mice that
had not been exposed.
His test consisted of a
heavy block of wood that
blocked the mouse food.
he found that 8 out of 10
of the radiowaved mice
were able to push the
block away. 7 out of 10 of
the other mice were able
to do the same.

Identify the11. Control Group

12. Independent
(Manipulated) Variable
13. Dependent
(Responding) Variable
14. What should Bart's
conclusion be?
15. How could Bart's
experiment be improved?

Identify theKrusty was told that a

certain itching powder
was the newest best thing 16. Control Group
on the market, it even
17. Independent
claims to cause 50%

longer lasting itches.

Interested in this product,
he buys the itching
powder and compares it
to his usual product. One
test subject (A) is
sprinkled with the original
itching powder, and
another test subject (B)
was sprinkled with the
Experimental itching
powder. Subject A
reported having itches for
30 minutes. Subject B
reported to have itches for
45 minutes

(Manipulated) Variable

Lisa is working on a
science project. Her task
is to answer the question:
"Does Rogooti (which is a
commercial hair product)
affect the speed of hair
growth". Her family is
willing to volunteer for the
experiment.

20. Design Lisa's

experiment.

18. Dependent
(Responding) Variable
19. Explain whether the
data supports the
advertisements claims
about its product.

Identify the control group?

Identify the independent
variable?
Identify the dependent
variable?
What is her conclusion?

Tier 1 will only be given the first three scenarios or experiments and
will have this at the top of their sheet for reference:
Control Group
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable

What stays the

What changes?

What do you
same?
observe

Tier 2 will be given all five scenarios or experiments and will have to
create the experiment in the last question.

Give one example of control group, independent

variable and dependent variable in the space
provided.