#1561. Scientific method

Science, level: all
Posted Tue Feb 8 12:35:04 PST 2000 by Todd Tarrant (tarrantt@pilot.msu.edu).
Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, USA
Materials Required: 3x5 cards or a group of objects
Activity Time: 15 minutes+
Concepts Taught: Scientific method and science as a process

This is a very simple activity. Write the names of the parts of a car, truck, airplane or some other object, preferably one students are not too familiar with. Give each student one of the cards and tell them not to share the information on the card with anyone else. Have each student use the information on the card to generate several hypotheses as to what the object on the car is part of. Ask each student, one at a time, to give the fact, the information on the card, and their hypothese. Write the hypotheses from the first student on the board. Ask if anyone else has any other hypothese based on the first fact. Next, ask the second student for their fact and place it on the board. Ask the class to revise the hypotheses on the board based on the new fact. Continue this until the students discover what the object is. Explain that this is exactly how science works. An observation is made, hypothese follow, new information is collected and the hypotheses are reevaluted based on the new information and this continues until a conclusion that explains all the data is found. This exercise engages most students and can be done in a relatively short time.