Microbes in our School Investigation
Essential Question = How much bacteria is living in your school?
- What is bacteria?
- What is a microbe?
- Where in the school might we find the most? Use this link as a way to brainstorm some ideas. Link 2
- Knowledge Probe - Find at least 2 articles online that can be used to add information to what you know and to how you could conduct a similar investigation. Bookmark or save at least two articles that will help address the problem listed in our essential question.
- Read your articles and describe at least 4 new things that can be used in an investigation that answers the essential question above. - Be prepared to share your research with the class before leaving today.
Day 1
Essential Question = How much bacteria is living in your school?
- Prediction - Using what you now know, make a prediction of where the bacteria and other microbe "hot spots" might be in our school.
- Hypothesis - What is your hypothesis and why do you believe this to be true?
- Investigation Plan - Now that you have a prediction and hypothesis, design an experimental plan to test your hypothesis. What will your variables be? What will you measure and record? What quantitative and qualitative data will you record and how will you record it?
- Create a data table to record your observations in.
- Once your samples have been collected, begin writing your report following the format is attached to this link.
Day 2
- Watch the 3 video links below and summarize each one on the following document: Bacteria Video Summaries.
- You will need to make your own copy and keep it in your Google Journal. Each video should contain some valuable information that can come in handy during the writing of your report. These can act as secondary resources when you write the evaluation section of your report
3. This first video (to the right) is a little long and at times, advanced. but there are some amazing things you will learn about bacteria.
4. The video below left is an interesting history of where bacteria began their existence and their role. 5. The video below right is an overall introduction to what bacteria are and how they function. |
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Day 3
Essential Question = How much bacteria is living in your school?
Agenda:
- Discussion - What have you learned about bacteria and other microbes that might be valuable in this investigation thus far. We are going to do a silent, sustained, writing for 5 min. From memory write what you know about bacteria and microbes in your school and in general.
- What are some things we all know?
- Observations of your plates. Take photos, count colonies, and qualitatively describe what you see. In your observations section of this next paper, document this by date.
Day 4 - Essential Question = How much bacteria is living in your school?
Research in Progress - Present and defend your findings and challenges thus far
Research in Progress - Present and defend your findings and challenges thus far
- What are some qualitative observations you made yesterday from your plates?
- What are some quantitative observations?
- How are you planning to document what is growing on your plates?
- Visit the website linked to the image to the left. Read the page. Discuss with your group how you might proceed with this information.
- Create a document called P5b Bacteria Report (last name), (First Initial).
- Begin your report by writing an introduction and creating tables for your observations.
Welcome Back from Spring Break!
April 11th and 12th Creating Charts and an RIP
Agenda
Today we will do 2 things:
First - Open this link - Science 8: Creating Charts Practice . Following along as we practice selecting and making the appropriate chart for different types of data. After Group practice create no less than 2 charts for your investigation using your data.
Second - After you have created and inserted your charts into your investigation, Open the RIP document and read through what we will be doing. Take a look at your data on the microbes in our building and do the following IN YOUR Paper Journal.
April 11th and 12th Creating Charts and an RIP
Agenda
Today we will do 2 things:
- Practice making charts and then make charts for your investigation.
- Conduct an RIP - which stands for Research in Progress.
First - Open this link - Science 8: Creating Charts Practice . Following along as we practice selecting and making the appropriate chart for different types of data. After Group practice create no less than 2 charts for your investigation using your data.
Second - After you have created and inserted your charts into your investigation, Open the RIP document and read through what we will be doing. Take a look at your data on the microbes in our building and do the following IN YOUR Paper Journal.
- Draw a conclusion about your hypothesis and make a claim . In other words, which place has the most bacteria or microbes and was that what you had predicted based on what you have observed?
- Determine and describe the specific evidence that you used to make the claim in the previous step (step 1).
- What might the reasons be for your evidence being the way that it is? What have you learned from other resources that might help you answer the investigation Question?
- Be prepared to share this with your classmates and show some of your data that supports your claim.
EXPLANATION AND EVALUATION
- Complete your Written Reports - for help use this document: How to write an QPOE2 Explanation
- Assemble Presentations with your group members to Present to your Classmates.
- Use this document to prepare for your presentation:
PEER EDITING
Today will be an opportunity for peer editing. There are 2 peer edit forms listed below. One is the rubric used for the project, the other is a peer edit form similar to the common peer edit forms you use in language arts.
FIINAL EDITING
Today will be an opportunity for peer editing. There are 2 peer edit forms listed below. One is the rubric used for the project, the other is a peer edit form similar to the common peer edit forms you use in language arts.
- Choose someone in class who was not in your research group and share your document with them.
- Complete the rubric form on the paper version provided.
- Take your time and carefully asses each section on the rubric and provide some honest feedback. Add comments to the paper document, circle missing items in their reports, and provide positive feedback where you feel they have done well.
- When finished, use your peers comments to edit and complete your Microbes in our School report and turn it into the location it was assigned in Schoology.
FIINAL EDITING
- Today we will be taking the comments made from your peers, and using them to edit your reports.
- First, follow along as I work through the QPOE rubric with you. While we do this, give your paper a self analysis.
- Second, take a look at the feedback you received yesterday on your written report. Does it make sense? If not, clarify with the person that did the editing what they are suggesting you improve.
- Third, make your final edits and complete the written report.
- Last ~ complete a self-analysis of your report using the QPOE rubric. Use the same form as your peer edit, but do so in a different color and identify that color as yours on the rubric.
- Your report must be shared with me!
PRESENT AND DEFEND
IN YOU GROUPS, PRESENT AND DEFEND YOUR BACTERIA RESEARCH TO YOUR PEERS
APPLICATION
Application of your new knowledge
Application of your new knowledge
- Download the document I've started for you. It is a Google-doc. You will need to make your own copy and put ot into your Science 8 Folder.
- Your job is to complete the letter in class today.
- When you have completed the letter, spell and grammar checked it, and have a peer review it, share the letter with me.
- I will grade them and then give them to Mr. Travis for consideration.
TBD
Essential Question: What are the charachteristics of a scientist?
Assignment = You must have a small spiral notebook or composition book for this class tomorrow!
- Class Syllabus
- Create a google document and give it a title that follows the following format; Period number (P?) Last name first initial and Science 8 Lab Journal. Example = P1 Lincoln A Science 8 Lab Journal. Share this with me right away. Be sure to select that I can edit the document and uncheck the box that sends me an email notification.
- What are the qualities of a good scientist, and how are they alike or different than other people? Make your first journal entry by entering both this question, and an answer to this question. To help form your answer - Watch This.
- Think about the types of personality traits that the people described must have had. Write a 3-4 sentence description/summary of the traits you believe the people mentioned must have had.
- Pair up with two other people. Take turns reading your summary to one another. Use this time to add to your description/summary.
- Share your list of traits and characteristics in class discussion. Choose a presenter from your group of 3 to be the designated speaker for the group.
Assignment = You must have a small spiral notebook or composition book for this class tomorrow!
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Investigation Question = Can you determine the internal structure of Mr. Smits blue tubes ?
- What role does data play in the methods of science?
- What is data and how can you decide what to record in the way of data?
- What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data?
- Begin designing your investigation plan on the think tube. Determine the types of data you will record and how you will record it.
- Determine which hypothesis you feel is the strongest and construct your your model.
- Plan for what you will observe and how you will collect data.
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Investigation Question = Can you determine the internal structure of Mr. Smits blue tubes ?
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Investigation Question = Can you determine the internal structure of Mr. Smits blue tubes ?
- Today is a "messing about" day with one of my blue tubes. Observe how it behaves - jot down some notes - draw it - diagram the movements. What might be going on inside?
- Can you develop a testable hypothesis that would be a possible answer to the investigation question?
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
observations into tables.
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Can you think like a scientist?
TBD
- Continue developing your investigation
- You will need to:
- Develop a detailed investigation plan.
- Identify the data will you collect and how it will be collected. Will it be Qualitative? Quantitative? Both?
- How will the data be shared or displayed - Graph? - Table? - Other?
- Construct your model and begin your testing. Your collected data should include data from tests on both the original tube and your tube.
observations into tables.
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Can you think like a scientist?
- Try to complete your investigation today and tomorrow. By complete, I mean....
TBD
- Procedures and data collection plan have been approved that will collect both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Data tables have been created.
- Data has been designated as either qualitative or quantitative
- All data has been collected and completed, all data tables filled in with required data.
- If time permits - we will begin sharing your models and investigations.
- Please open this document, copy it, and paste it into your journal.
- Analyze the data and make a claim, cite some evidence, and provide reasoning for your claim.
- Continue your tube investigation.
- Complete Observations (Data Collection)
- Complete a data Analysis
- Develop your Explanation. This will be presented to the class and should follow the guidelines in this document.
TBD
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
Essential Question: How are the methods of science used to solve problems?
- Continue presentations of your models.
- When we finish today, open the link to the document on the right.
- This format is the formal written evaluation format followed for science investigations at Saugatuck Middle / High School. Create a google document entitled P5 Last Name first initial Science 8 Lab Mystery Tube and share it with me.
- Follow the format instructions to write your report.
- This will be due Monday at the beginning of class.
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