Introduction to the Scientific Method

1. Watch the video for an introduction to the Scientific Method.

2. https://www.brainpop.com/science/scientificinquiry/scientificmethod/

Watch the Brainpop video and take the Review Quiz to assess yourself to see how well you did!

3. For a deeper understanding of the Scientific Method, watch the following video.  

       

4. Independent vs Dependent Variables

5.

Scientific Variables

6. 

What Are Independent, Dependent And Controlled Variables?

C1: Introduction to Science videos

Instructions: Watch videos A. and B. below. :)  Label title and answer the following questions in your Science Notebooks.   Number each answer.  Do not write the questions; answer them in complete sentences. 

A. Defining a Problem: What do Scientists do?

1. What does a Scientist do when they have a problem to solve?

2. What does a scientist do after they "test it" ?

B. Inference and Observation

1. The speaker claims that "It is going to rain soon" is an inference; I disagree.  Why do I disagree and what do you think?  HINT: Look at your Do Now today.  

   

The Scientific Method Song

C. 

1. Watch the video, sing along to the song, then list the steps of the scientific method as sung in the video:  1. 

            2.  Ask a Question

            3. 

            4.  Do a Test or Experimentation

            5. 

Hint: I've done Steps 2. and 4. already, just fill in 1., 3., and 5.

Scientific Summer Essay

My Scientific Summer Essay

- We’ve learned about what science is.  Write a
150 word essay on your scientific experiences
over the summer.  

- Use the 5 paragraph essay format, and please
use loose leaf.

- Please use proper punctuation and spelling.

- You MUST use blue/black ink pen to write this.

If you would like to type it on a Google Docs, you

may do this.

- Use 10 "Science" words minimum and
underline/highlight them.

- Feel free to include a picture or an illustration
of a happy scientific summer moment! :)

- Paragraph #1: Introduction paragraph

   Paragraph #2: Physical Science words
   Paragraph #3: Earth Science words
   Paragraph #4: Life Science words
   Paragraph #5: Conclusion paragraph

Use 3 science words for each body paragraph; 10 TOTAL!
Relate it to your summer OR relate it to a DREAM/FANTASY summer. Coronaparty kinda changed our summer plans..... bleh. :)

- Enjoy reflecting on your summer holiday!

(Portfolio #1 - Due FRIDAY, 9/16/22)

BIOME Ecotourism Advertisement

BIOME Ecotourism Advertisement

Biomes are the major regional groupings of plants and animals found on earth. The biome concept embraces the idea of weather, and interactions among vegetation, animal populations, and soil. A biome (also called a biotic area) may be defined as a major region of distinctive plant and animal groups that have similarities and relationships based on the physical environments, either land or aquatic, and similar climates. 

Assignment:    Some IS 220 Pershing teachers and students would like to take a trip this summer; actually, we've all been stuck at home for too long.... #coronaparty, bleh. We would like to experience the most beautiful places on the planet that nature has to offer. Your job is to prepare an audio/video travel presentation for your biome, convincing us and yourselves that your biome is the best one to visit!  Where would you like to visit?  Your project should include the following:

1.      Type and Name of your biome [selections for type will be made in class] and Where your biome is located – countries, latitude etc.  You should be able to point out where your biome is located on a globe.

2.    Describe the climate in your biome; what is the average
 temperature and precipitation? Are there seasons? If so,

describe them. What are some interesting facts about weather/climate in your biome?

Web search "biome name" and "climatograph" or
"climatogram"; find one that represents your biome and
use it in your climate slide.

3.    The sights or features of your biome a tourist would see. i.e.
Tell us about the typical topography of your biome and about the
most common plants and animals that characterize your biome; be specific!
 What about your biome is amazing? Why would people want
to visit your biome?

4.    Any characteristics of your biome that make it special or important.  What can a tourist do in your biome that can’t be done elsewhere?
  What would I do during the day and night while exploring this biome?  Are there any ecotours or eco adventures possible?  Make sure to include pictures!

5. Find two endangered species (one plant and one animal) that reside in your biome and discuss them. Why are they endangered? (Habitat destruction? Hunting? Climate change? Other?)

6. a. Be sure to include an example of a food chain/food web found in your biome using the following terms: the sun, producer, consumer, predator, prey, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore and decomposer.

7.    Effects that humans have had specifically on your biome, and why they have had such impact.  How is climate change affecting your biome?  Link any relevant articles here. 

8. What is happening currently in this biome?  Your biome is in the news, what's happening?  Make sure and cite your information.

9. Give an example of each of the following vocabulary terms: 

Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, 

Biosphere.

10. What would you want to do here?  Understand, you will visit this biome...  Share pictures of your GOAL!!!  Imagine yourself in this biome!!!   

11. Bibliography – on a separate page or slide[see information at the end]

***Your Biome Travel poster/pamphlet/slide show should include all of the above, and should be crafted so that it is in your own words: [i.e. DO NOT SIMPLY CUT AND PASTE INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET!!!]***

Use these websites to assist you: 
https://www.climatestotravel.com/

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmqecn8eUvFzeWKr3Kc21FGN4xSJs438-

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=biomes  (search: images)

http://www.mbgnet.net/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/ 

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/terrestrial.html

A. Tundra  

B.  Deserts

C.  Temperate boreal forests/Taiga

D.  Tropical rain forests

E.  Grasslands and savannas

F.    Coral reefs

G.  Coastal wetlands

H.  Freshwater wetlands, rivers, and lakes

I.     Oceans

J.     Islands
K. Deciduous Forest

C2 Online Exploration: Potential and Kinetic Energy

Video A.

1. Energy is the ability to do ____.
2. What are three sources of energy?
3. Energy cannot be _______ or _________, it can only be stored or transferred.  Put this statement in your own words.
4. Compare/Contrast Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy; how are they similar?  How are they different?

5. Make your own example of PE transforming into KE; draw a picture.

Video B. 

- The Story of Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy
1. What are two different ways that we can increase Kinetic Energy?
2. How is it that even air has energy?
3. What are two ways to increase Potential Energy?
4. "That Potential Energy will be transformed into Kinetic Energy.  What is happening in the video during this statement?

Video C.

1. The elastic potential energy in the spring is converted to _______  ______.

2. The gravitational _________ ______ is converted to kinetic energy. 

 3.  What is happening when potential energy is converted to kinetic energy?  Describe the actions.

     4.   Pretend you are an animator; create a cartoon of your own involving Potential and Kinetic                   Energy, and be sure to label both PE and KE.  

D. 1. What is the law of conservation of energy?  Put it into your own words.

     2. Energy is __________ from one type to _______.

     3. If Potential Energy is the energy of position, where will the rollercoaster have the maximum or most PE?
     4. Kinetic Energy deals with the energy of velocity or _____.

     5. As an object gains speed, it gains ______ energy. 

E. Energy in a Roller Coaster Ride

"This interactive roller coaster ride produced by WGBH illustrates the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. As the coaster cars go up and down the hills and around the loop of the track, a pie chart shows how energy is transformed back and forth between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy."

Play with the interactive roller coaster ride here:Click Here to PLAY!

How does the PE and KE change at each of the 6 steps?  Think of the position and speed at each position.  

F. Brainpop Potential Energy
https://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/potentialenergy/
Watch the clip, take the review quiz, log your score into Science Notebooks

G. Brainpop Kinetic Energy
https://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/kineticenergy/

Watch the clip, take the review quiz, log your score into Science Notebooks

Lab #2: The Spheres Rolling Down the Ramp Into the Plastic Truncated Cone (2023/2024)

You will make a model to help you determine how the mass of an object, like a car or truck, would affect its impact if it crashed. You will roll three balls with different masses down ramps of identical heights and measure how far the cup at the bottom of the ramp gets pushed when the impact occurs. If the cup goes farther, there is a greater impact. 

Initial Predictions, Observations, Inferences:

Predictions
Observations
Inferences

Materials:

• ramp placemat with ruler in cm
• plastic cup with “door” cut out
• ruler (cm)
• 1 text book
• 3 sphere with different masses: ping pong ball, red rubber ball, golf ball
• scale (grams)

Problem: How does mass of an object affect its ability to exert a force on another object?

How does the variable that I'm changing affect the variable that I'm measuring?

Hypothesis:

If I change ______________________,

then the cup will __________________;

and this is my reasoning ______________________.

If I change this variable (Independent Variable),

then the cup will be affected in this way (Dependent Variable),

and I think this because.....

              

Procedure:

1. 1. Set up your ramp and cup as shown in the image at the top. Start by putting one book under the ruler.
2. 2. Measure the height of the book, and record this in your data table; starting height will remain constant. 
3. 3. Hold the ball at the top of the ramp.  Let go of the ball and let it roll down the ramp to hit the cup.  Measure how far the cup moved because of the impact. Record this measurement in your data table.
4. 4. Roll the ball down the ramp three times for each condition. Each of these rolls is a “trial.” Average the measurements you recorded for the three trials in each condition.

Data Table 1: Distance (cm) the ping pong ball pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Ping Pong Ball
Mass of ball =  _____ grams	height = ___cm

Data Table 2: Distance (cm) the red rubber ball pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Red Rubber Ball
Mass of ball =  _____ grams	height = ___cm

Data Table 3: Distance (cm) the golf ball pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Golf Ball
Mass of ball =  _____ grams	height = ___cm

Variables:

Independent
Dependent
Constants

Analysis

• 
  

1. Where did the cup travel the farthest?  What property about that variable causes the difference?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the relationship between the mass of the ball and the distance the cup moved?

___________________________________________________________________________

3. What happens to the velocity of the ball as it rolls down the ramp?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the importance of only changing ONE variable, while keeping the other variables CONSTANT?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. a. Which Data Table had the greatest Potential Energy? Why?

b. Which Data Table had the greatest Kinetic Energy? Prove this with evidence from your data.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. If the height of the ramp increases, the amount of potential energy the marble has: increases / decreases (choose one)

7. If the mass of the ball decreases, the amount of potential energy the ball has: increases / decreases (choose one)

8. Set up a mini-investigation to prove that your hypothesis is valid; use data!

- Restate a final Hypothesis: If.... Then...... Reasoning......._______________________________________.

- Take a marble, measure its mass and record it in grams. How do you think the force it exerts on a cup compares to the other spheres? Make a prediction and test it! Review your bar graph and data tables for your reasoning.

9. Friction Mini-Investigation

- Set up your materials like before, but use a fuzzy blue cloth instead of the slick plastic mat for the cup to move across. Use the sphere of your choice; run three trials. Compare this data to the plastic mat data with the same ball. Which situation had the greater frictional force and why? What is your evidence? Use the following information in your explanation, and choose the situation that exhibited the greatest evidence of friction:

The plastic mat exerts a force, friction, that is opposite to the ball and cup's motion; this is why it eventually stops.

The blue cloth exerts a force, friction, that is opposite to the ball and cup's motion; this is why it eventually stops.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Construct a bar graph showing your results.  Use the following information to assist you with the graph: 

Title - Bar graph showing how mass of a sphere (g) affects the force it exerts on a cup

x-axis - Mass of objects (g) Independent Variable

y-axis - Distance the cup moved (cm) Dependent Variable

*Use a pencil and a ruler when constructing your bar graph*

Use this website to assist you with the graph! --->   https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/