This document outlines classroom activities and assignments related to a scientific method unit. It discusses an experiment called the Penny Lab where students design their own experiment to test a variable. Over several class periods, students identify a problem and hypothesis, create a procedure and data table, conduct the experiment in groups, and analyze the results in a graph. They are instructed to complete various sections of the lab and turn them in for feedback. A scientific method quiz will be given on Monday.

1. Monday September
22, 2014
Warm Up-
Write in your notebook..
A scientist studies the impact of a drug on cancer.
What would be an independent variable and
dependent variable?

2. A scientist studies the impact of a
drug on cancer.
O The independent variable is the
administration of the drug.
The dependent variable is the impact the
drug has on cancer

3. Objective
O Students will be able to use the steps of
scientific method to design their own
experiment

4. Steps of the Scientific Method
O Identify the problem
O Does _______
(independent variable)
affect ________
( dependent variable)?
O Research
O find out everything you
can about the topic; use
prior knowledge
O Hypothesis
O Educated guess
O What you think will
happen
O If _______(Ind. Var)
affects ______ (Dep.
Var.), then
___________(this will
happen) because
______________ (why)

5. Steps of Scientific Method
O Experiment
O Procedure
O Materials
O Collect and record
data
O Make observations
before, during, and
after
O Results
O Summarize your
data
O Conclusion
O Analyze data
O What does it mean?
O Was your hypothesis
supported/ correct or
not
O Retest
O Is the experiment
reproducible?

6. Penny Lab
O You are creating your own lab based on the
materials you will be given.
O TODAY
O Identify your problem- Does the independent variable
affect the dependent variable?
O Identify your vocab words (you MAY NOT HAVE A
CONTROL)
O What do you know?
O Create a hypothesis( what do you think will happen?)
O Make a procedure to complete your lab
O TURN INTO ME TO BE CHECKED

7. Homework
O Create a story or song about the steps of
scientific method– IN NOTEBOOK
O Quiz on Friday
O No school Thursday

8. X Period-- A
O Find 2 articles to read from the Science
World magazines
OWrite a short summary for each article. Be
ready to share these at the end of class

9. H Period
O Reading or working on homework quietly

10. Tuesday September
23, 2014
Warm Up-
What are you testing for your penny lab? Write
your problem and state your hypothesis.

11. Objective
O Students will be able to use the scientific
method to conduct your experiment.

12. Homework
O Share your story or song with the people
you are sitting around

13. Penny Lab
O You are creating your own lab based on the
materials you will be given.
O YESTERDAY
O Identify your problem- Does the independent variable
affect the dependent variable?
O Identify your vocab words (you MAY NOT HAVE A
CONTROL)
O What do you know?
O Create a hypothesis( what do you think will happen?)
O Make a procedure to complete your lab
O TURN INTO ME TO BE CHECKED

14. Procedure
O SPECIFIC- EXACTLY WHAT DO YOU WANT
TO DO
O I need to do this experiment for at least 3 trials!
–include it in your procedure!
O Do not include writing a conclusion. That is not
part of the experiment.
O Step 1-
O Step 2-
O Step 3-

15. Penny Lab
LAB SHEET
CHECKED
LAB SHEET NOT
CHECKED
1. Create a data table
to gather your
observations and
data
2. Get this checked by
ME
3. Gather materials
4. Start your
experiment
1. Finish/fix your lab
sheet
2. Raise your hand to
be checked
3. Once checked,
complete steps 1-3
under “Lab Sheet
Checked”

16. Homework
O Scientific method quiz Friday– study!

17. X Period-- B
O Find 2 articles to read from the Science
World magazines
OWrite a short summary for each article. Be
ready to share these at the end of class

18. Wednesday
September 24, 2014
Warm Up-
What are the independent and dependent
variables in your Penny Lab?
What are some constants?

19. Objective
O Students will be able to use the steps of
scientific method to design and conduct
their own experiment.

20. Penny Lab
LAB SHEET
CHECKED
LAB SHEET NOT
CHECKED
1. Create a data table
to gather your
observations and
data
2. Get this checked by
ME
3. Gather materials
4. Start your
experiment
1. Finish/fix your lab
sheet
2. Raise your hand to
be checked
3. Once checked,
complete steps 1-3
under “Lab Sheet
Checked”

21. Penny Lab
1. Assign Roles- Recorder, experimenter,
and counter
2. Gather Materials
3. Complete your lab that you have
designed
4. Put all materials back when done
5. Clean up area

22. Homework
O Create a graph and/ or a chart to show
your data from the Penny Lab.
O Either on graph paper or on the computer
OScientific Method Quiz will be
MONDAY SEPTMEBER 29!!

23. Friday September 26,
2014
Warm Up-
What part of the Penny Lab are you on?
What do you have left to do?

24. Objective
O Students will be able to use scientific
method to…
O Design their own experiment
O Conduct their own experiment
O Create a conclusion for their own
experiment.

25. Penny Lab– LAST DAY
O What needs to be done today
O Design the experiment (problem, hypothesis, procedure)
O Observations and Data Tables Created
O Conduct your experiment
O Results Section (including graph/chart)– can be typed!!
O Homework
O Conclusion Section– can be typed!!
O Anything else you did not get done
 All Worksheets can be found on Its Learning

26. Homework
O Conclusion of Penny Lab and anything you did not
finish--- can be typed!!
O Penny Lab (ALL PARTS) Due Tuesday September
30
O Scientific Method Quiz MONDAY!!
 All Worksheets can be found on Its
Learning

27. H Period
O Reading or working on homework quietly