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Scientific
Processes
(Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills)
Internet
Resources
(1) The student conducts field and laboratory investigations following
home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical
practices.
(A) demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations
(B) make wise choices
in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials
Characteristics
of Materials - test a variety of materials to determine their properties and
then go to a workshop to decide how each could best be used
(2)
The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations.
(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations including asking
well-defined questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using
equipment and technology
Collecting
and Analyzing Safety Data - a 75 minute lab with an excellent table
on page 22 listing the five leading causes of death, broken down by age range
Formatting
Hypotheses - information to help your students get a handle on this process
skill
Test
Your Hypothesis - Read Jenna's Diary in this exceprt from the science fair
toolkit to see an example of designing an experiment with a testable hypothesis.
Towel
Testing - the purpose of this lab is to practice the skills used to
design experiments
Classify
organisms in this interactive quiz from the BBC (birds, insects, mammals,
or plants)
Forces
in Action, an interactive site from BBC, allows students to investigate factors
that affect the speed of a truck, and how far it will travel. After they finish,
there is a quiz.
(C) analyze and interpret
information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence
Pie
Chart – [this link opens on a new page]
explore percentages and fractions using pie charts
Spinners
- select record results before starting and see a column graph created as you
spin
(3) The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving
to make informed decisions.
(A) analyze, review, and critique scientific explanations, including
hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and weaknesses using scientific
evidence and information
Energy
Fair: Scientific Method - A guide to teaching students the scientific
method using the experimental design model with an emphasis on energy science
fair projects
(B) draw
inferences based on information related to promotional materials for products
and services
(C) represent
the natural world using models and identify their limitations
(D) evaluate the impact
of research on scientific thought, society, and the environment
(E) connect Grade 4
science concepts with the history of science and contributions of scientists
(4)
The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science
inquiry.
(A) collect and analyze information using tools including calculators,
safety goggles, microscopes, cameras, sound recorders, computers, hand lenses,
rulers, thermometers, meter sticks, timing devices, balances, and compasses
Identify Laboratory
Devices - Look at the line-ups on the game screens and click on the laboratory
device that fits the description.
(B) demonstrate that
repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results
Chances - a dice
game that allows you to see how increasing or decreasing the number of dice rolls
effects an outcome
Coin
Flipping Page - repeat an experiment with larger number of coin flips to test
this skill
Heads
I Win - (3-5) [this link
opens on a new page] Students predict the likelihood of tossing heads or
tails and graphs the results of coin tosses. (Author - Michaél
Dunnivant)
Lions
and Tigers - [this link opens on a new page] Students
predict the likelihood of a simple event (rolling a die) as a fraction. (Author
- Michaél Dunnivant)
Pin
The Tail - [this link opens on a new page] Students
use probability to predict and conduct experiments to test predictions. (Author
- Michaél Dunnivant)
Why
Can't I Win? - [this link opens on a new page]
Students use a spinner to predict the likelihood of simple events occurring. (Author
- Sandi King)
What
Are My Chances - [this link opens on a new page]
Students explore probability and ratios. (Author - Sandi
King)
Science Concepts
(5)
The student knows that complex systems may not work if some parts are removed.
(A) identify and describe the roles of some organisms in living
systems such as plants in a schoolyard, and parts in nonliving systems such as
a light bulb in a circuit
(B) predict
and draw conclusions about what happens when part of a system is removed
(6)
The student knows that change can create recognizable patterns.
(A) identify patterns
of change such as in weather, metamorphosis, and objects in the sky
Climate
- systems that play a role in determining climate
Insect
Metamorphosis - discussion of each type is followed by insect web sites to
visit for the purpose of determining which type of metamorphosis that insect undergoes
Reading
Weather Maps - In the sections that follow, students will examine features
to look for on weather maps to make a forecasts, general methods of preparing
a forecast, and more specific tips for specific scenarios.
Real-time
data sources to use in weather forecasting projects
Weather
Underground - look up any city in the US and most cities around the world
Intellicast
Radar Loop of the last 2 hours covering the contiguous United States. This
Doppler radar site indicates clouds, rain and snow with different colors, and
refreshes 4 times per hour. They now offer a 12
hour java loop. More importantly, this loop allows you to step forward, or
backward, one image at a time.
(B) illustrate
that certain characteristics of an object can remain constant even when the object
is rotated like a spinning top, translated like a skater moving in a straight
line, or reflected on a smooth surface
(C) use
reflections to verify that a natural object has symmetry
(7)
The student knows that matter has physical properties.
(A) observe and
record changes in the states of matter caused by the addition or reduction of
heat
Changing
State - Use this interactive site from the BBC to investigate what causes
water to change state. Take a quiz when you have finished.
Matter
in the Science Lab - Select Matter in the list of labs. The
illustration names the physical state of objects. Next, click on Water
Changes State near the top of the matter window. Hold down the blue
button to lower the temperature of water to freezing, then hold down the red button
till water boils. Click on the book in the bottom left corner
to read about matter.
Solids
and Liquids - Investigate the effect of heat on a variety of objects, then
take a quiz.
(B) conduct tests, compare
data, and draw conclusions about physical properties of matter including states
of matter, conduction, density, and buoyancy
(8) The student knows
that adaptations may increase the survival of members of a species.
(A) identify characteristics
that allow members within a species to survive and reproduce
(B) compare adaptive
characteristics of various species
Physical
Adaptation - We can see some of the results of physical adaptation by comparing
the skeletons of different animals.
(B) identify and provide
examples of inherited traits and learned characteristics
(10)
The student knows that certain past events affect present and future events.
(A) identify and observe effects of events that require time for changes
to be noticeable including growth, erosion, dissolving, weathering, and flow
(B) draw conclusions
about "what happened before" using fossils or charts and tables
Life Has a History - an educational module sponsored by the National Science
Foundation (Level 1 for K-4, Level 2 for 5-12)
(11) The student knows
that the natural world includes earth materials and objects in the sky.
(A) test properties
of soils including texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support life
(B) summarize
the effects of the oceans on land
(C) identify
the Sun as the major source of energy for the Earth and understand its role in
the growth of plants, in the creation of winds, and in the water cycle
Water
Cycle - a slide show by Soo Park, Alex Reynolds, Kate Schmidt, Connie
Woo, and Christine Zackrison
Water
Cycle - US Geological Survey's Water Cycle - one of the most complete explanation
of the cycle
Water
Cycle Animation - Observe a raindrop traveling through various paths of the
water cycle. In this visualization, the blue raindrop shows where water is. The
red arrows show the processes that could move it to another place.
Water
Science - US Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science for Schools web site!
They offer information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps,
and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
The
Watershed Game - Many things happen in a watershed that affect the quality
of the water we rely upon . Examine the issues in each area of the watershed,
then see the impacts of your choices.
Water
Wizard quizzes - Do you have a fountain of knowledge when it comes to water?
Well, dive right in and test your knowledge of water with these Water Wizard quizzes.
Weather
in the Science Lab - Select Weather in the list of labs.
The illustration shows a water cycle. Move your cursor around the image for more
information. Click on The Weather Maker near the top of the
weather window. Set the temperature of two air masses and the relative humidity,
and then see what weather develops. Click on the book in the
bottom left corner to read about weather.
a site for teachers | 
a PowerPoint show | 
Adobe Acrobat document | 
a Word document
sound | 
video format | 
interactive lesson | 
a quiz | 
to print
