Intro: This unit is intended to be taught to an upper level middle school classroom.

The topics include inquiry processing, analysis, and communication.

K-7 Standard S.IP: Develop an understanding that scientific inquiry and reasoning
involves observing, questioning, investigating, recording, and developing solutions
to problems.
S.IP.M.1 Inquiry involves generating questions, conducting investigations, and
developing solutions to problems through reasoning and observation.
S.IP.07.11 Generate scientific questions based on observations, investigations, and
research.
S.IP.07.12 Design and conduct scientific investigations.
S.IP.07.13 Use tools and equipment (spring scales, stop watches, meter sticks and
tapes, models, hand lens, thermometer, models, sieves, microscopes, hot plates, pH
meters) appropriate to scientific investigations.
S.IP.07.14 Use metric measurement devices in an investigation.
S.IP.07.15 Construct charts and graphs from data and observations.
S.IP.07.16 Identify patterns in data.

Inquiry Analysis and Communication

K-7 Standard S.IA: Develop an understanding that scientific inquiry and
investigations require analysis and communication of findings, using appropriate
technology.
S.IA.M.1 Inquiry includes an analysis and presentation of findings that lead to future
questions, research, and investigations.
S.IA.07.11 Analyze information from data tables and graphs to answer scientific
questions.
S.IA.07.12 Evaluate data, claims, and personal knowledge through collaborative
science discourse.
S.IA.17.13 Communicate and defend findings of observations and investigations.
S.IA.07.14 Draw conclusions from sets of data from multiple trials of a scientific
investigation to draw conclusions.
S.IA.07.15 Use multiple sources of information to evaluate strengths and
weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data.

D
a
y

Topic

Making
Observa
tion

Learning Targets

I can make observations and

communicate them in writing

Activities/Strategies/Form
ative Assessments
Students will be paired up
and then one member of
each pair will be divided onto
two teams.
The room will be divided in
half and students are in
charge of making
observations and writing
them down in a notebook.
The students will turn in their
notebooks at the end of class
as an exit ticket

Analyzin
g Data
and
Asking
Questio
ns

I can analyze data and ask

scientific questions in order to get
more data

Analyzin
g
Method
s

I can look at a method I have used

and determine how to better
improve for the next time

The students will receive their

partners notebook at the
beginning of class.
They must determine what
has changed in their partners
half of the room, using only
their partners notes
The students will receive a
list of the changes made on
each side of the room
The students must make a
list of the items that they
correctly identified as
changing and a list of the
thing that their partner
correctly identified as missing
In groups the students
discuss the methods that
they used to record the items
in the room, the method their
partner used, what worked,

and what did not work

Each table tells the class
which methods they found
most useful, and which
methods they found least
useful
Hand out Write it Do it Lab
and discuss the basics with
the students
4

Measuri
ng,
Analyzin
g,
Questio
ning,
Reading
Directio
ns

I can use tools and instruments to

give clear quantified instructions

Analyzin
g
Graphs
and
Charts

I can collect data and graph it

The students will participate

in the Write It Do It Lab

I can analyze and describe

something so that I see or
experience in a way that allows
others to understand without
seeing it

I can analyze data on a chart and

organize it in a way that is easy for
people to understand

The students will begin by

choosing a topic to collect
data from the students
The students will collect data
from the other students in the
room
The students will chart and
graph their data
The students will write
scientific statements about
their data and share their
results with the class

Analyzin
g,
Drawing
conclusi
ons,
recogniz
ing
patterns

I can find patterns to draw

conclusions

The students discuss patterns

in everyday life

I can create a hypothesis

The students will participate

in the density experiment and
will be responsible for
hypothesizing

The students will discuss in

groups their hypotheses and
explain the patterns they are
seeing and why they are
hypothesizing the way they
are
7

Choosin
ga
topic to
create
an
experim
ent

I can design a scientific procedure

in order to support and reject a
hypothesis

Experim
ent and
Record
Data

I can conduct an experiment and

record results

Students will have the whole

class period to work on their
projects

Experim
ent
wrap up
and
project
creation

I can use my findings to gather a

result/ conclusion

Students will be allowed to

finishing conducting their
experiments

Present
ation
Day

I can present data in a stimulating

and scientific way

1
0

Students will watch a short

clip of a meteor going
through the sky and falling
toward the ground
The students will pair up to
determine their hypothesis
for their experiment, and
create a procedure to test
their hypothesis

I can design a way to show my

result to others

Students will have the

opportunity to create a power
point, poster, or any media
they can think of to share the
result of their experiment
The students will present
their data to the class using
the method of their choosing.
The students will also be
allowed to discuss with one
another why they think their
method was the best method