Write: Observation and the Scientific Method
- Due No Due Date
- Points 15
- Submitting a website url
Overview
The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize you with the first three steps of the scientific process – observation, question, and hypothesis. As part of the assignment, you will find a place outdoors, for example, a park, a natural area near your house, or an urban area, where you can spend some time observing the site and taking notes of your observations.
Directions
Carefully read through these directions and the guidelines below before starting the assignment:
- Determine where you want to make your observation and plan how and when you will get to the site.
- Open, copy, and save to your Google drive (My Drive): Using the Scientific Method Links to an external site.worksheet. Download your copy to take notes on the worksheet on your laptop or smart device or print it out and write your notes by hand.
- Go to your observation site and note what you observe, following the directions on the worksheet. Stay for at least 20 minutes.
- Complete the worksheet, developing questions and creating a hypothesis based on your observations.
- Submit your worksheet with a Google link. If you made handwritten notes, you will need to enter your notes into the online Google Doc.
Guidelines for Your Observation
- Go to the place where you will conduct your observations and find a specific place to observe.
- Observe your surroundings for about 20 minutes.
- Start by looking at the whole picture and then begin focusing on individual organisms. Use all of your senses to describe your site: look, listen. smell, and feel. Record your sensations.
- Include the following in your notes:
- Types of organisms (as much as you know!) – These are biotic factors including plant and animal life. What do they look like? Sound like? How do/might they feel? What are they doing? What is their population size (abundant/scarce)?
- Abiotic (nonliving) factors – These include natural factors like temperature, sunlight, water availability, soil, and air quality as well as man-made factors such as physical structures, roads, litter, and so on.
- Don’t forget to look up! Be as objective and as detailed as possible.
Rubric
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Please include a title
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Perform scientific investigations in lab setting, gather, analyze and critically evaluate scientific data, and communicate scientific results according to appropriate academic standards.
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CCR Language Anchor 1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
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CCR Anchor 2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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