Hands On Science (ED)
This program will not be offered this year.
Experimental Design (ED) is an inquiry-based experiment that teaches students to rely on the evidence instead of upon authority (encyclopedia, text, teacher, parent, internet). ED forces thinking by requiring interpretation of the observed events and resulting data, rather than memorization of correct responses. It promotes cause and effect thinking.
Science Fairs mandate the use of ED format and Science Olympiad actually has ED as one of the competing events! http://soinc.org/exper_design_b
What Is a Science Project? Scientists all over the world make new discoveries by using the scientific method. Now, you can join their ranks! A science project is your chance to explore a subject of interest to you and study it in the exact same way that a professional scientific researcher would. Exploration can be a lot of fun. Instead of reading about composting in a book, you can do experiments comparing store-bought fertilizer to compost that you have made. You may try to figure out what weather patterns would be like if the Earth were square. Or, you can discover what types of plants attract butterflies. Maybe you’ll build a machine to test the difference between old golf balls and new golf balls. The fact is that your science project presents your creative solution to a question or problem!
Science Fairs mandate the use of ED format and Science Olympiad actually has ED as one of the competing events! http://soinc.org/exper_design_b
What Is a Science Project? Scientists all over the world make new discoveries by using the scientific method. Now, you can join their ranks! A science project is your chance to explore a subject of interest to you and study it in the exact same way that a professional scientific researcher would. Exploration can be a lot of fun. Instead of reading about composting in a book, you can do experiments comparing store-bought fertilizer to compost that you have made. You may try to figure out what weather patterns would be like if the Earth were square. Or, you can discover what types of plants attract butterflies. Maybe you’ll build a machine to test the difference between old golf balls and new golf balls. The fact is that your science project presents your creative solution to a question or problem!
Curriculum Focus: In each class students will be provided with a set of materials and a Physical or Chemical Science topic. They will be guided to create an ED using a hypotheses, controls and variables. Students will come up with a If and Then problem statement, make observations and calculations as needed. Students will design and complete their own scientific experiment individually or in pairs. In the process students will work on several projects ready to be extended for Science Fair journey.
They will learn to ask themselves: Does my experiment answer the question I'm trying to solve? Does it adequately test my hypothesis? Can I make observations about the results of my experiment, and will I be able to analyze those results? Finally, if I run this test, will it allow me to come up with some kind of conclusion? What are some possible experimental errors? Where can I use this design in real world applications?
They will learn to ask themselves: Does my experiment answer the question I'm trying to solve? Does it adequately test my hypothesis? Can I make observations about the results of my experiment, and will I be able to analyze those results? Finally, if I run this test, will it allow me to come up with some kind of conclusion? What are some possible experimental errors? Where can I use this design in real world applications?
Four Basic Elements
- Question/Problem Posed—Real-world problems/questions are posed to students
- Inquiry-Based Lesson—Students "conduct original research" through inquiry-based and inspired lessons to test, gather, and analyze data
- Collaborative Learning—Students work collaboratively to re-design and improve potential solutions
- Findings Communicated—Solutions and findings are communicated to peer communities
The Scientific Method
- Purpose: developing an investigative question
- Hypothesis: making an educated guess about the answer to the investigative question based on research
- Experiment: testing the hypothesis, collecting data, and making observations
- Analysis: organizing data from the research and experimentation and looking for patterns
- Conclusion: determining if the hypothesis is supported or disproved by the experimental results
- Communicating the Results: sharing the conclusion with others
Program offered to Grades: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6