Formulating Scientific Questions

Skills and Processes

Maryland Science Content Standard

• Students will develop the ability to clarify questions and direct them towards objects and phenomena that can be described, explained or predicted by scientific investigations

(Skills and Processes A1b)

Objective

• Students will observe and make inferences in order to develop scientific questions.

Notebook

• Title:Scientific Questions

• Date: 04/20/23

Notebook

• Develop a chart in your notebook to collect data like the one below (use your entire sheet)

Observation Inference

1. 1.

2. 2.

Using Your Senses

• We will be going outside…..

• Use your senses and observe the environment

• Record your observations on the chart you drew

Inferences

• After recording your observations, infer what you think may be going on…for example…

Observation Inference

1. The dog is barking 1. Someone is teasing the dog

2. 2.

What Are you Inferring?

• What do you base your inference on?

• Will your inference always be the same as everyone elses?

• Why are inferences “dangerous” in scientific investigations?

Conclusion

• Using your observations, and based on your inference, created a testable scientific question.– What is the effect of an increase of foot traffic

in a given area on the number of species of plants found in the same given area.

• Example: – What is the effect of someone teasing a dog on the noise

level of the dog.