Teaching Elementary School ScienceDigital Idea Bank Activity

See Spot Run; An Introduction to Inquiry

Essential Concepts and Skills: Iowa Core Curriculum, grades 3-5.● Identify and generate questions that can be answered through scientific

investigations (Inquiry).● Use evidence to develop reasonable explanations (Inquiry). ● Demonstrate productivity and accountability by producing quality work (21st

Century Skills - Employability).● Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and

information clearly (Literacy - writing).● Designing solutions (NGSS 3-5 ETS Engineering Design)

What students will be doing: Students will learn to explore and observe occurrences by asking questions, observing outcomes and making conclusions based on those outcomes. They will observe how the dog rolls away then returns and ask questions to test new ideas. They will experiment with available materials to see if they can create their own returning can.

Materials: Build the dog : Have a back-up dog in case the first one does not work. When storing the dog from year to year, do so without the lids on. Build stick contraption (meter stick with a magnet taped to one end).

View of insides Nuts on rubber band, with ends

attached to ends of the can

Materials for students to explore constructing their own returning can: Cans or various sizes with plastic lids, thick rubber bands, heavy washers and nuts, string, pipe cleaners, water bottles with lids, scissors, masking tape, clay, and any other items that

may seem useful.

Introducing the Activity:Scripted Opening Questions or Remarks: “This is my dog “Spot”. He looks a little different because I am allergic to dog hair and this meant I had to have a special dog. I brought him to class today because I am so proud of him. We have been working on a special trick and I think he can finally do it well. The trick is that he can run away from me, then come right back on command. Let’s see how he does. Before we start I need to warn you about some things. First, if he does not like you, he will bark at you, so look out for that. Second, he does not like to be touched, so DO NOT TOUCH HIM.” Now show the trick by rolling the dog away from me, tapping the special stick on the floor, and whistling for him to return.

Do this a couple of times then say. “I’ll bet you are pretty curious about how it is possible for Spot to do this great trick. How do you think we could find out?” (kids will say “open him up.” ) Protest this with outrage as opening your pet is certainly not good for Spot. Tell kids they can ask you to try some reasonable things to provide them with useful information, but still cannot touch Spot. Kids may ask questions such as these . . . Will it work without whistling? Will it would without tapping the stick?”

“Will it work if you turn the stick around? What if you use a different stick? Will it work without the stick? Will it work if you roll Spot the other direction or turn him around and roll him? . . . The key is to resist eliminating factors for as long as possible but keep testing the ideas offered by students. Every trial you perform should provide students with information about what might be (or might NOT be) causing Spot to move on his own.”

Optional Extension: Some students may want to try to construct their own dog. Provide this option as a home challenge in which they can bring their completed dog, or can even bring some of their attempts that did not work, to class to share.

Assessment: This is a formative assessment which will take place during the activity. The assessment needs to match the learning goal of the activity. The assessment below will address three of the learning goals. They are:

● Use evidence to develop reasonable explanations (Inquiry). ● Demonstrate productivity and accountability by producing quality work (Employability).● Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information

clearly. Literacy - writing

Working in groups, experiment with the available materials trying to create a returning can. Write and draw about what works and what did not work. (Student responses to this assessment will vary, but be sure to hold students accountable for high quality drawings and writing.)