Topic One (1.1): Asking scientific questions
Objectives
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
- describe how scientists develop an idea into a question that can be investigated
- identify independent, dependent and control variables
- make a scientific prediction.
You might also be able to:
- explain that some questions can be investigated and some cannot.
Introduction
Scientists start by asking questions and then designing experiments to help answer these questions. Let's look at how we can develop an idea into a question to be investigated and let’s also learn about variables.
Working through your coursebook
- Begin by reading pages 8-9 of Activate 1.
- What is the difference between an experiment that we do because it is fun and one that we do to answer a scientific question? The videos below should help to answer this question:
WATCH – WS1 Mini Clip 1 – Asking scientific questions (Kerboodle) Links to an external site.
- Complete the variables for this worksheet (you don't have to do the equipment and units):
COMPLETE - Identifying Variables Worksheet (twinkl) [Not available on sample course]
- Have a go at thinking of some ideas and developing them into questions that you could investigate scientifically. The first one has been done for you, but see whether you can come up with two more:
DOWNLOAD – WS1 1.1 Asking Scientific questions – Support Sheet [Not available on sample course]
- Learning Science also means learning a new language. The key words are listed on every topic page in Activate 1. They are also highlighted in bold on the coursebook pages and there is a helpful glossary at the back of the coursebook. Keep this glossary of scientific investigations key words handy, as it will be helpful for your assignments:
DOWNLOAD – WS 1 Working Scientifically - Glossary [Not available on sample course]
Review
You can use these activities to check your understanding. Only do the first question (you highlight the sentences with the colour of the type of variable they represent) in the link below. (You can check your answers by clicking the blue icon on the bottom right of the page):
Answer Question 1 of the summary questions on page 9.
Support activity for this topic
Want to understand a bit more about which questions make good scientific questions? Watch the video below:
If you would like some more help with understanding what variables are watch this video:
Extension activity for this topic
Answer Question 2 and Question 3 of the summary questions on page 9.
Check your answers
To check your answers for the summary question:
COMPLETE - Identifying Variables Worksheet - Answers (twinkl) [Not available on sample course]
CHECK - Student Book Answers - Working Scientifically (Kerboodle) [Not available on sample course]