The seventh graders have been learning about the scientific process by designing their own experiment. So far they have asked a scientific question, identified independent, dependent and controlled variables, made a prediction by developing a hypothesis and started the process of writing an experimental procedure. This week they spent time giving and receiving feedback in order to finalize their procedures, list of materials and design of data tables. Students are spending a lot of time thinking, rethinking, planning and planning again and learning that the scientific process is not a linear practice. Instead, it involves some exploration and trial and error and is an ongoing process one that leads to further questions and continuous experimentation. Ask your child about their scientific question and how engagement in this process has been for them so far.
What types of experiments are they designing? Will they get to do those experiments?
Every students’ experiment is different. This year students were able to choose the focus of their experiments. We’ve have some groups asking scientific questions about paper airplanes. Others about plants, toy cars and coke and Mentos reactions.