Grade 04 Science - EC: S4.A.2.1.2
Grade 04 Science - EC: S4.A.2.1.2
Continuum of Activities
The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.
This continuum of activities offers:
- Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
- Questions/activities that grow in complexity
- Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance
Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content
Activities
- Define a variable.
- Define a control.
- How many variables should one experiment test?
- List the steps of the scientific method.
- Explain why it is important to use a control in an experiment?
- Harry wonders if a cut will heal faster if a bandage covers it. He has a paper cut on his finger and a scrape on his knee. He covers the paper cut with a bandage and leaves his knee uncovered. Is this a fair investigation to answer his questions? Explain your thinking.
- Below is a data table for Laura’s investigation. She concluded that sunflowers grow better with less water. Can she trust this conclusion? Why or why not?
|
|
Amount of Water Each Day |
Hours of Sunlight Each Day |
Height of Sunflower in One Week |
|
Plant 1 |
1mL |
5 hours |
3cm |
|
Plant 2 |
5mL |
3 hours |
2cm |
|
Plant 3 |
10mL |
1 hour |
2cm |
- Design an investigation to test which brand of spray paint (Brand A or Brand B) will dry faster.
Answer Key/Rubric
- A variable is anything that changes in an investigation.
- A control is something to which you can compare the results of your investigation.
- Only one at a time.
- 1. Ask a scientific question
2. Write a hypothesis
3. Design an investigation to test your hypothesis
4. Collect data
5. Study data
6. Draw a conclusion
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Need to have a basis
- Used to compare your variable to in order to see what the differences are to be able to come to a proper conclusion in an experiment
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Conclusion that this investigation is unfair
- No control, only two variables
- Different parts of the body
- One is a cut, one a scrape – should be the same
- Suggests another investigation that would be fair
- Acceptable responses might include, but are not limited to:
- Laura cannot trust her conclusion because she tested two variables at once
- Two variables were used, no control
- Needed to keep either amount of water or amount of sunlight the same
- Suggests that Laura perform two different investigations
- Student lists all steps of the scientific method and outlines a clear procedure for the investigation they designed.
Must include:
- Scientific question
- Hypothesis
- Investigation
- Collect data
- Study data
- Conclusion
