Lesson 6: Types of Scientific

InvestigationsINQB: Design Investigations

Content Standard: Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations.

Performance Expectation: Plan and conduct a scientific investigation (e.g., field study, systematic observation, controlled experiment, model, or simulation) that is appropriate for the question being asked.

Do Now: What do you know about

investigations?

Field StudyHow does the time of year affect the number of birds migrating to and from our local park? Definition:

• A scientific study of free-living plants or animals in which the subjects are observed in their natural habitat without changing, harming, or altering the setting or subjects.

Systematic ObservationHow do the weather patterns change in the Pacific Ocean throughout the year? Definition:

• The skill of recognizing and noting some fact or event in the natural world.

• Observation includes the act of measuring.

Controlled ExperimentHow does increasing the amount of water affect how quickly a surface heats up? Definition:

• A lab investigation in which the values of all variables are kept the same except for one that is changed from experiment to experiment (manipulated variable) and one that is measured (responding variable).

ModelHow can the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun explain different kinds of eclipses?

Definition:• A simplified representation

of a system. • Models are useful for

studying systems that are too big, too small, or too dangerous to study directly.

SimulationHow do you fly a spaceship in different situations before you really go to space? Definition:

• The imitation of some real thing, situation, or process.

• Simulating something involves representing certain key characteristics or behaviors of a system.

Group Work: Check for Understanding:Match each question to

the best type of investigation.Investigation Question1) How does the type of surface affect

how you operate a remotely operated vehicle on Mars?

2) How does applying different forces to the Earth affect the type of landforms that are created?

3) How does the temperature of the water affect how tall the tomato plant grows?

4) How does the air pressure change with different types of weather?

5) How does the distance from the lake affect the types of plants and animals we see?

Type of Investigationa) Field Study

b) Systematic Observation

c) Controlled Experiment

d) Model

e) Simulation

Group Work: Check for Understanding: Match each question to

the best type of investigation: AnswersInvestigation Question1) How does the type of surface affect

how you operate a remotely operated vehicle on Mars?

2) How does applying different forces to the Earth affect the type of landforms that are created?

3) How does the temperature of the water affect how tall the tomato plant grows?

4) How does the time of the month affect the appearance of the moon?

5) How does the distance from the lake affect the types of plants and animals we see?

Type of Investigatione) Simulation

d) Model

e) Controlled Experiment

f) Systematic Observation

a) Field Study

Summary:What are five types of

scientific investigations? How do you pick the right type?

(Write the summary at the bottom of the right page.)

Practice/HW (left side):> Write five investigation questions, one for each type of investigation.

Field Study:Systematic Observation:Controlled Experiment:Model:Simulation: