6.

0 COMPARE AND CONTRAST INVESTIGATION, EXPERIMENT, DEMONSTRATION AND DICREPANT EVENT

Investigation Definition kinds of hands-on experiences student research

Experiment doing something to see what will happen testable explanation of an empirical relationship among variables in a given problem situation

Demonstration The action of demonstrating Shows how some scientific apparatus works

Discrepant Event a phenomenon which is inconsistent with what a pupil expects

Purpose

To find out how something works or to test a simple prediction

To gain the evidence to support or refute a given theory

To show pupils how to use a particular tool or piece of equipment

to engage students in inquiry as a demonstration followed by discussion to introduce a new topic

enable pupils learn how to formulate and test hypothesis

to show the operational meaning of scientific generalizations

to engage students in science processes skills

as a small group lab

activity as a mind-on warm-up to stimulate critical thinking as a take home lab activity Skills involved asking questions making predictions constructing apparatus collecting data drawing conclusions gaining a concept collaborating Observing classifying making inferences predicting measuring communicating using space-time relationship controlling variables defining operationally handling science apparatus and substances correctly Observing asking questions making generalizations use and handle science apparatus and substances handle specimens correctly and carefully observing predicting gathering data experimenting

making conclusions, generating ideas

Criteria Involved

pupils have some of the same kinds of experiences that scientists have as they explore the unknown

Have an idea what to test change only one variable at a time

as simple as possible visible to all children all parts of demonstrations should visible to children

Appropriate safety precautions should be taken when performing any science discrepant event.

not all discrepant events can be carried out in the classroom

experience some of the frustrations of thing not working the way they are supposed to and finding ways of to overcoming obstacles

teachers continually ask the pupils questions

children should be encouraged to ask questions about demonstrations

Examples

An investigation with

Experiment to test the

A microscope is an

Pupils have learned that

magnets would have children touch the magnet to a variety of objects around the classroom and make a list of those objects the magnet did not attract

influence of base area on the stability of a building.

important tool for the study of small objects and organisms. There are

water boils at 100C. If it shown that a certain beaker of water boils at 104C, pupils

certain procedures that have would be surprised and to be followed in using a microscope if the pupils are to derive any benefit from its use. curious to know why. The reason for discrepancy is that water used was not pure as salt was added to it.