Lesson Title:​​ Scientific Method

Teacher: ​Braden Pelly

Grade Level:​​ 2
State Standards Connection:
Standard 1: The Processes of Science, Communication of Science, and the Nature of Science.
Students will be able to apply scientific processes, communicate scientific ideas effectively, and
understand the nature of science.
Core Objective:
Objective 1: Generating Evidence: Using the processes of scientific investigation (i.e. framing
questions, designing investigations, conducting investigations, collecting data, drawing
conclusions)
Indicator:
a. Framing questions: Observe using senses, create a hypothesis, and focus a question that can
lead to an investigation.

Essential Question:
How can I use the steps of the Scientific Method to answer a scientific question?

Specific Lesson Objective:

Lesson Purpose: To introduce vocabulary, teach procedures, and practice the Scientific Method
steps
Vocabulary Focus:
1. Gather information and observe (research)
2. Make a hypothesis (guess the answer)
3. Experiment and test your hypothesis
4. Analyze your test results
5. Present a conclusion

Materials: ​Scientific Method handout, bowl of ice, supercooled water, plastic sandwich bag
with marker, penny, and paper clip, pencil
Anticipated Time Frame: ​45 minutes

Instructional Procedures

Engage and Launch: (5 minutes)

“Hi class, please come join me on the rug. Today we are going to talk about the Scientific
Method. Does anybody know what the Scientific Method is? Talk to your partner and come up
with an educated guess for what you think Scientific Method means.”
Teacher Role:
• Introduce Essential Question
• Ask Open-Ended, Higher Order Questions
• Assess Prior Knowledge throughout discussion

Student Role:
• Interested and Engaged
• Identifies Essential Question and develops an idea for the lesson through peer interaction

Explore: (10 minutes)

From here, I will have a basic experiment using supercooled water and ice to engage the students
with the lesson.
1. “What materials do you see on the desk? (Observe)
2. “What do you think will happen when I pour the water on the ice?” (Hypothesis)
3. Conduct the experiment in front of the students and have students determine if their
hypothesis was correct (Experiment and test your hypothesis)
4. Observe the results (Analyze results)
5. “Why do you think this happened?” (Conclusion)
“Did you know that you all just completed the Scientific Method and you didn’t even realize it?”

Teacher Role:
• Makes open suggestions to allow for student creativity
• Questions student responses to ensure understanding
• Models materials
• Assesses understanding based on student responses
Student Role:
• Explores and engages visually with materials
• Thinks creatively individually and with peers

Explain/Summarize: (5 minutes)
Transition students to their desks which will be assembled into groups of 3 and/or 4. This
section of the lesson is going to use a gravity experiment in order to assess understanding of the
Scientific Method. Have handout prepared to give out to the groups.
Teacher Role:
• Provides clarification for students
Student Role:
• Clarifies instructions

Elaborate/Extend: (15 minutes)

“On your desk, you have a bag of three different items. Following along with the worksheet, you
and your group are going to conduct and complete an experiment following the steps of the
Scientific Method. Before you open the bag, I want to see each group observe what’s in their bag
and make a hypothesis for which item you think is going to hit the ground first. After you have
checked with me or Mrs. Nycamp, you may start your experiment. Work with your group to
keep track of which item falls the fastest and be prepared to share it with the class.”

Teacher Role:
• Asks higher-order thinking questions
• Poses new problems and issues to engage student thinking
• Evaluates explanations
Student Role:
• Applies new knowledge
• Asks questions to peers and teacher based on observations

Evaluate/Assess: (10 minutes)

Students will complete a worksheet as their exit ticket for assessment of understanding the
Scientific Method.

Teacher Role:
• Observe and assess students as they apply new understandings to worksheet
• Asks open-ended questions based on responses you see
Student Role:
• Demonstrates new understanding through written explanation
• Answers open-ended questions by using previously accepted peer and teacher explanations.
Adaptations
Gifted/Talented:
For those students that finish early, an additional question may be posed for them to further
explore how different materials and their weights would compare with the items that they tested
during the experiment.

ELL:
For ELL students, the teacher may be used as a scribe when sharing ideas and events. This will
allow the student to remain hands on, as well as verbalize their ideas. This also gives the teacher
the opportunity to assess understanding of materials.
Special Education:
For students that need extra assistance or behavior management (Ben, Bronson, Sam, Trey?),
teacher will remain active throughout the classroom in order to shutdown any behavior that takes
away from the experiment. Additional scaffolding and modeling of the Scientific Method and its
procedures may be provided for those that need it.

Handouts (attach)