Big Idea 3: The Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models

This is lesson 3 of 3 in the Goldilocks’ Café Just Right unit. This lesson focuses on systematic investigation on getting a cup of coffee to be the “just right” temperature and turbidity level. Students will use both the temperature probe and turbidity sensor and code using ScratchX during their investigation.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 2 of 3 in the Just Right Goldilocks’ Café unit. This lesson focuses on systematic investigation on getting a cup of coffee to be the “just right” level of turbidity. Students will use turbidity sensors and code using ScratchX during their investigation.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 1 of 3 in the Just Right Goldilocks’ Café unit. This lesson focuses on systematic investigation on getting a cup of coffee to be the “just right” temperature. Students will use temperature probes and code using ScratchX during their investigation.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will solve real-world and mathematical problems involving density. Students will engineer solutions to the given problem using gained scientific content knowledge as application of mathematical skills

Type: Lesson Plan

The student will investigate and construct explanations regarding the uses and applications of the electromagnetic spectrum. Students will investigate the various types of electromagnetic radiation with the use of a graphic organizer and create a foldable to represent the EM spectrum, including the types, uses, and applications.

Type: Lesson Plan

Land is becoming scarce. With the diminishing amount of viable land available for humans, animals, and vegetation, we must start exploring other options as populations expand. You will investigate the thousands of miles of land below sea-level and create a structure to withstand applied pressure, imitating the pressure felt in deep water.

Students attempt to avoid an "egg-splosion" by creating a model to withstand the pressure felt by objects as if they are at varying depths below sea-level.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will observe and analyze visual representations. Students will sort, classify and compare their findings to known characteristics of pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures. Students will differentiate matter into pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures on a basic molecular level. Students will use hands-on card sorting to create a rule for sorting matter. The definitions of pure substance, mixture, element, and compound will be introduced.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will collect and analyze data on the movement of carbon atoms through the carbon cycle. Students will be introduced to climate change caused by greenhouse gases and participate in a simulation of the carbon cycle. Students will develop an understanding of how the movement of carbon atoms can contribute to climate change. Students will model the carbon cycle.

Type: Lesson Plan

The student will use models to demonstrate the relative positions of the Earth, Sun, and Moon and their impact on tides. Students will explain the impact and relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun on tides.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will collect and analyze data on the kinetic energy of molecules through the different states of matter. Throughout the lab, students will be modeling the process of adding and removing energy from matter which leads to phase changes. Students will use their knowledge of states of matter to introduce the relative amount of kinetic energy in each state of matter, how changes in the kinetic energy can causes phase changes in matter, and what those phase changes are called.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will research obsolete or superseded theories to understand how these theories have been modified into the current scientific theories known today.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will participate in a simulation model of the rock cycle. Collecting data by throwing die, students will develop an understanding of the movement of atoms and rock particles through the rock cycle.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will evaluate wheel designs from different companies to determine which wheel is appropriate for the mission. Further 3D printing is integrated by 3D printing different wheel models which can be directly tested using a LEGO Mindstorms Robot or Simple Rubber Band Powered Sled and different Regolith Simulants for the Moon and Titan.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Students listen to a video that describes Kepler's determination that planetary orbits are elliptical and then will use data for the solar distance and periods of several of the planets in the solar system, then investigate several hypotheses to determine which is supported by the data.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about moon formation theories, the evidence scientists have to support the current one, and how models can be used to support the theory.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students manipulate sealed "mystery" boxes and attempt to determine the inner structure of the boxes which contain a moving ball and a fixed barrier or two. The nature and sources of uncertainty inherent in the process of problem-solving are experienced. The uncertainty of the conclusions is reduced by student collaboration. The students are asked to relate this activity to how to learn about "mystery boxes" in nature (interior of the earth, the atom, etc).

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson allows students to model and compare the distance of planets from the Sun, as well as, compare the relative sizes of the planets using everyday items.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using a pinhole viewer students will look at a reflected image of the Sun to calculate how far the Sun is from Earth. This activity would be used for enrichment or for advanced students. This lesson requires pre-planning for the teacher to practice making and using the viewers. Simple math calculations are required by the students to complete the assignment.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will have the opportunity to analyze and organize data about tablet devices that their school is looking to purchase for daily use in the classroom.

In this MEA, students compare different tablet devices. They will be given empirical evidence and must organize this data to allow for interpreting key factors to determine which device is best suited for the client. Basically, students are given data and must use this information to make a recommendation to the principal about which tablet or device should be purchased with the school's funds. They will have to provide evidence to support their recommendation. This MEA is designed to help students with data that is collected from an investigation or a lab. In the past, students were able to generate data, but in this MEA they are given the data and asked to make it relevant.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn about scientific theories and how they can change when new information is presented with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Come with me as we select Scientist's Next Top Model! When does an abstract idea become a real scientific model? When the model appears in scientific journals and textbooks all over the world. Before a model can grace the cover of these high profile, peer reviewed journals and textbooks it must go through a rigorous process. How does a model go from an idea to a scientific model? What took me 2000 years I am going to make happen for one lucky model in just 15 short minutes!

Competition is tough and each model will have to showcase why they are able to represent themselves as Scientist’s Next Top Model.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Resource provides a succinct overview of the nature of science; what science is and is not. Information includes the aims of scientific pursuits, principles, process and thinking.

Type: Presentation/Slideshow

This is the home page of Understanding Science 101. It contains "everything you need to know about the nature and process of science."

Type: Professional Development

Students will solve density problems.

Type: Teaching Idea

Use of a discrepant event piques curiosity and provides an excellent metaphor for a problem in science that can be addressed in a scientific way. Water is poured into a "magic" box, and out comes a much larger volume of water (or other liquid).

Type: Teaching Idea

This text supports reading in the content area. This article explores the theories behind the origin of the moon and how scientists' understanding of the moon's origin is evolving based on new research.

Type: Text Resource

Students help design experiments to test whether the temperature of water affects the rate of evaporation and whether the temperature of water vapor affects the rate of condensation. Students look in detail at the water molecule to explain the state changes of water.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

This game aims at showing the use of model organisms in behavioral studies and in detecting the causes of certain diseases

Type: Video/Audio/Animation