Download Scientific Inquiry Performance Task: Sun, Air, Land and Water

Kindergarten Scientific Inquiry Task DRAFT–
Sun, Air, Land, and Water
Science Standards:
K.1 Structure and Function: The natural world includes living and
non-living
K.1E.1 Gather evidence that the sun warms land, air, and water.
K.3 Scientific Inquiry: Science explores the natural world through
observation.
K.3S.1 Explore questions about living and non-living things and events
in the natural world.
K.3S.2 Make observations about the natural world.
Learning Targets:
๏I can describe how the sun warms air, land, and water.
Language Targets:
๏I can compare temperatures using comparative and superlative language.
Language Vocabulary: adjectives that describe temperature
Comparative language: words with -er ending (colder, warmer, hotter)
Superlative language: words with -est ending (coldest, warmest, hottest)
Sentence Frames (examples):
Prediction/Hypothesis:
The land will be _________ in the sun.
The land will be _________ in the shade.
Results:
The land in the sun was _________ than in the shade.
Literature Connection:
Treasures: What Does the Sun Do? (Unit 8 TE 1819)
Sun: Our Nearest Star by Franklyn M. Branley
What is a Scientist? by Barbara Lehn
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
March 2013
Key Vocabulary:
Sun- a star our planet moves around and gets heat and light from
Temperature- a way of showing how hot or cold something is
Shade- a place where there is less heat and light from the sun
Observe- watching to get information
Materials:
thermometers (optional), small cups, dirt, water, “Scientific Inquiry Investigation” student
sheet, Frayer Model/T-Chart, temperature cards
Teacher Background:
Teachers can choose to have students perform the inquiry in centers or small groups.
Student’s goal is to observe that the sun warms the earth. When parts of the earth (air,
water or land) are in the shade, they will be cooler.
Scientific Inquiry Defined
There are four components to the inquiry cycle, and it is important that students see this
cycle as a process for “doing” science.
!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Forming a Question or Hypothesis
Designing an Investigation
Collecting and Presenting Data
Analyzing and Interpreting Results
During initial student experiences, the individual parts of the inquiry cycle need to be
explicitly taught and modeled by the teacher. As students gain experience, teachers will
gradually release control and move to a model of more learner self-direction.
NOTE: In Kindergarten, students are expected to “explore questions” and “make
observations” only. They are not expected to conduct a whole scientific inquiry
investigation.
Forming a Question or Hypothesis:
1.
Show students each cards with images of items that may
be hotter or colder. Ask them to sort the cards in the
Frayer Model/T-Chart as a class. Place each card in the
agreed upon column.
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
COLDER
HOTTER
March 2013
2.
3.
Prior to reading, Sun: Our Nearest Star or other appropriate text, ask students
to be thinking of questions they have about the sun or listening for answers to
these questions.
✴“What is the sun?”
✴“What does the sun do?”
Tell students that they are going to conduct a scientific investigation about how
the sun affects three different parts of the Earth:
✴Air
✴Land
✴Water
4.
Create a Pictorial Input Chart while telling a story about a kid standing in the
sun and standing in the shade. Illicit responses from students about how the
kid would be feeling in each location.
5.
State a question: I wonder how the sun changes air, water, and land (dirt)?
Make a large poster with sentence frames stating the prediction/hypothesis for
the class. Ask them why they made that prediction/hypothesis.
Designing an Investigation:
6.
Explain to the class that they will be comparing how the sun affects three
different things; air, land (dirt), water. Explain that as scientists they need to
record detailed notes by drawing pictures of what they see on their sheet. You
may want to have a blank thermometer for them to fill in.
7.
There needs to be at least 6 cups set up for the inquiry
•
•
•
8.
2 with air (empty)
2 with land (dirt)
2 with water
Place one of each substance in the shade and one in the sun.
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
March 2013
9.
Place a thermometer in each cup (optional) or have students make
observations by feeling the cups with their hands.
Collecting and Presenting Data:
10. Distribute clipboards, “Sun, Air, Land, and Water Scientific Inquiry
Investigation” sheet, and pencils. Have students color in the cups with the
correct substance. Have students observe the thermometer or feel the
substances in each cup. They can color in the thermometer to represent
whether the substance was colder, warmer or hotter. Have them write the word
that best describes each cup compared the other.
Analyzing and Interpreting Data:
11. Gather class together after everyone has had a chance to record their findings.
Have kids compare their notes about what observed in each of the cups.
Discuss why if any of the results are different from each other? (Results may
vary because different times of day, different days data was collected, where
the thermometers were in the cups.)
12. Help kids make a statement about what affects the sun has on air, land, and
water. Record the statement on a poster for the class.
13. It is important that students see inquiry as a cycle. To that end, students
should be thinking about one additional question they would like to explore on
this topic.
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
March 2013
Name
____________________________________________________________
SUN, AIR, LAND AND WATER
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY INVESTIGATION
The air was
_________
in the shade.
water
land
(dirt)
air
shade
The land was
_________
in the shade.
The water was
_________
in the shade.
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
sun
hot
hot
warm
warm
cold
The air was
_________
in the sun.
cold
hot
hot
warm
warm
cold
The land was
_________
in the sun.
cold
hot
hot
warm
warm
cold
The water was
_________
in the sun.
cold
March 2013
Name
____________________________________________________________
SUN, AIR, LAND AND WATER
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY INVESTIGATION
words: colder, cooler, warmer, hotter
Predictions
The air will be _______________ in the sun.
The air will be _______________ in the shade.
The soil will be _______________ in the sun.
The soil will be _______________ in the shade.
The water will be _______________ in the sun.
The water will be _______________ in the shade.
Results
The air is the sun was _____________ than in the shade.
The soil is the sun was _____________ than in the shade.
The water is the sun was ___________ than in the shade.
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
March 2013
FRAYER MODEL/T-CHART
COLDER
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
HOTTER
March 2013
sun
cloud
shade
rain
steam
ice
land
air
water
snow
NCSD K-5 Scientific Inquiry Tasks DRAFT
March 2013