Boiling Point Project Observations

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All,

I was in Amanda Viggiano's and I after we talked about student
observation I thought I should pass this on to everyone. I'm using it
for another project but it guides students to making observation
regarding boiling water or anything.



Scientific Observation (based on University of Washington BES 301):

Scientific observations are the source of all discoveries in science
and are a necessary building block in the scientific method. At the
same time, scientific observation is an overlook and neglect aspect of
science education. Even worse, scientific observations can be one of
the most engaging part of the scientific method! We will spend some
time practicing making observations so that you can utilize them for
this project as well as many others in your classroom.

In this activity you will be asked to identify and report three
scientific observations that lead you to three questions. These
observations may be something reported in the news or popular
scientific literature or that you have observed yourself.

Picking your top two questions, you will prepare at least two
alternative hypotheses for each one. The three observations and
questions along with at least two hypotheses for your top-two
questions and will be presented to your peers for small group
discussions to help you (1) refine them and (2) select your top
question for further pursuit.

Step 1: Identifying the Observations
These observations may be found in the newspaper or popular
literature, or you may make yourself. They are not to be hypotheses or
conclusions (e.g. "climate change has resulted in more tropical
storms"), but are to be simple observations of nature (e.g. "there are
twice as many storms in the south west Atlantic during the last decade
as during the previous one." ) For purposes of this class exercise,
the questions MUST be able to be stated as 'WHY' or 'HOW' questions
(not as 'WHAT' or 'WHO' questions). Take detailed notes about the
observations you identify or make and the connections between the
observations and questions. These observations and resulting questions
can be quite specific; the observations should not usually be grand
and comprehensive.

Step 2: Putting It Down In Writing
Generate a list of three questions and the observations that led to
those questions. Each observation should have a description of that
observation (what it was, where, when, and by whom it was made), the
question that came from that observation (formally stated as a
question) and a brief explanation (1-3 sentences) as to how that
question was derived from the observation. For the two questions that
interest you the most, you should include at least two alternative
hypotheses for each question. Structure the paper as follows:

1. I. Observations & Questions
* 1. Observation 1:
* Observation Description:
* Question 1:
* Question Derivation: if necessary to explain how the
question was derived from the observation

* 2. Observation 2:
* Observation Description:
* Question 2:
* Question Derivation:

II. Top Two Questions
Question 1:
Hypothesis 1A:
Hypothesis 1B:
:
Question 2:
Hypothesis 2A:
Hypothesis 2B:
:
An example for a single observation:
For Part I (in the above assignment)

* Observation 1: Salmonberry occurs more frequently toward the
bottom of the hillslope.
* Observation description: I made this observation while exploring
a wetland and surrounding area along North Creek on October 5, 2005.
All along the hillside leading down into the wetland there are very
few shrubs and none of these were salmonberry. Once I came within 2
meters of the very bottom of the hill I began to encounter salmonberry
with rapidly increasing density. It became the dominant understory
species by the bottom of the slope.
* Question 1: Why does Salmonberry increase in density lower on
the slope?
* Question derivation: This question follows very logically from
the observation above and a derivation explanation is not necessary.

For Part II (in the above assignment)

* Question 1: Why does Salmonberry increase in density lower on
the slope?
* Hypotheses: 1A) The density of Salmonberry is related to soil
depth. As soil depth increases toward the bottom of the slope,
salmonberry density increases.
* 1B) The density of Salmonberry is related to soil moisture
availability. As soil moisture increases toward the bottom of the
slope, salmonberry density increases.
* 1C) The density of Salmonberry is related to soil fertility. As
soil fertility increases toward the bottom of the slope, salmonberry
density increases.


Step 3: Peer Review
Each group member will have 15- 20 minutes to discuss their
observations, questions, and hypotheses. The purpose of this time is
to allow your peers to help you select one of the two questions as a
topic for pursuit and to help refine your hypotheses for that
question. The peer group must also make sure that the same question
(or very similar ones) are not being used as the "topic choice" of
more than one member.

[Amand...@aol.com]

This is awesome. Thank you!

~Amanda