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Science Jump (Elem)

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Game Info for Teachers

COMBINED RATING

4.1 Stars

TEACHERS (49)

4.2

STUDENTS (36212)

4.0

LENGTH

8 Minutes

GRADES

CAPABILITIES

iPad Support

Spanish Language Support

Text-to-Speech Support

Description

Take a journey with Professor Racoon and Professor Owl to discover the scientific method! By examining a real example of withering plants, players will experience the steps in order to understand all the components of a proper investigation.

Vocabulary Words

scientific method

hypothesis

theory

observations

experiment

data

analyze

conclusion

wither

variable

Instructions

Play through this interactive game to learn about Scientific Method. Suitable for Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5.

Main Concepts

The scientific method is a process that scientists follow in order to learn about the world around us.

The scientific method allows other scientists to repeat an experiment and confirm the results.

When conducting an experiment it is important to ask a testable question.

A testable question is one that can be answered by making observations.

Sometimes scientists make a hypothesis before conducting an experiment or investigation.

A hypothesis is a guess about the answer to a scientific question.

A hypothesis may identify a “cause and effect” relationship between variables in an experiment.

A variable is a part of an experiment that is observed and/or changed.

A step in the scientific process is planning and carrying out an investigation.

A controlled variable is something that remains the same in each trial of an experiment.

When scientists plan an investigation, they must decide on the variables that they will observe.

When scientists plan an investigation, they must decide on the materials they will use.

When scientists plan an investigation, they must decide on a specific procedure to follow.

A trial is a single test of the variables that occurs during an experiment.

Many experiments have multiple trials.

Qualitative data are descriptions that can be observed but not measured precisely.

Quantitative data can be counted or measured precisely using numbers.

During an investigation, data are observed and recorded.

Scientists must determine the the correct tools for collecting data.

Data can be represented in tables or graphical displays.

Analyzing data from an experiment is a part of the scientific process.

Data can be analyzed to determine relationships between variables.

Drawing conclusions is a process scientists go through when conducting experiments or doing investigations.

Scientists can communicate the results of their work in many ways, such as oral presentations, written reports, graphs, and charts.

A conclusion is a summary statement that compares the prediction in an investigation with the actual results.

Discussion Questions

Before the Game

Why is it important for scientists to ask questions?

What is the purpose of the scientific method process?

Why would it be important to record your data in different ways (descriptive words and numerically)?

In this game you will be designing an experiment that tests sunlight on plants and will be forming a hypothesis about what will happen to the plants. Do you think your hypothesis has to be correct?

After the Game

What are the steps in the Scientific Method?

What did it mean to analyze the data from the plant experiment?

The testable question was "Why do plants wither?" and the suggested reason was the lack of sunlight. Can you think of another reason why plants would wither? Write a hypothesis based on your reason.

What are some questions that you have about the Universe?

Is it possible to skip scientific method steps? Why or why not?