Scientific Inquiry

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Introduction

How do scientists study the natural world? In this lesson, students will learn the characteristics of science, the difference between science and pseudoscience and examples of scientific laws, theories and models. They’ll learn how scientific knowledge develops through a rigorous and iterative process and how that knowledge is modified as new evidence is uncovered.

Vocabulary

1. experiment

noun

a test or procedure done for the purpose of learning or proving something.

Scientists performed an experiment to study the effects of daily exercise on dogs.

2. method

noun

a way of doing something.

Sally has his own particular method for studying for an exam, which includes putting flashcards on his forehead.

Synonyms manner, system, way

3. model

noun

a usually miniature representation of something.

The model of the city fits on my kitchen table but has all of the buildings of the real city.

4. modify

verb

to change or amend.

Carla decided to modify her room by painting it orange.

Synonyms adjust, revise, vary

5. pseudoscience

noun

a theory or system that claims to be based on science but has no scientific merit.

Astrology, a belief in a relationship between constellations of stars and life events, is an example of a pseudoscience, as it is not based on science.

6. theory

noun

an idea that explains something, but may or may not be right.

A lot of evidence supports the theory of continental drift, which explains why the continents look like puzzle pieces that could fit together.

Scientific Inquiry

Scientific inquiry is a learning approach that combines the scientific process with inquiry learning. It refers to the steps and strategies used to investigate a science-related topic, question, or problem.

The scientific method refers to a process for experimentation. This process includes a series of steps. When students use the scientific method, they are doing things like observing, asking questions, and gathering evidence.

Inquiry learning focuses on questions, ideas, and observations, and uses these as an anchor for learning. It should be authentic and reflect problems and events that impact our world.

Scientific inquiry is the combination of the scientific method and inquiry learning. It is a great way to help you investigate questions through observations and data so that you can answer them as thoroughly as possible.

Steps of Scientific Inquiry

1. Ask questions 

At the beginning of a scientific inquiry, you make observations and ask questions.

2. Investigate

Once you have formulated a good question, you can move into the investigation stage. In this stage, you will make use of previous knowledge of a subject or concept. Furthermore, you will conduct some background research on the subject and put together a plan for answering their question.

3. Hypothesize

Next, you need to develop a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work, and it is an attempt to answer a question. This is a fairly simple part of the scientific inquiry process.

4. Test with experiments

Once you have formulated a hypothesis, you will need to start testing whether your predictions are accurate, and therefore if your hypothesis is supported or not. For the experiment to be successful, you will need to understand the concepts of a “fair test” and “variables”. The experiments should also be repeated to make sure the final results weren’t simply an accident. Remember only change one factor at a time and keep the other conditions the same each time they experiment.

5. Analyze data

When you have completed your experiments, the next step is to analyze what you observed. Collect observations and measurements and analyze them for patterns, trends, and whether or not they support the hypothesis.

6. Report conclusions

Finally, report the conclusions. Using the data, you analyzed, you will need to draw conclusions and make inferences. This is the stage where statements are made about your specific experiment. Their conclusions should include both quantitative data (observations that can easily be measured) and qualitative data (observations that cannot be easily measured).