| VARIABLES
MODULE MATRIX |
 |
SYNOPSIS |
SCIENCE
CONTENT |
THINKING
PROCESSES |
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1. |
SWINGERS
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Students
experiment with variables that do and do not affect the behavior
of pendulums. They graph their results and use their graphs
to predict the behavior of additional pendulums. |
•
A variable is anything that you can change in an experiment
that might affect the outcome.
• In a controlled experiment only one variable is changed,
and the results are compared to a standard.
• The length of a pendulum determines the number of swings
in a unit of time. |
•
Observe and compare the behavior of pendulums.
• Experiment to find out what variables affect the number
of cycles a pendulum makes in a unit of time.
• Relate pendulum length to the number of cycles it makes
in a unit of time.
• Predict the behavior of new pendulums, using a graph. |
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2. |
LIFEBOATS |
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Students
construct a fleet of paper-cup boats and discover how many passengers
(pennies) each will hold before sinking. The variables of boat
depth and arrangement of passengers are explored. |
•
A variable is anything that you can change in an experiment
that might affect the outcome.
• In a controlled experiment, only one variable is changed,
and the results are compared to a standard.
• Capacity is the maximum volume of fluid a container
can hold. |
•
Observe and compare the buoyancy of different boats.
• Organize information on a graph.
• Relate the capacity of boats to the mass they can hold
before sinking.
• Predict the behavior of new boats, using a graph. |
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3. |
PLANE
SENSE |
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Students
construct rubber-band–powered airplanes and fly them on
a line. They experiment with a number of variables to see how
each affects the distance the plane travels. |
•
A variable is anything that you can change in an experiment
that might affect the outcome.
• In a controlled experiment, the experimental variable
is changed incrementally to see how it affects the outcome.
• A system is a set of related objects that can be studied
in isolation. |
•
Observe and compare the behavior of a standard plane system
to modified plane systems.
• Conduct controlled experiments.
• Organize data in a flight log.
• Relate the effect of variables to the distance the plane
travels.
• Predict outcomes of plane flights. |
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4. |
FLIPPERS |
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Students
manipulate small catapults called flippers to investigate the
variables that contribute to the highest and longest flips of
objects. They conduct controlled experiments and graph their
results. |
•
A variable is anything that you can change in an experiment
that might affect the outcome.
• In a controlled experiment, the experimental variable
is changed incrementally to see how it affects the outcome.
• A system is a set of related objects that can be studied
in isolation. |
•
Observe and compare the behavior of objects flipped from a catapult.
• Conduct controlled experiments.
• Organize and communicate the results of investigations.
• Relate the effect of variables to the trajectory of
objects.
• Predict the behavior of new objects on the catapult. |
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