Design an investigation

Achievement standards
Science understanding
(Transformation & Conservation of Energy) - describe models of energy transfer and apply these to
explain phenomena

Science Inquiry skills

(Questioning) - design questions that can be investigated using a range of inquiry skills

(Planning investigations) - design methods that include the control and accurate measurement of
variables and systematic collection of data

(Analysing data) - analyse trends in data, identify relationships between variables and reveal
inconsistencies in results

(Evaluating processes) - analyse their methods and the quality of their data and explain specific
actions to improve the quality of evidence

(Communicating) - use appropriate language and representations when communicating their

findings and ideas to specific audiences

Science Inquiry Practical Testing Insulators

Aim:

Designing an investigation of how effective different materials are in insulating heat.

Hypothesis:

Record a prediction of what the best insulating material will be.

Independent variable:

Dependent variable:

Control group:

Determine a control to base the investigation from.

Materials:

o Cardboard box
o Empty soft drink cans
o Insulating materials
o Thermometer
o Beaker
o Hot water
o Stopwatch or timer
Procedure:
1) Design an investigation using the materials provided to achieve the aim.
2) Construct a hypothesis to predict what material will provide the best insulation.
3) Establish variables and control group as well as writing up a procedure before
conducting the experiment on 3 different insulators. .
4) Record results within a table to then be placed onto a graph.
5) Write a report using the discussion question.

Discussion:
1) Report your findings. Assess which material was the best insulator and why this was
the case. What were the poor insulators?
2) Explain why it is important to have a control group.
3) Identify any sources of error in your experiment.
4) Outline any improvements that could be made to the design of the experiment.
5) Design a similar experiment that might test heat loss and insulators more effectively.
Explain which variables you would need to control.