Science

Grade 7 • Unit 1: Doing Scientific Investigations

LESSON 1.2
Tools in Scientific Investigations
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objective 2

Warm-Up 3

Learn about It 4
Scientific Investigation 4
Descriptive Investigation 5
Comparative Investigation 5
Experimental Investigation 6

Key Points 7

Check Your Understanding 7

Photo Credit 10

Bibliography 10
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Grade 7 • Unit 1: Doing Scientific Investigations

Lesson 1.2
Tools in Scientific Investigations

Forensic experts use a variety of scientific investigation tools in determining whether a

piece of evidence can be used to solve a criminal case.

Introduction
The inquiries that you make usually depend on the answer that you would like to obtain.
Your question may be descriptive, as when you want to know more about that new student
in your class. It may also be comparative, like when you are comparing which of either
Math or Science is more enjoyable and more challenging. Lastly, your inquiry may ask for
cause and effect, such as what is the effect of putting more time in studying on your
academic performance. Scientists are also faced with these kinds of scientific questions.

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Forensic scientists, for example, use various methods to obtain vital information from a
crime scene. A single fingerprint on a coffee cup at a crime scene could make or break a
case depending on how the investigations are handled and carried out. The forensic
scientist could describe the unique indentations and wells in a print, compare it with
another fingerprint on a separate crime scene, or even perform experiments to determine
whether the fingerprint was placed intentionally to incriminate another person. Forensic
scientists use a variety of investigation tools to fully support (or negate) the theories in a
criminal case. Other scientists also do the same process in their respective fields.

The scientific method is used to answer questions around us. For scientists, different kinds
of questions require different kinds of investigations to validate a hypothesis. How do
scientists examine the world around us?

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning competency should be met
by the students.
Describe the components of a scientific investigation (S7MT-Ia-1).

Learning Objective
In this lesson, you should be able to describe the different types of scientific
investigations.

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Grade 7 • Unit 1: Doing Scientific Investigations

Warm-Up

Describe, Compare, and Test the Two Balloons

Materials
● two balloons with different colors
● two sheets of paper
Procedure
This is a group game. The class should be divided, depending on the class size.
1. The teacher will place two balloons of a different color in front of the class. One is
filled with water and one is filled with air. On the board, the teacher will write the
following action words: describe, compare, and test.
2. Each member of one group will write a question about the balloons. Sample
questions include the following but are not limited to:
a. What are the colors of the balloons?
b. Which balloon is heavier?
c. How much water can the balloon hold?
d. How much air can the balloon hold?
e. What are the shapes of the balloon?
f. What is the effect of heating/cooling the balloon on its volume?
g. Which balloon will have the highest bounce when dropped on the floor?
h. What are the volumes of the balloons?
i. Which of the balloons is still filled after leaving them overnight?
j. Which balloon will stay in the air longer when thrown upwards?
3. The opposing team should properly match the questions to the action words
provided on the board which they think will help them get the answer.
4. The team with the most questions that are properly matched to its action words
wins the game.

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Guide Questions
1. Based on the activity, which of the three action words (describe, compare, or test)
do you think is oftentimes used when investigating a subject or situation for the
first time?
_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which of the three action words (describe, compare, or test) would you use if you
want to investigate or learn more about a subject?
_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Learn about It

Essential Question
What are the different types of scientific investigations?

Scientific Investigation
A scientific investigation is a scientist’s efficient approach to research and answers a
problem by implementing the scientific method. Scientists use multiple research methods
to study the natural world. There are three types of scientific investigations: descriptive,
comparative, and experimental.

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Descriptive Investigation
A descriptive investigation is used when you are studying an object or situation for the
first time. It primarily observes, describes, and measures different parts of the system.
Observations derived from this type can be qualitative or quantitative and represented as
diagrams. However, this type of investigation does not ask many questions.

The descriptive investigation may be used to identify and describe the temperature of ice,
the shape of ice (whether it’s tube, cube, or block), or how fast ice melts on a summer day.

Comparative Investigation
A comparative investigation shows a relationship between two or more seemingly
related subjects or conditions. It involves collecting data on different subjects or different
conditions (such as time, temperature, location) and evaluating them based on similarities
and differences.

For example, you want to know “Which will melt faster, ice with salt or without salt?” You
can easily set up an experiment to measure the time in which the ice with salt and the ice
without salt will melt. The time it takes to melt both ice cubes may be compared to
knowing which melts faster.

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Experimental Investigation
An experimental investigation is used when scientists want to learn more about a
subject. It is mostly used to determine the effects of changing a certain variable. Variables
are manipulated, controlled, and measured using the scientific method.

You want to know if the length of the string affects the time it takes a pendulum to
complete a full swing. You can design your experimental investigation based on the
scientific method.

1. Observation. A shorter pendulum seems to swing faster than a long pendulum. You
measure the length of the string of both pendulums. The shorter pendulum is at
15.0 cm while the longer one is at 25.0 cm.
2. Statement of the problem. How does the length of the string affect the time it takes
for a pendulum to complete a full swing?
3. Collect preliminary data. The time it takes for a pendulum to complete a full swing is
called a period. Mechanical energy is conserved in a pendulum motion.
4. Hypothesis. As the length of the string increases, the period also increases.
5. Experiment. The length of the string can be varied and its effect can be checked by
measuring the period. The length of the string is the independent variable, while the
period is the dependent variable.

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6. Collect and analyze data. Record observations and present them in a table. A line
graph can be constructed to show how the period increases with the length of the
string.
7. Conclusion. The length of the string is directly proportional to the period.

Key Points

● A scientific investigation is a scientist’s efficient approach to research and

answers a problem by implementing the scientific method.
○ A descriptive investigation is used when you are studying an object or
situation for the first time.
○ A comparative investigation shows a relationship between two or more
seemingly related subjects or conditions.
○ An experimental investigation is used when scientists want to learn more
about a subject.

Check Your Understanding

A. Identify the type of scientific investigation to use in the following questions.
1. Which animal is more active at night, a dog or a cat?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. How is road traffic today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. How does the angle of the road affect the speed of a car?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. Do tomatoes grow faster during the rainy season or dry season?
_________________________________________________________________________________

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5. Does the weather affect your internet speed at home?

_________________________________________________________________________________

6. Which is more healthy, tea or coffee?

_________________________________________________________________________________
7. What is the highest temperature for today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
8. Which is faster, taking the bus or taking the train?
_________________________________________________________________________________
9. What is the effect of exposure to sunlight on the mood of a person?
_________________________________________________________________________________
10. What does the newly advertised ready-to-drink coffee taste like?
_________________________________________________________________________________

B. Determine the scientific investigation that will best answer or resolve the following
problems.
1. You are in a biology class and you want to know the different systems of a frog.
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. You are curious about the effect of sleep length on the academic performance of a
student.
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. You want to know which among ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, paracetamol, and
aspirin is the best in curing a headache.
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. You are curious about rocks so you collect some rocks on your way to the school,
where you examine the minerals embedded in the rock using a microscope.
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. You want to know the effect of temperature on the lifetime of batteries.
_________________________________________________________________________________
6. You want to know if having a heavy breakfast will help you participate in class
better than having a light breakfast.
_________________________________________________________________________________

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7. You want to know how many of your classmates obtained a passing grade in your
recent quiz.
_________________________________________________________________________________
8. You want to know which brand of pencils is the hardest.
_________________________________________________________________________________
9. You are curious whether the distance of a student’s home to the school affects the
academic performance of that student.
_________________________________________________________________________________
10. You want to try the newly opened restaurant near your school.
_________________________________________________________________________________

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Photo Credit

Introduction Photo. Day 53 - West Midlands Police Forensic Scene Investigators Lab by
West Midlands Police is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr.

Bibliography

Boundless. “The Scientific Method.” Lumen Learning. Accessed January 31, 2022.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/the-scientific-me
thod/ .

Bradford, Alina, and Ashley Hamer. “Science and the Scientific Method: Definitions and
Examples.” LiveScience. Purch, January 17, 2022.
https://www.livescience.com/20896-science-scientific-method.html.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. "scientific method." Encyclopedia Britannica, October

15, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/science/scientific-method.

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