Summer Research Program for Science Teachers

Ann Meyer New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math Manhattan August 2005

M&Ms and the Scientific Method

Grade Levels: High School (can be adapted for Middle School students) Objective:

Introduce the scientific method including terminology Provide a fun activity for students to experience how the scientific method is used

Stage and duration of activity: 50 minutes Handouts: Yes

M&M Group Activity Definition Sheet

Description of activity
Supplies: One regular sized bag of M&Ms for every 2 to 3 students One regular sized bag of M&Ms for demonstration One bag of peanut M&Ms and one large bag of M&Ms Introducing M&M Activity to Class The teacher holds up a bag of regular sized M&Ms. The teacher asks a question to begin the discussion--What things might we want to know about this bag of M&Ms? Students will respond with a variety of inquiries--How many M&Ms are in the bag? What color M&Ms are

in the bag? How many of each color M&M are in the bag? How much does one M&M weigh? How much does the bag weigh? The teacher chooses one question. A useful introductory question is--How many M&Ms are in the bag? Students guess the number of M&Ms. Using the framework of students guesses, the teacher introduces scientific terminology. For instance, during the discussion of answers to the question of how many M&Ms are in the bag, the numbers put forth are hypotheses. At this point, the teacher should write the definition of the new scientific term on the board and have students copy it onto their definition sheet. In addition, the teacher writes Hypotheses on the board and lists the numbers volunteered by students underneath the word. After asking many if not all of the class to respond with a hypothesis about how many M&Ms are in the bag, the teacher asksHow do we determine which hypothesis, if any, is correct? Usually, a student will ask the teacher to open the bag. The teacher then introduces the concept of data collection to determine if ones hypothesis is correct. The teacher opens the bag, counts the number of M&Ms and writes Data under which she writes the number counted in her bag. Following the introduction, students form small groups to complete the M&M activity. Activity Break students into groups of 2 or 3 students. Hand out directions (see Handout). Read directions aloud while students follow along. Allow students about 15 minutes to complete the activity. Follow-up The teacher brings the class back together and asks all of the groups about their questions and the answers that were found. At this point, the teacher asks every group to fill out a data table about the multiple bags of M&MsHow many M&Ms are in the bag and How many of each color M&M are in the bag. By collecting the data from all of the groups, the teacher introduces the concept of multiple trials. (One discovers that the number of M&Ms per bag is not constant nor is the number of each color in the bag resulting in variation between M&M bags and the potential for calculations using the data.)

Example Table for Board: Group Total Number # of M&Ms in bag 1 2 3 4 Data Analysis Using the data from the class, the teacher is able to address the idea of variance in data. To follow up the teacher asksFrom our data, what would be an accurate way to determine the number of M&Ms in a random bag I pick up at the grocery store? The average of the numbers provides an accurate description of the number of M&Ms in a randomly chosen bag. Also, the average number of each color M&M per bag may be calculated. In addition to the average calculations, the class determines the median and mode for the total number of M&Ms per bag and/or the number of each color of M&M per bag. Students may also graph the data in histograms and/or pie charts (color-coded graphs follow easily from the M&M colors). Extension Extending the concepts one step further, the teacher brings out a bag of peanut M&Ms and asksDo we know anything about this bag of M&Ms based on our data? Additionally, the teacher may want to bring out a large bag of M&Ms and askDo we know anything about this bag of M&Ms based on our data? At which point the teacher introduces inference. Often, one group determines the weight of a single M&M during the group activity. If not, the teacher weighs an individual M&M. Dividing the weight of the large bag by the weight of a single M&M determines the number of M&Ms in the large bag (disregarding the weight of the bag). Number of Green M&Ms Number of Brown M&Ms Number of Yellow M&Ms Number of Orange M&Ms Number of Blue M&Ms

Standards: National Standards Teaching Standard A: Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students. Content Standard A: As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, understandings about scientific inquiry Program Standard A: Teaching practices need to be consistent with the goals and curriculum framework. New York City Science Standards Standard S5 (a-f) The students demonstrates scientific inquiry and problem solving by using thoughtful questioning and reasoning strategies, common sense and conceptual understanding from Science Standards 1-4, and appropriate methods to investigate the natural world. Standard S7 (a-d) The student demonstrates effective scientific communication by clearly describing aspects of the natural word using accurate data, graphs, or other appropriate media to convey depth of conceptual understanding in science; that is, the student: represents data and results in multiple ways, such as numbers, tables, and graphs, drawings, diagrams, and artwork; and technical and creative writing.

Scientific Method Lab Using Bubble Gum

Brad Bauer, ROCORI High School, Cold Spring, MN, Based on the original lab designed by Sarah Crandall of Sartell High School.

Summary
In this lab students will learn the steps of the scientific method by identifying each step and applying each through a fun activity that compares variables between 2 types of bubble gum. Students will be asked to hypothesize, collect and organize data, use scientific measurement, and differentiate between qualitative and quantitative data.

Learning Goals
Students will be able to use the scientific method to solve problems and collect data-based observations. In doing the investigation students will know how to use SI units and differentiate qualitative and quantitative data.

Context for Use

This lab is an inexpensive yet fun way to learn the scientific method instead of just doing notes. We do this lab in our Introduction unit because students are making data tables and understanding the scientific method at the same time.
Subject: Resource Grade Level: High School (9-12) Type: Activities:Lab Biology Activity

Description and Teaching Materials

At the beginning of the scientific method unit I use the lab to introduce and cover the process...instead of using lecture. Scientific Method Lab 1. The purpose of this lab is to use the Scientific Method to solve a problem. A) Observe and ask questions that lead to a problem B) Form a hypothesis

C) Test the hypothesis with a controlled experiment my making observations and gathering data. D) E) F) 2. 2 1 1 2 Reject Form Analyze or Accept a gathered your data hypothesis conclusion Materials paper string stick and B

small meter different pieces

pieces long of meter bubble

of piece gun labeled

wax of A

3. READ directions carefully before starting the lab. Each group will need one piece of gum

labeled

and one labeled

B. Make 3

observations about

each

brand

of gum.

Observations Gum

Gum

1.____________________________ 2.____________________________ 3.____________________________

1.__________________________ 2.___________________________ 3.___________________________

Problem:

Which

piece

of

bubble

gum will

blows

the

biggest

bubble?

Hypothesis: Predict which piece of gum

blow the biggest bubble and why.

_________________________________________________________________________ _____ _________________________________________________________________________ _____

Procedure: 1. The person with brand A will chew their piece of gum for 3 minutes. The person with brand B does not begin chewing until all the tests on brand A are completed. 2. Blow a bubble.

3. Using a string, your partner will measure the diameter (distance across) the bubble. Put the string on the meter stick to measure the distance in centimeters (cm). 4. Record the measurement in a data table. Repeat the process for trials 2 and 3. 5. Find the average bubble size for brand A (add all the distances up and divide by 3) and put in the data chart. 6. Repeat steps 1-5 with brand B gum.

Data Table: Design a data collection table to fit the data you will be investigating

Conclusion: Forming a theory What brand of gum is the best at blowing bubbles and why? Support your answer with observations and your data. _________________________________________________________________________ _____ PART 2 Combine Problem: Hypothesis: with How Make another does an group gum to complete this relate answer part to the of the lab. size? question.

strechability guess that would

bubble above

educated

_________________________________________________________________________ _____ Procedure: 1. The

person

with

brand

will

roll

their

gum

into

ball.

2. Hold the gum (brand A) by using the piece of wax paper. Another person in the group would hold the same piece of gum with another piece of wax paper. Hold the gum near your chest, begin to walk slowly backwards. 3. The third person in the group should hold the meter stick and measure the distance in centimeters the gum stretched before breaking. 4. 5. Data Record the Repeat Table: Create a measurement #1-4 data table to in the for fit the data chart. brand data you will ONLY DO B be ONE TRIAL gum. gathering

Conclusion: COMPARE

DATA

FROM

BOTH

GROUPS

IN

PART

AND

PART

How

does

gum

stretchability

relate

to

bubble

size?

_________________________________________________________________________ _____ _________________________________________________________________________ _____

With your lab partner, list 5 variables that may affect the outcome of this experiment. 1. _________________________________________________________________________ ___ 2. _________________________________________________________________________ ___ 3. _________________________________________________________________________ ___ 4. _________________________________________________________________________ ___ 5. _________________________________________________________________________ ___ Explain how the data you collected can be described as both qualitative and quantitative _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ __________ Were SI units used in this lab? Explain. _________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ List any questions you still have about the scientific method. _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _______________Complete lab (Rich Text File 6kB Aug11 09)

Teaching Notes and Tips

You need space to do part II of the lab. If you have carpet, you may want to do part II outside. But the stretched gum cleans up easily and the wax paper makes it possible for kids not to touch other students gum. Depending on the age level and responsibility level of the students you can let each group come up with variables to test about the 2 types of gum. When I have done the lab in the past we used to give students data tables and lead them the entire way through. Now, each time I do the lab I let students make tables and test other variables....but this depends on the students I am working with.

Assessment
Students hand in the lab when completed and we have a classroom discussion about the results and what they learned. Also, on the first quiz I put questions about the lab.

Standards
1.I.B.1-4 Scientific Experiment (scientific inquiry)

References and Resources