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Teaching an Online Introductory Biology Lab Using Cellular and Molecular Biology Resources
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1. Asking Scientific Questions
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Asking Scientific Questions

Image of colored blocks with question marks.

Topic

  • Ecology
  • Communities
  • Science Practices
  • Experimental Design
  • Explanations & Argumentation

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Skill Builders

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Used In
1 BioInteractive Playlists
Saved By
114 Users
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Description

This activity allows students to formulate and analyze scientific questions.

The activity begins with students observing different organisms or phenomena and developing questions based on their observations. They then sort their questions into those that can and cannot be answered using the methods of science. Students practice writing scientific questions, designing experiments to address scientific questions, developing questions that involve cause and effect, and understanding the importance of cause and effect questions in scientific research. At the end of the activity, students determine the research questions being asked from reading journal article titles and parts of a published paper or other reported results. Several possible extension activities are provided for continuing the investigation and research of phenomena.

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.

 

Student Learning Targets

  • ​​​​​Compare and contrast questions that can be analyzed using the methods of science and those that are outside of science.
  • Develop novel, testable scientific questions that are inspired by student observations and interests.
  • Explain the importance of cause-and-effect research in the processes of science.
  • Analyze titles of scientific papers to identify the goals of the research study and, when appropriate, causes and effects in the study.
  • Identify, evaluate, and predict the scientific questions that drove research, based on data or figures from the scientific literature.

Estimated Time

Two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

cause and effect, scientific methodology, scientific process, scientific questions

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 03.30.20
Date Updated 11.08.21

NGSS (2013)

SEP1, SEP3, SEP6, SEP8

AP Biology (2019)

SP1, SP3

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.3, ELA.WHST.9-12.2

Vision and Change (2009)

DP1

Materials

Download Resource Google Folder (Link)
Download Educator Materials (PDF) 726 KB
Download Student Handout (PDF) 230 KB
Download Characteristics of Questions (PDF) 58 KB
Download Journal Article Titles (PDF) 311 KB
Download Scientific Figure Example (PDF) 269 KB
Download PowerPoint Slides (PPTX) 161 KB
Download Educator Materials - Español (PDF) 467 KB
Download Student Handout - Español (PDF) 319 KB
Download Characteristics of Questions - Español (PDF) 65 KB
Download Journal Article Titles - Español (PDF) 319 KB
Download Scientific Figure Example - Español (PDF) 308 KB
Download PowerPoint Slides - Español (PDF) 249 KB

Educator Tips

Hear how educators are using BioInteractive content in their teaching.
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Implementation Ideas

Asking Scientific Questions

Students often come to Duke professor Brian Silliman’s class feeling like asking scientific questions is reserved for a select few. In this video Educator Voices post, see how he uses the Asking Questions activity with his students to help them generate and refine their scientific questions.
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This Resource Appears in the Following Playlists

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Teaching an Online Introductory Biology Lab Using Cellular and Molecular Biology Resources
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