Welcome to Earth & Space Science!

Please grab a whiteboard off of the chromebook cart and find a seat (any seat).

Welcome!

Agenda

  • Summary of Class Topics
  • Get to Know Each Other
  • Classroom Procedures & Disclosure Document
  • Scientific Method Pretest
    • BREAK
  • Secret Activity Involving Googly Eyes

Topic 1

Topic 2

Earth Buffet

This class is like a science buffet. We have 4 topics, each taking roughly one term.

  1. Geology
  2. Meteorology
  3. Astronomy
  4. Environmental Science

Get to Know You Time! 1/4

Using your whiteboards, write or draw something you did this summer. Then share.

Get to Know You Time! 2/4

Draw a picture of your family (including any pets). Then share.

Get to Know You Time! 3/4

Write or draw some of your hobbies. Then share.

Get to Know You Time! 4/4

Write or draw something about school. What do you

  • Like?
  • Not like?

Disclosure

Expectations

My Values

  • Belonging
  • Learning
  • Trust

Education Quote

“Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.” - Henry Steele Commager

Routines

  • Entering class
    • Read the whiteboard
    • Gather needed materials
  • Kickstart Question
  • Packets
  • Labs, Projects, and Tests
  • Breaks

Votin’ Time

Item 1/2

How will we address the bell-to-bell phone policy?

  1. Everyone use caddy
  2. Use caddy or in backpack, no pockets
  3. Other?

Suggestin’ Time

Item 2/2

What are preferred activities that you can do when you are done with work?

Quizzin’ Time

This short quiz will check your understanding of the scientific method before we dive into Earth & Space science.

Use your whiteboards to answer.

Click on an option, then press the check button (or hit “c”) to see if you’re right. Press “q” to reset a question and try again.

What is the scientific method?

  • A step-by-step process scientists use to ask questions and test ideas using evidence
  • A list of facts that scientists have already proven true
  • A rule that says you must agree with your teacher’s opinion
  • A type of science fair project

Think of the scientific method as a roadmap for turning a question into an answer backed by evidence.

Put the steps in the correct order. Which comes FIRST?

  • Form a hypothesis
  • Ask a question or identify a problem
  • Analyze the data
  • Draw a conclusion

There are different versions of the steps, but they all start with noticing something and asking why.

What is a hypothesis?

  • A testable, educated guess or prediction about the outcome of an investigation
  • A fact that has already been proven
  • The final answer to your research question
  • A random guess with no reasoning behind it

Tip: Many hypotheses are written in the form “If , then , because ___.”

In an experiment testing plant growth under different amounts of sunlight, what is the independent variable?

  • The amount of sunlight the plants receive
  • The height of the plants
  • The type of soil used for every plant
  • The number of plants in the study

Memory trick: the independent variable is the one you change; the dependent variable depends on it.

Using the same plant experiment, what is the dependent variable?

  • The amount of sunlight
  • The plant height (growth) measured over time
  • The type of plant pot used
  • The room temperature

The dependent variable is your data — the thing you record on your graph’s y-axis.

What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?

  • It provides a baseline for comparison by NOT receiving the experimental treatment
  • It receives extra doses of the variable being tested
  • It is the group that already knows the correct answer
  • It is optional and rarely used in real experiments

Think of the control group as your “normal” baseline — everything else is compared back to it.

Why do scientists try to test only ONE variable at a time?

  • So they can be confident about which variable actually caused the result
  • Because testing more than one variable is against the law
  • Because extra variables cost too much money
  • It doesn’t actually matter how many variables you change

This idea is often called a “fair test” — only one thing changes between groups.

Why is it important for other scientists to be able to repeat (replicate) an experiment?

  • To check whether the results are reliable and not just a fluke or mistake
  • To copy someone else’s work and take credit for it
  • Because the scientific method requires exactly one trial per experiment
  • To make experiments take longer on purpose

Replication is a core part of how science builds trust over time.

Which statement is TRUE about scientific theories and laws?

  • A scientific theory is a well-supported explanation based on a large body of evidence
  • A theory is just someone’s unproven opinion
  • A law explains WHY something happens, while a theory only describes WHAT happens
  • Once something becomes a law, it can never be a theory too

In science, “theory” is a much stronger word than in everyday conversation!

A student needs to measure the exact volume of a liquid for an experiment. Which tool should they use?

Choosing the right tool for the right measurement is a key physical science lab skill — images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Select ALL of the following that are examples of good scientific practices.

  • Recording detailed, honest observations — even unexpected ones
  • Running multiple trials instead of just one
  • Only reporting the data that supports your original hypothesis
  • Changing your hypothesis to match your results after the experiment, without saying so

Select every option you think is correct, then check your answer — this question has more than one right response!

A student’s hypothesis was NOT supported by their data. What should they conclude?

  • The experiment failed and provided no useful information
  • Their hypothesis was incorrect, and this is still valuable, valid scientific information
  • They should hide the results and only report hypotheses that were correct
  • They should change their data to match their original hypothesis

Being “wrong” is a normal part of science — it helps us learn and refine our understanding!

Great work!

You’ve reviewed the key ideas behind the scientific method:

  • Asking questions and forming hypotheses
  • Independent vs. dependent variables
  • Control groups and fair testing
  • Replication, theories, and scientific honesty

Welcome to Earth & Space science — get ready to put the scientific method into practice all year long!