Scientific Method Lesson Plan - Chat with a Scientist

Students use a video conferencing program to ask a real scientist how they use the scientific method in this fun, collaborative activity. Students will learn why the scientific method is important, hear about scientific method examples in action, and discover the joy of science by talking with someone who has a career as a scientist. This resource includes a detailed scientific method lesson plan that explains how to do the project.

✓ Please note:

This resource is also available in a money-saving Scientific Method Bundle that includes 2 additional products, available HERE.

Resource at a Glance:

★ What will students learn?

* Why the scientific method is important.

* How the scientific method is used in a science field.

* What the job of a real scientist is all about.

★ Who is it for?

All students, including English Language Learners and special education students in regular ed Science classes.

★ How does it help teachers?

* The lesson plan tells you exactly how to implement the activity.

* The activity integrates speaking, listening, and writing skills.

* It helps students understand the value of the scientific method and how it is used in real life.

* Students get the chance to talk to and be inspired by a real scientist.

What educators who have used this resource say about it:

♥ "My students loved this activity! It was a great way to bring a real scientist into the classroom!" -- Brittany B.

♥ "Fun!" -- A buyer.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

What you get in this product:

★ A table of contents for easy reference (1 page)

★ A Notes to the Teacher section with background information (2 pages)

★ A list of ELA Common Core standards addressed in this product (1 page)

★ Sample Model Performance Indicators (MPIs) for teachers who have ELLs in their classes (1 page)

★ The lesson plan, with a very detailed explanation of how to implement it (5 pages)

★ A letter to send home to families explaining the activity (1 page)

★ Sample questions for students to ask, if needed (1 page)

★ A handout for students for writing their small group's questions (1 page)

★ Pages for students to write responses from the scientist to their questions during the video chat activity (8 pages)

★ Pages for writing the first draft of the writing assignment (2 pages)

★ Pages for writing the final copy of the writing assignment (2 pages)

★ An assessment checklist for evaluating the students' writing assignments (1 page)

★ A Challenge Handout with another writing task, for early finishers or for the whole class (1 page)

★ An assessment checklist for evaluating the challenge handout writing task (1 page)

More Info:

In this resource, you will find instructions for how to locate a scientist to talk to your class, how to organize your students into small groups to generate questions to ask, how to organize the actual video chat, and how to do a follow-up writing task. It will take 3 days to do all the activities in this project but it can last longer if you want students to spend more time on the post-chat writing task. This resource explains in detail what to do on each day.

Also included is a letter to send home to your students' families explaining the scientific method project, handouts for students, pages for the writing task, a Challenge Handout for early finishers (or for the whole class if you wish), and checklists for evaluating students' writing. A list of the ELA Common Core standards this resource helps address is included, if you work in a Common Core state. If you work in a WIDA Consortium state, sample Model Performance Indicators are included.

This lesson plan has been implemented with English Language Learners and native English-speaking students in 5th and 6th grades. It can also be used with students in other grades as well.

Comments by students after completing the project were overwhelmingly positive, with some students saying they never realized the scientific method was so important, that becoming a scientist was now at the top of their list of potential jobs, and that talking with a real scientist instead of just reading about what scientists do was a great experience.

Although there is a certain amount of advance planning that need to be done, the time involved in planning this scientific method activity is well worth it!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

You might also like these products:

★ Scientific Method Poster, Word Search, and Writing Task

★ Scientific Method Mini-Research Project: Fathers of the Scientific Method

★ End of Year Science Persuasive Writing Activity

★ Writing Bundle #1: Paragraphs, Summaries, Organizing Writing Into Essays & Outlines

★ ESL Word Walls for ELLs: Middle School Academic Core Content-Area Vocabulary

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

If you would like to receive updates about my new products, please click HERE or on the green star under my store name at the top of your screen.

You can earn TpT credits that reduce the cost of your future purchases by giving feedback about this product. Just click on the "Comments & Ratings" tab after downloading to leave a comment and a rating. It's that easy!

Thank you and happy teaching!

Common Core Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Any claims of correlation or alignment to the CCSS Standards are solely those of The ESL Nexus and have not been evaluated or endorsed by the NGA. The ESL Nexus is the sole creator of this product and does not claim endorsement or association with the creators of the CCSS standards.

Any claims of correlation or alignment to the WIDA ELD standards are solely those of The ESL Nexus and have not been evaluated or endorsed by the WIDA Consortium. The ESL Nexus is the sole creator of this product and does not claim endorsement or association with the creators of the WIDA standards.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>