Lesson Plan #3- Planning Experiments and Testing Hypothesis’
Teacher Candidate: Hailey Sheak
Date:
Group Size: 26
Allotted Time: 30 minutes Grade Level: 4th
Subject/Topic: Science: Scientific Method: Lesson 3: Testing Hypothesis/Conducting
Experiments
Common Core/PA Standard(s):
S5.A.1.1.3 Describe how explanations, predictions, and models are developed using
evidence.
Learning Targets/Objectives:
The fourth-grade students will check their hypothesis through an experiment of a water
rainbow and will also prepare to conduct an experiment for a penny lab.
Assessment Approaches: Evidence:
1. Journal of results 1. Collection
2. Penny Lab Pt. 1 2. Observational(chart)
Assessment Scale:
Checklist for Journal: see attached
Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites:
Information about what observation should look like and how to form a hypothesis as well as
parts of the scientific method (the two lessons prior).
Key Vocabulary:
1. Scientific Method- a series of steps for investigating a question or
solving a problem.
2. Observation- what is observed using the five senses of taste, touch,
smell, sound, and sight.
3. Hypothesis- a prediction about what is going to happen that is proven or
disproven through an experiment.
4. Experiment- testing the hypothesis through a planned series of actions to
learn an outcome.
5. Data Collection- what mathematical information is gained through the
experiment to help back up what is discovered through the test.
6. Conclusion- a final statement of the information found from conducting
the experiment.
7. Sharing data- telling others about the discoveries of what was found and
communicating the information to others
8. Fact- a statement that can be proven true
Content/Facts:
1. Scientific Method- a series of steps for investigating a question or
solving a problem.
- This lesson is focusing on planning experiments and testing a hypothesis, but all the
areas of the scientific method will be noted with how it connects to these areas.
2. Observation- what is observed using the five senses of taste, touch,
smell, sound, and sight.
3. Hypothesis- a prediction about what is going to happen that is proven or
disproven through an experiment.
4. Experiment- testing the hypothesis through a planned series of actions to
learn an outcome.
5. Data Collection- what mathematical information is gained through the
experiment to help back up what is discovered through the test.
6. Conclusion- a final statement of the information found from conducting
the experiment.
7. Sharing data- telling others about the discoveries of what was found and
communicating the information to others
8. Fact- a statement that can be proven true
Anticipatory Set
1. Students will check in on the previous day’s experiment first thing in the morning and
check to see how their predictions went based on the experiment.
2. They will write whether their hypothesis was proven or disproven and support it by
comparing what happened.
3. Starting the lesson, students will be asked to volunteer what they predicted and what
their findings were after seeing the results.
4. The teacher will then explain the science behind it of how the water traveled through
the napkin and created different colors when they were mixed together. The teacher can
put up a color wheel to reference as a visual.
Development/Teaching Approaches
1. The teacher will introduce how, “Today, we will get to explore the process of making an
experiment to test your predictions on how many drops of water versus soapy water
stays on a penny.”
2. First, the students will watch a video of a scientific method song to review the scientific
method steps. Students can join in and sing quietly to themselves as it plays through.
3. Then, the teacher will ask students to help list the steps of the scientific method. As the
students tell them, the teacher will create a chart to see the different process steps.
Correct steps as seen under materials.
4. The teacher will pass out the guided notes sheet for the first part of the penny lab. (Parts
1,2,3 and 4.)
5. Students will be placed in groups of about 5 and will be told to take their paper and
pencil with them. Groups will be chosen by going down the rows and having them
count off by 1 to 5 and they will hold up their number. Once everyone has a number,
they will be put into the four corners of the room and one in the middle.
6. Before being given any materials, the teacher will state the step in the scientific method
process for 1, 2, and 3 while the students fill in the steps. 1- question 2-hypothesis 3-
experiment.
7. After the teacher reviews the steps of one and two, students should write their
hypothesis in step two by filling in the blanks with their guesses.
8. Then the teacher will go through the steps of the process and explain what is going to
happen
a. Step one on the paper: Answer: Ask a Question
b. Step two on the paper: Answer: Hypothesis
c. Step three on the paper: Answer:Test with an Experiment
d. Step four on the paper: Answer: Data Collection
e. Sharing Data (done in lesson 4)
9. Using the materials, the students, in groups, will test the hypothesis of how many
droplets they can fit or regular water and soapy water on the penny. They were told to
do 3 trials of each liquid type. Each group will have a cup of soap and one regular water
cup and will have to drop them onto the penny.
10. They will keep count of how many stay on the penny until it overflows. They will write
down the numbers for the next lesson where they will take data and make graphs to
interpret findings and come to a conclusion.
Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
1. Students will finish the experiment and then go back to their seat after putting their
materials away with the supplies by the back sink.
2. Students will then answer a prompt in their journals/a piece of paper to get collected.
They will answer the question of, “What happened during the lab and what did you
figure out based on it?”
3. Then, students will hand in their writing and go back to their seats and explore in the
science text set and read until everyone is finished.
Accommodations/Differentiation:
- Students can have time for brain breaks about mid way through for those students who
need extra support with attention spans.
Materials/Resources: Guided Notes Paper:
Scientific Method Example Chart:
Visual:
Journal Prompt: “What happened during the lab and what did you figure out based on it?”
Text Set:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lwr8sG22lQms9j9Cp4V23eDUQ5UoQlOUKlofxpAyv1
8/edit?usp=sharing
Checklist for Journal:
Student Name: Yes No
Answered what changed
from the day prior
Wrote in complete sentences
Discussed whether their
hypothesis was correct or
incorrect
Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels
Remediation Plan (if applicable)
Personal Reflection Questions
Additional reflection/thoughts
