NOTE: Science Pirates (first released in 2008) is currently being updated for newer operating systems. Watch a video about the game, which was used with middle school students to help them learn about forming and testing science hypotheses.
Songs from Science Pirates are available on YouTube and NMSU's iTunes U.
Science Educational Objectives
Model:
- Exposed to concept, but without vocabulary/terminology
- Assignment of terminology/process to example
- Put into practice, or report
| Vocabulary |
|---|
| Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: |
| Define an experiment as a formal process that tests an idea under controlled situations. |
| Define a hypothesis as a prediction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables that can be tested in an experiment. |
| Define an independent variable as one of two types of variables in an experiment, and the one that is manipulated for the experiment. |
| Define a dependent variable as one of two types of variables in an experiment, and the one that is expected to change in the experiment. |
| Define control in experiments as a standard comparison or baseline by which dependent variables can be measured. |
| Conceptual knowledge |
| Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: |
| Explain the importance of having only one independent variable in an experiment as necessity in identifying which variable caused changes in the dependent variable. |
| Identify experiments as only one type of scientific process, and give examples of other types of research that could be done by observation and description and testing models. |
| Specific scientific knowledge |
| Through engagement in our science games, students will be able to: |
| Give examples of how a control can be used as a baseline for measuring against. |
| Determine if a given assertion is a testable hypothesis. |
| Write a complete hypothesis to include the independent variable, dependent variable, and circumstances for experiment. |
| Identify in a proposed experiment the dependent and independent variables. |
| List specific components that should be included in reporting scientific information, including hypothesis, rationale for hypothesis, methods, results, and discussion. |
© 2008, NMSU Board of Regents. This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2003-5110-01718. New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.