Scientific Method Lesson Plan: Engineering, Technology, and the Application of Science

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Scientific Method Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Scientific Method, and supports the standard of implementing science and engineering practices to define problems and design possible solutions. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of  projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display an image showing natural phenomena, like the one below.

Ask students:

• What do you observe and wonder about the image?
• How might you explain what occurred?
• How might you gather evidence to support your idea?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

• Read the description on the Scientific Method topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
• Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “Real Life” or “In Practice”. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
  

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign the Scientific Method Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about the scientific method while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

• Make-a-Movie: Imagine your community faces the problem of sorting recycled materials. Create a mini-documentary showing how you will apply the scientific method to develop a solution.
• Make-a-Map: Make a concept map defining the steps of the scientific method. Include an example of how you might apply each step. 
• Creative Coding: Code a learning game challenging players to sort examples and terms according to each step of the scientific method.

More to Explore

Virtual Labs: Understanding Water Activity: Students calibrate water activity levels in this interactive simulation.

Scientific Inquiry Unit: Continue to build understanding around applications of science with more BrainPOP topics.

Teacher Support Resources:

Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas. 

Learning Activities Modifications: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.

Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.