Scientific Process Lesson Plan: Engineering Design

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Scientific Process, 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

Prompt students to think of scientific theories or hypotheses that have been disproven, like the geocentric model of the universe. Ask students:

• How did scientists initially determine these theories or hypotheses?
• Why do scientific understandings change?  
• Do you think the scientific process is cyclical, or more linear? Why?  

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

• Read the description on the Scientific Process topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
• Have students read one of the two Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
  

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Scientific Process Challenge and Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about the scientific process 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: Produce a news report about a scientific discovery. In your report, answer these questions: How did the scientific process lead to this new finding? What was the response from the scientific community?
• Make-a-Map: Make a concept map describing how to use each step in the scientific process to form and test a hypothesis about a natural phenomenon, like rainbows or whirlpools. 
• Creative Coding: Code a museum exhibit about a scientific theory. Create artifacts to represent each stage in the scientific process that led scientists to determine the theory. 

More to Explore

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of engineering design processes with these topics: Critical Reasoning and Engineering Design Process. 

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.