PRISM IS A 5TH GRADE SCIENCE REQUIREMENT!
Fifth grade students will be taking the MAP test in science this year. The MAP test follows the scientific inquiry approach. A prism project pertaining to an investigation (an experiment answering a scientific question using the scientific method) is an excellent opportunity to further enhance a student's understanding of inquiry science. Therefore, all 5th graders will be required to do a prism project using the investigation format. All students have received their Prism booklet. This booklet should be brought home and used as your guide. Pages 8, 9 and 10 contain the criteria for the investigation.
Below are the steps of the Scientific Method along with all three variables which must be identified and labeled on the project.
The Scientific Method
1. Ask a Question- Your question is the basis for the investigation.
2. Research- Find out as much about the topic as you can.
3. Hypothesis- Predict the answer to your question.
4. Experiment- Design a test to confirm or disprove your hypothesis.
5. Analysis- Record what happened during the experiment.
6. Conclusion- Tell the results of your experiment and mention whether your hypothesis was right or wrong.
Variables Simplified
Variables are an important aspect of any scientific investigation. All Prism investigations must identify the variables in the experiment. Here is a simple way to identify those variables.
-Controlled Variables are the portion of any experiment that remains the same.
- Independent Variable is the portion of an experiment that is being changed each time the experiment is conducted.
- Dependent Variables are measured and/or recorded results of those changes. (data collected on charts, graphs, etc.)
