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The major conceptual focus of chapter 1, The explanation of the benefits of some sports drinks. They
Process of Scientific Inquiry, is a study of the process of use the knowledge they accumulated through their own

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scientific inquiry. In chapter 1, students look at the laboratory research and that of other scientists to design
process of scientific inquiry in several contexts: a crime a homemade sports drink that has qualities that make it
scene, the Iceman discovery, and sports drinks. They beneficial to athletes.

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recall the importance of providing evidence for expla-
nations and discerning between inferences and evidence Goals for the Chapter
for which they have direct observations. Then they con- The overarching goal for chapter 1 is that students
duct a scientific inquiry into sports drinks. They begin

by learning what others know about sports drinks to
identify the key ingredients that offer some benefit to
athletes. They use protocols to investigate the presence
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develop a better understanding of some of the important
features of scientific inquiry and develop related abilities.
In doing so, students also develop a better understanding
of the nature of science.

and the percentage of these key ingredients in a mys-
tery sports drink.
Once they have experienced the process of scientific
inquiry, students reflect on their methods in light of a
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By the end of chapter 1, students will be able to
identify questions that guide scientific investigations,
understand the difference between evidence and

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inference,
reading about inquiry. They recognize that better explana-
tions are supported by stronger evidence, so they conduct understand that explanations are supported by
evidence, and
further investigations to strengthen their claims about the
sports drink with additional evidence. understand how scientists use scientific inquiry to

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learn about the natural world and communicate
Finally, students experience the value of shared scien-
explanations.
tific research. They add to their body of evidence from
the work of other scientists to support an ever-stronger

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Chapter 1 Organizer

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The Process of Scientific Inquiry 

Major Concepts

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The process of scientific inquiry
Identifying questions that guide scientific inquiry
Using evidence and inference to develop explanations

ENGAGE Who Did It? (B)

Key Idea: What do you know about scientific inquiry?

Activity: Students investigate a question in search of evidence.

LINKING QUESTION: How can I use evidence to develop scientific explanations?

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EXPLORE What Do You Know for Sure? (B)

Key Ideas: Scientists use evidence and inference to develop scientific explanations.
Evaluating alternative explanations is an important part of scientific inquiry.
Activity: Students identify statements about the Iceman as evidence or inference and then discuss
the difference between evidence and inference.

LINKING QUESTION: Using what is already known, can I develop a scientifically testable question to guide
my investigation of sports drinks?

EXPLORE
Key Ideas:
Mystery Sports Drinks (BBB)

Scientifically testable questions guide investigations.

Evaluating what is already known is an important aspect of scientific inquiry.

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Using technology and mathematics contributes to scientific investigation.
Science includes communicating and defending scientific arguments.
Activity: Students develop a testable question about sports drinks. Then they experience a model for inquiry

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by following three protocols to gather evidence about sports drinks.

LINKING QUESTION: How do these features of inquiry taken together embody science?

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EXPLAIN What Is Science? (BBB)

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Key Ideas: Scientific inquiry is a process that includes using what is known to ask questions, design
investigations, collect evidence, develop explanations, analyze alternative explanations, and
communicate findings.
The use of technology can improve the quality of scientific investigations.

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Activity: Students read about the process of scientific inquiry. They collect additional evidence about sports
drinks by distilling a sports drink and by analyzing a sports drink label.

LINKING QUESTION: How do scientists communicate their findings and how does this process

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contribute to the scientific endeavor?

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ELABORATE Back Up That Claim! (BN)

Key Ideas: Analyzing the work of scientists contributes to the discipline and informs specific work.
Communicating findings is an important feature of the scientific endeavor.
Activity: Students review a study on the benefit of a sports drink compared to water. They use what they
learn from the study to write a paragraph about the benefits of sports drinks.

LINKING QUESTION: How can I use what I have learned to demonstrate my understanding of scientific inquiry?

EVALUATE Homemade Sports Drinks (BBB)

Key Idea: Scientific inquiry is a rigorous, multifaceted process that includes both skills and understandings.
Activity: Students design a homemade sports drink, test it to see if it is as beneficial as some commercial
sports drinks, and present the drink to the class in the form of an advertisement.

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B
One Class Period N
Class Period Note: Based on a 50-minute class period.
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Chapter 1 The Process of Scientific Inquiry 3
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Standards Covered by Chapter 1

The Process of Scientific Inquiry
STANDARD A: As a result of activities in grade 9, all students should develop
abilities to do scientific inquiry
Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific
investigations. Students should formulate a testable
hypothesis and demonstrate the logical connections
between the scientific concepts guiding a hypothesis
and the design of an experiment. They should demon-
strate appropriate procedures, a knowledge base, and
conceptual understanding of scientific investigations.
Design and conduct scientific investigations. Designing
and conducting a scientific investigation requires intro-
duction to the major concepts in the area being investi-
gated, proper equipment, safety precautions, assistance
with methodological problems, recommendations for
use of technologies, clarification of ideas that guide the
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inquiry, and scientific knowledge obtained from sources
other than the actual investigation. The investigation
may also require student clarification of the question,
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method, controls, and variables; student organization
and display of data; student revision of methods and
explanations; and a public presentation of the results
with a critical response from peers. Regardless of the
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scientific investigation performed, students must use
evidence, apply logic, and construct an argument for
their proposed explanations.
Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models
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using logic and evidence. Student inquiries should
culminate in formulating an explanation or model.
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understandings about scientific inquiry
Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or
designed systems function. Conceptual principles and
knowledge guide scientific inquiries. Historical and
current scientific knowledge influence the design and
interpretation of investigations and the evaluation of
proposed explanations made by other scientists.
Scientific explanations must adhere to criteria such as:
a proposed explanation must be logically consistent; it
must abide by rules of evidence; it must be open to
questions and possible modification; and it must be
based on historical and current scientific knowledge.
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Models should be physical, conceptual, and mathemati-
cal. In the process of answering the questions, the stu-
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dents should engage in discussions and arguments that
result in the revision of their explanations. These dis-
cussions should be based on scientific knowledge, the
use of logic, and evidence from their investigation.
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Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and
models. This aspect of the standard emphasizes the
critical abilities of analyzing an argument by reviewing
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current scientific understanding, weighing the evi-
dence, and examining the logic so as to decide which
explanations and models are best. In other words,
although there may be several plausible explanations,
they do not all have equal weight. Students should be
able to use scientific criteria to find the preferred
explanations.
Communicate and defend a scientific argument.
Students in school science programs should develop
the abilities associated with accurate and effective
communication. These include writing and following
procedures, expressing concepts, reviewing informa-
tion, summarizing data, using language appropriately,
developing diagrams and charts, explaining statistical
analysis, speaking clearly and logically, constructing a
reasoned argument, and responding appropriately to
critical comments.
Results of scientific inquirynew knowledge and
methodsemerge from different types of investiga-
tions and public communication among scientists.
In communicating and defending the results of
scientific inquiry, arguments must be logical and
demonstrate connections between natural phenomena,
investigations, and the historical body of scientific
knowledge. In addition, the methods and procedures
that scientists used to obtain evidence must be
clearly reported to enhance opportunities for further
investigation.
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STANDARD G: As a result of activities in grade 9, all students should develop an

understanding of

science as a human endeavor

Individuals and teams have contributed and will con- dreds of people working on a major scientific question
tinue to contribute to the scientific enterprise. Doing or technological problem. Pursuing science as a
science or engineering can be as simple as an individ- career or as a hobby can be both fascinating and intel-
ual conducting field studies or as complex as hun- lectually rewarding.

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nature of scientific knowledge

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Science distinguishes itself from other ways of know- about systems being studied. They should also be
ing and from other bodies of knowledge through the logical, respect the rules of evidence, be open to

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use of empirical standards, logical arguments, and criticism, report methods and procedures, and make
skepticism, as scientists strive for the best possible knowledge public. Explanations on how the natural
explanations about the natural world. world changes based on myths, personal beliefs,

Scientific explanations must meet certain criteria. First
and foremost, they must be consistent with experi-
mental and observational evidence about nature, and
must make accurate predictions, when appropriate,
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religious values, mystical inspiration, superstition,
or authority may be personally useful and socially
relevant, but they are not scientific.

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Source: National Science Education Standards 1996 National Academy of Sciences.
Reprinted with permission.

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Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have some experi-
ence identifying questions that can be
answered through scientific investiga-
what they have learned from
textbooks written by scien-
tists. They often do not
recognize that evidence
includes information that they
overview in the student book with
your students. Emphasize to them
the focus of chapter 1, which is
doing science. By engaging in the
process of inquiry, students will have

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tions and developing explanations gather through investigations. the opportunity to refine their abili-
using evidence. If students have little
Students tend to accept evi- ties to do science as well as their
experience with these areas, you may dence that is consistent with understandings about scientific
need to spend more time discussing

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what constitutes a testable question
and an appropriate explanation.
In this chapter, they will develop a
deeper understanding of these areas of
scientific inquiry as well as an under-
standing of scientific investigations.
Commonly Held
Misconceptions
Students may think that inves-
tigations are a way of trying
things out rather than a way to
test ideas or hypotheses.
Students often think evidence
includes only what they know
from personal experience or
their beliefs. They may fail to
recognize evidence that is
inconsistent with their beliefs.
When forming explanations,
students do not recognize that
they should reference evidence.
Students find it difficult to dis-
tinguish between a description
of evidence and an interpreta-
tion of evidence.
Setting the Stage for
Inquiry
Discuss the chapter opening art
with the students. Ask what aspects
of science they see in the images.
Take time to read the chapter
inquiry.
Discuss the list of abilities of sci-
entists that students will practice in
chapter 1, which are found in the
second paragraph of the chapter 1
overview in the student book. Help
students recognize that they are con-
tinually learning and refining their
abilities to do science so that they
can better answer their questions
about the natural world. Each time
they ask questions, design investiga-
tions, gather data, read what other
scientists think, and revise their
ideas, they are modeling how scien-
tists work. Discuss the specific learn-
ing goals of chapter 1 as a class.

Chapter 1 The Process of Scientific Inquiry 5

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To keep the focus on inquiry, have
students begin to bring in evidence of
inquiry each day. Begin each day
with inquiry in the news as a
launching pad for the days activity.
For example, a student could bring in
something from the Internet that
describes a police investigation. The
class could discuss what is and is not
inquiry in this situation. Another
student could bring in some news
about a study being done in space,
and so on. This will help students see
inquiry across many applications and
help them transfer experiences from
this chapter to the study of scientific
inquiry in general.
Notes:
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Review the tools and techniques
listed at the end of the overview. Set
the stage now for the integration of
all these tools and techniques into
the habits of mind of your science
students. Point out the features of
their books that help them find their
way through each chapter: the chap-
ter organizers, chapter introductions,
and careful sequencing of activities
using the 5E instructional model.
Help students understand the value
of keeping a complete record of their
growing understanding of science in
a science notebook. Emphasize the
importance of collaborative work,
both to students and to scientists.
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Reflect the value of questions by tak-
ing time to let students ask their own
questions and grapple with questions
posed in their books. Help students
get the most out of content area
readings by incorporating reading
strategies into your science instruc-
tion. Finally, make your expectations
for students explicit by using the
scoring rubrics developed for each
evaluate activity and reviewing them
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with your students. Read the evalu-
ate ahead of time to see what knowl-
edge and skills will be expected of
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your students in the assessment.
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Notes:

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Chapter 1 The Process of Scientific Inquiry 7