Science as Inquiry (G)
National Science Education Standard: Science as Inquiry
- K-4
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Understanding about scientific inquiry
- 5-8
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Understandings about scientific inquiry
- 9-12
- Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- Understandings about scientific inquiry
Connecting With Nature
Go on an adventure with the Blue Goose, the symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System!
Conservation in Action
Join the conservation movement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service!
Core Sampling
Drilling is the only way to be sure that oil and gas fields exist and exactly what is present in the formation. Core samples reveal the physical and chemical nature of the rock. In this activity, you will create a model formation and “drill” for samples.
Dating Popcorn
How do geologists understand the Earth’s history? In part, they measure the age of rocks and other natural materials by dating techniques. They can date rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. You can simulate the dating process with popcorn.
Deep-Sea Drilling
This activity enables students to estimate and calculate scales of distance and length as used by ocean drilling scientists.
Determining Mineral Reserves
Common things we use every day, like roads, sidewalks, schools, hospitals and homes ─ to name just a few ─ are made up of rocks and minerals. As a resource, they are called mineral reserves and include materials like sand, gravel, limestone, granite, and other aggregate and construction materials.
Dig Into Soil
Learn how soil scientists observe and record data and how that information is useful to farmers, builders, and others in order to use the land appropriately.
Digging Into Soil
Materials
- Piece of heavy duty PVC pipe about one inch in diameter and 10 inches long
- Piece of wood doweling that will fit inside the PVC pipe
- Hammer
- Wood block
- Leather garden glove
- Hand lens or microscope
- Non-toxic marker
- Large sheet of white posterboard
- Six clear plastic sandwich bags
- Plastic knife
- Tools for separating soil, such as tweezers, tongue depressor, drinking straw
- Paper towels (for clean up)
Procedure
Discovering Fossils
A fossil is any evidence of past life preserved in a geologic context, such as within rock or sediment. This activity allows you to explore the process used by paleontologists — scientists who study fossils to understand ancient landscapes, climate, and life on Earth — to find and identify fossils.
Earth's Hydrologic Cycle
The ocean is the key element in Earth's hydrologic cycle (water cycle). Students will construct a simple model of the hydrologic cycle to help them visualize and understand the movement of liquid water and heat.
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