Black Box Activity

1. Introduce students to the box.

a. Ask the following question: How do you think this box works? Teacher models
to the class the different ways that the box can function
b. Again, how do you think this box works? What are your ideas? Teacher leads a
discussion
i. sub questions that use students ideas
c. What are some aspects of nature that scientists can only observe indirectly?
i. To what extent do all scientists make observations without being able to
use all of their senses?
ii. What does this tell us about the methods scientists use?
1. To what extent do scientists use one method vs. multiple methods.
iii. How is this similar to the type of methods you used to learn about how
plants grow?
1. Did you use just one method to learn or did we use many
methods?
2. Tell students they will not be allowed to open the box, but they must learn as much
about the box as they can by indirect observation--indirect observation means you arent
able to open things up, use all of your senses, experience it directly with your hands..
a. Give time for students to observe the box. (5-10 min)
b. Questions to ask or write on the board during student observation:
i. What patterns do you see through your observations of the box?
ii. What are you hoping to learn from your testing/observations?
iii. Why did you choose that last test?
iv. What evidence do you have for thinking _____is inside the box?
v. How could you show evidence for ______ in the box?
vi. How do you know the box you have is the same as other groups
boxes?
3. 3. After students have explored the boxes sufficiently, asks the students the following
question:
a. If we wanted to predict what these boxes look like on the inside, how would we
draw the inside of the box? Draw on your dry erase board what you think the
inside of the box looks like.
4. 4. Alright, so what would this box looks like on the inside? Who is willing to share their
design?
a. Teacher lets each student share their design
b. To what extent are you all agreeing with each other?
c. To what extent do scientists always agree with each other?
i. How often did the scientists that we read about last week disagree with
each other?
ii. How is this disagreement similar or different to our experience growing
our bean sprouts?
5. Provide students more time to explore the box.
a. How is what we are doing similar to the way that scientists do their work? (being
creative, perseverance,
b. subquestions
c. This activity may be difficult, you will or already have, encountered challenging
tasks throughout the year. Why is perseverance an important characteristic for
you to develop?