How Scientists Work Series What is Pattern Discovery?

How Scientists Work Series
What is Pattern Discovery?
Produced by
Centre Communications
Teacher’s Guide by
Gerald O. Gunderson,
B.S., Secondary Education,
Comprehensive Science
M.A., Biological Science
and
Gail Matthews
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© 2003 Centre Communications
Table of Contents
Introduction to the Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Summary of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Links to Curriculum Standards . . . . . . . . . .2
Student Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Pre-Test and Post-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Instructional Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Student/Audience Preparation . . . . . . . . . .4
Description of Blackline Masters . . . . . . . .5
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Internet Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Script of Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
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How Scientists Work Series
What is Pattern Discovery?
Grades 5-8
Viewing Time: 22:43 minutes with a one-minute
five-question Video Quiz
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES
How Scientists Work is a series of three programs
designed for middle school students. This series, using
junior science investigators, animation, and excellent
photography explores the procedures that underlie all of
science. Including both everyday and scientific examples, each program clearly delineates the procedures of:
1) pattern discovery, 2) scientific inquiry, and 3) the scientific method. Each procedure is placed in an historical
context featuring key scientists and discoveries.
These instructional programs teach the basic procedures
scientists use to discover and explain the world around
us. This Teacher's Guide and accompanying Blackline
Master activity sheets provide extended practice and
additional learning opportunities.
SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAM
Patterns exist all around us. What is Pattern Discovery?
traces some of the history and discusses how modern
science evolved from the observation, discovery, and
recognition of patterns. We use these patterns to make
sense of our surroundings and scientists use them to
explain the mysteries of our universe. Certain repeatable
patterns in space, time, and distribution have led to major
scientific discoveries. The segments in this program
include: 1) Kinds of Patterns, 2) Patterns in Early Science,
3) Patterns and Modern Science, 4) Scientific Facts are
Statements about Patterns, and 5) Scientific Explanations
1
are Relationships between Patterns. Students illustrate
some repeatable patterns with experiments in each segment. Throughout, a narrator explains how the recognition of different kinds of patterns and their relationships to
each other have led to major scientific discoveries.
The material in this program will:
1. Help students become aware of patterns and their
importance in modern science.
2. Demonstrate ways of recognizing and reproducing patterns.
3. Explain how pattern recognition lead to early human's
survival and scientific discoveries throughout history.
4. Define different kinds of patterns and their relationships
to each other.
5. Illustrate how these relationships between patterns
lead to scientific explanations.
LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS
What is Pattern Discovery? correlates to the following
science standards:
National Science Education Standards, grades 5-8
Science as Inquiry
Content Standard A:
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understanding about scientific inquiry
Earth and Space Science
Content Standard D:
• Structure of the Earth system
• Earth's history
• Earth in the solar system
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History and Nature of Science
Content Standard G
• Science as a human endeavor
• Nature of science
• History of science
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
After viewing the program and completing the follow-up
activities, students should be able to:
• List three basic kinds of consistent patterns in nature.
• Explain how pattern recognition can lead to scientific
discoveries.
• Provide examples of experiments with predictable outcomes that include patterns.
• List examples of how early human used patterns to survive.
PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST
Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test, is an assessment tool
intended to gauge student comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program. Explain that they are
not expected to get all answers correct, but they are
expected to try their best. You can remind them that these
are key concepts that they should focus on while watching the program.
Blackline Master #2, Post-Test, can be compared to the
results of the Pre-Test to determine the changes in student comprehension after participation in the activities
and viewing the program.
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INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
Before presenting this program to your students, we suggest that you preview the program and review this guide
and accompanying Blackline Master activities in order to
familiarize yourself with the content. Feel free to duplicate any of the Blackline Masters and distribute them to
your students.
As you review the materials presented in this guide, you
may find it necessary to make some changes, additions,
or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We
encourage you to do this. Only by tailoring this program
to your class will your students obtain the maximum
instructional benefits afforded by the materials.
STUDENT/AUDIENCE PREPARATION
Prior to viewing the program, you may wish to give students the Pre-Test, which can help them become more
aware of the scope of the program. It is important that
students work through the material and familiarize themselves with the vocabulary, concepts, and theories that
scientists use to understand this field.
If the students have a textbook that they are following,
assign the relevant reading before the lesson. As students work through the material, they will encounter a
number of unfamiliar words and concepts. Most of these
words are highlighted in the program. An additional list of
words are provided in Blackline Master #8, Vocabulary
Definitions and Fill in the Blank Activity.
The program concludes with a five-question True/False
Video Quiz that may be used to gauge students' comprehension immediately after the presentation of the pro4
gram. Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz, is a printed copy
of the questions, which may be reproduced and distributed to the students. The answers to the questions
appear in the answer key of this Teacher's Guide.
DESCRIPTION OF BLACKLINE MASTERS
Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test, is an assessment tool
intended to gauge student comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program.
Blackline Master #2, Post-Test, is an assessment tool to
be administered after viewing the program and completing additional activities. The results of this assessment
can be compared to the results of the Pre-Test to determine the change in student comprehension before and
after participation in this lesson.
Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz, is intended to reinforce
the key concepts of the program immediately following
the presentation of the program. The Video Quiz can be
used as a tool to outline salient points before viewing the
program.
.
Blackline Master #4a, Cloud Shapes and Weather and
Blackline Master #4b, Cloud Pattern Chart, can be
duplicated and handed out after the program to be completed at another time. This activity is designed for the
class to do in groups or as individuals. The results can
then be reported back to the class. Materials needed
include: pen or pencil, small flag or cloth to determine
wind direction, outdoor thermometer, a compass, and a
duplicated copy of Blackline Master #4b, Cloud Pattern
Chart. Performing this activity will reinforce students'
observation of and recording of scientific patterns, as well
as their ability to analyze the data they observe.
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Blackline Master #5a, Life Patterns on the Bark of
Trees and Blackline Master #5b, Lichens and Mosses
on Trees, can be duplicated and handed out after the program to be completed at another time. This activity is
designed for the class to do in groups or as individuals.
The results can then be reported back to the class.
Materials needed include: Pen or pencil, compass, magnifying glass, and duplicated copy of Blackline Master
#5b, Lichens and Mosses on Trees. This activity will
help reinforce the observation, data recording, and definitions of patterns.
Blackline Master #6a, Changing the Pitch of a Slope,
and Blackline Master #6b, Distance of Ball Rolling
Down Various Slopes, can be duplicated and handed
out after the program to be completed at another time.
This activity is designed for the class to do in groups.
Materials needed: One flat or grooved bare board, one
flat or grooved board with cover, such as felt or carpeting,
pen or pencil, one small ball, one medium sized ball, and
one larger ball, a copy of Blackline Master #6b,
Distance of Ball Rolling Down Various Slopes, and a
tool to measure angles such as an angle protractor. This
activity helps students to master observation, recording,
using math, and understanding of the force of gravity on
objects.
Blackline Master #7, Discussion Questions, includes
discussion questions, which incorporate the importance
of pattern recognition in cross-curricular areas such as
art, technology, music, and creative writing. These questions are included and may be assigned to students in
groups, to individuals, or just used as brain storming sessions within the classroom. This activity opens students'
minds to the recognizing patterns around them in daily
life.
6
Blackline Master #8, Vocabulary List and Fill in the
Blank Activity, includes a list of key vocabulary terms
and their definitions. A fill in the blank activity is included
in order to reinforce the meaning of some of the words.
ANSWER KEY
Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test
1) d
6) c
2) b
7) b
3) a
8) c
4) c
9) d
5) d
10) b
Blackline Master #2, Post-Test
1) b
6) d
2) d
7) b
3) a
8) d
4) c
9) c
5) a
10) a
Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz
1) True
2) False
3) True
4) True
5) False
Blackline Master #8, Vocabulary List and Fill in the
Blank Activity
1) Galileo
6) Andes
2) Newton
7) arthropods
3) atoms
8) prehistoric
4) continental or tectonic plates
9) Himalayan
5) trilobites
10) quartz
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INTERNET SITES
Biology4Kids
www.biology4kids.com
BIOLOGY4KIDS is a science site created by Andrew
Rader, who has a background in both science and computers. While he graduated from the University of
California, Santa Barbara, with a degree in physiology
and cell biology, he found success working with computers in the corporate world. During the time he produced
commercial sites he was able to maintain his pet projects
with a small group of volunteers. The most notable of
these projects is the web site Chem4Kids.com. As the
years passed, the original chemistry site blossomed into
the four other sites that exist today. Chem4Kids, was
joined by Biology4Kids, Geography4Kids, and
Physics4Kids. "We think that science and technology
should be fun and enjoyable. We have fun making the
sites. We hope our visitors have a good time while they
are here." - Andrew Rader
Science NetLinks
For Teachers: Includes a lesson plan navigator by grade
and subject.
www.sciencenetlinks.com
Science NetLinks is part of the MarcoPolo Education
Foundation. MarcoPolo partners, the AAAS, the National
Endowment for the Humanities, the Council of the Great
City Schools, the National Council on Economic
Education, the National Geographic Society, the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The MarcoPolo
partnership provides free, Internet-based content across
academic disciplines. Science NetLinks' role is to provide
a wealth of resources for K-12 science educators, including lesson plans and reviewed Internet resources. SNL is
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a dynamic site with new content being added on a regular basis. Contains numerous lesson plans and resources
for grades K-12 science.
SCRIPT OF NARRATION
Science has become a dominant force in modern society.
Discoveries made by scientists as have reshaped how we
look at the world and have led to technological breakthroughs that have put men and women in space, cured
deadly diseases, and made life easier for millions of people. Underlying many scientific discoveries are common
procedures, procedures people use to make sense of
their surroundings in daily life. In this program we will
present a procedure called pattern discovery.
PART ONE - Kinds Of Patterns
Each day we observe the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. This is one of the most common patterns
known to people on Earth, one of the most consistent patterns. Imagine if suddenly the sun rose and set randomly, each day it was at a different place and time. This randomness would create a very chaotic environment for
much of life on Earth. Think about how a weather forecast would be impossible. Fortunately, the universe presents itself in consistent patterns. Much of science involves
attempting to identify these patterns and understand the
causes behind them.
In fact, even our lives are made up of patterns. We sleep
and wake every 24 hours. Many of us go to school or
work five days a week . We breathe in and out about 10
times a minute, over and over again, thousands of times
a day. You might say we are a bundle of patterns. The
discovery of patterns has been the landmark of science
for over 2,000 years.
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Lets look at this arrangement of blocks. Notice how easily your mind starts discovering patterns. Patterns of
color, patterns of shapes.
We didn't know it, but when we were very young we were
doing science. We were practicing science. Practicing
our pattern recognition, and pattern building skills.
Look, here's a pattern, divide this construction down the
middle.
Each side is a reflection, or a mirror image, of the other
side. Now watch this.
In this new configuration of blocks, it is no longer easy to
see any clear patterns. It's a mess.
Order and patterns are very much alike. Without order
there are no patterns. Patterns are what we need to make
sense of the world. Let's start with the idea that science
looks for patterns.
In the world around us, there are many kinds of animals,
prairie dogs, geese, butterflies, coyotes, mountain lions,
and birds. And us, humans. What's the simplest pattern
we can find for all of these creatures - A pattern common
to all of these animals?
Well, two things: they all have a front and a back, an anterior and posterior, and they show bilateral symmetry. Each
half is a mirror image of the other half. These seem like
basic patterns to animals.
So what can we say about patterns in general? For
starters, patterns occur in space, as shapes. There are
the familiar geometric forms: triangles, squares, cubes,
spheres, pyramids, and circles. Most shapes are not so
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precise: coyotes, people's faces, and trees. Each have
the same basic kind of shape, but show some variation.
Patterns also occur in time. A pendulum makes the same
pattern as it goes back and forth. The sun rising and setting each day is a pattern in time.
Here's a complex pattern in time. Rain falls to the ground;
some of the water evaporates, going into the air as water
vapor. In the air, the water vapor forms clouds and the
clouds build up until rain falls again. This pattern in time
is called the water cycle.
Ecosystems are described by their distribution of plants.
Savannahs are grasslands with widely spaced trees.
Forests are made up of closely spaced trees. Birds of one
kind hang out together in a flock. These are distribution
patterns.
So, these are some basic kinds of patterns. What science
says is that the universe is organized into patterns, consistent patterns. Patterns in space, patterns in time, and
distribution patterns.
PART TWO: Patterns and Early Science
Long before there were people called scientists, recognition of patterns in nature helped prehistoric people to survive. Twelve thousand years ago, hunters of big game
animals such as mammoths and mastodons had to learn
the eating and drinking patterns of these beasts.
Knowing when a mastodon came to a watering hole provided an opportunity for the kill, a chance to provide food
for everyone.
Animal patterns can be observed today. Geese such as
these go through yearly cycles, a pattern that is repeated
each year: nest-building, rearing young, migrating south,
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and then migrating back north to begin nesting and breeding all over again.
But perhaps the most important natural pattern recognized by early people involved plants. Today we all know
our agricultural plants come from seeds. Whoever first
recognized this pattern was certainly one of the great scientists of all time.
Here we have packages of four different kinds of seeds:
peas, corn, radishes, and beans. As you can see each
seed is quite different in appearance.
Later, when the seeds sprout, a unique kind of plant
comes up from each of the different seeds.
Let's look at a number of important patterns relating to a
plant's life cycle. In early times, people must have noticed
that plants produce seeds, nuts, and berries at certain
times of the year. For example, raspberries produce edible red fruit in early summer. It is known that people in
early cultures gathered these fruits, nuts, and berries for
eating. They must have also gathered seeds from corn
plants. They could then store the kernels for winter food.
Perhaps someone noticed in the spring that new plants
grew in the place where the corn was stored. Eventually,
ancient cultures must have learned what we learned, that
plants that come from seeds each have a unique kind of
seed. Noticing the simple biological patterns that make
up a plant's life cycle was probably one of the greatest
scientific discoveries ever made. These discoveries,
made thousands of years ago, formed the basis of all
farming, and led to people living in cities. Yet, these
important patterns were recognized in a time when there
were no professional scientists.
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Then, 3,000 years ago, cultures such as the Greek and
Egyptian, started formally recording observations about
patterns and modern science began. Some of their discoveries included mapping the patterns of stars in the sky
and the movement of the planets, and an understanding
of some basic principles of physics and mathematics,
principles that allowed for the building of the pyramids in
Egypt.
So we have seen that the discovery of many of nature's
basic patterns went hand-in-hand with the advancement
of human culture. Many of the basic patterns of biology,
animal and plant life cycles and weather patterns, were
well-known by cultures across the globe before the
Greeks began the long process of building scientific
knowledge.
PART THREE: Patterns and Modern Science
Science as we know it today began in the 17th century.
Men such as Copernicus and Galileo were willing to challenge long-held ideas about the motion of the Earth, sun,
and the planets. Instead of the sun and the planets
revolving around the Earth, they proposed that the planets, including the Earth, revolved around the sun.
When I drop this apple, it always falls to the ground - it's
one of the most common patterns we know. A man
named Galileo figured out that the Earth rotates around
the sun in a distinct fixed pattern and I'm sure he also
knew an apple always falls to the ground. What he did
not know was that these two patterns are closely related.
A famous 17th century scientist, Isaac Newton, was
watching an apple fall to the ground when he realized
there was a connection between the apple falling and the
way the planets moved.
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Newton's great discovery was figuring out that the force
that guided the planets around the sun was the same
force that produced the pattern of an object falling toward
the Earth. This force is called gravity.
Around the same time when Newton was discovering the
laws of gravity, other scientists disproved the idea that
everything was made up of earth, fire, air, and water. It
was proposed that substances such as water, even table
salt, were actually very distinct Chemical compounds
compounds with unique properties that produce repeatable patterns.
Part of chemistry is when something new is formed. It
can occur when there is a reaction between two substances. An example would be when two elements come
together to make a compound: you know, a chemical like
this salt.
It's made of sodium and chlorine.
And these dark grains are called magnetite. They are
made of oxygen and iron.
In case you're wondering, magnetite can be found on the
bottom of many streams, as well as on beaches.
Yep, magnetite.
Let us imagine we are chemists and we are running a little test. Chemists know once a chemical is made it cannot easily be broken down into different parts, but a mixture can be separated into at least two parts by some
physical means. Remember, some chemical reactions
occur when individual atoms or compounds come together or separate to make something new.
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I'm putting the salt and the magnetite together. Sort of
like putting salt and pepper together. Now, suppose I
want to separate them again. What a pain it would be to
pick them apart grain by grain.
Here I have a magnet, remember? And magnetite is
magnetic. So if I slide it through this pile, Voíla, I get the
magnetite.
There's another way I can separate the salt and the magnetite. I can pour warm water into the mixture. Watch,
the salt dissolves; now I take the solution and pour it
through a piece of cloth and the liquid goes into the empty
beaker. See, the magnetite is on top of the cloth. In time,
after the water evaporates away, the salt will once again
reappear in the bottom of the beaker.
One way to look at what just happened is every time a
magnet comes into contact with magnetite, the little particles are attracted to the magnet, a repeatable event, a
pattern. It's the same situation in dissolving the salt in
water. It will happen every time. It's another pattern.
If this pattern didn't occur, we would be very confused.
Probably we would say it was not magnetite or salt. So
we can see, even in an advanced science like chemistry,
it's really about patterns.
PART FOUR - Scientific Facts Are Statements about
Patterns
By the beginning of the 21st century, we have built up a
huge body of scientific knowledge, a vast collection of
facts. However, when we look closely at these facts we
can see that they are really statements about patterns.
Almost every day we see on TV or read in the newspaper
about some new scientific discovery. Here's one that
says, "New early humanoid skull found in Africa." This
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new skull predates Lucy - the early humanoid who was
once thought to be our earliest ancestor.
Here are some more scientific facts: Did you know that air
is made up of mostly oxygen and nitrogen? Sow bugs,
or as some people call them rolly-pollies, are arthropods
related to shrimp. Fish breathe with gills, not with lungs
like us. Trilobites are a kind of arthropod that went extinct
hundreds of millions of years ago The needles on a pine
tree are actually leaves The pods, the main parts of a
cactus, are not leaves but stems. Leaves contain a chemical called chlorophyll that can transform sunlight into
energy that plants can use to grow This quartz crystal is
made up of the elements silicon and oxygen The steeper the angle of this board the faster the marble will roll
down it Some plants can be cloned by rooting pieces of
them in water
We all know lots of cool scientific facts. Some are fun. But
if you look closely at each fact each one is really about a
different pattern or points our attention to a pattern.
What we may not realize is that before anybody knew
about these facts, someone like you had to recognize and
define what the pattern was.
PART FIVE - Scientific Explanations Are Relationships Between Patterns
We can start to understand how one pattern is the cause
of another pattern by looking at an experiment done by
Conner.
Ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit. I guess my
body temperature is normal. Now this is a big old outdoor
thermometer. It measures outdoor temperature, 80
degrees Fahrenheit, or about 27 degrees Celsius. Hey,
I'm hotter than the air. Now, what I'm going to do is record
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the temperature of the air at the beginning of each hour
from sunrise to sunset. Then record the data in my notebook. The other task I'm setting for myself is to plot the
location of the sun in the sky at the same time I record the
temperature.
Here's my drawing of the sun as it rose up in the east and
set in the west. And here's the data on the temperatures
measured each hour. You can see 100 degrees. Now I'm
not hotter than the air. Looking at the numbers, the temperature goes up continually until about 5 PM, and at
which point it starts going down.
Conner can create a picture of what his data reveals by
graphing it. He can plot time along the bottom, horizontal
axis and temperature along the left side or vertical axis.
Then he plots the data by placing a dot on the graph
paper where each time recorded intersects with it's corresponding temperature. Once this is done, he connects the
points.
Here's my graph of daylight temperatures and my drawing of sun locations. As you can see there is a relationship between these two patterns.
So, what is going on here? Well, the air and Earth's surface are pretty cool early in the morning and it takes a bit
longer than one would think for the two to warm up. It is
like a pot of cool water on a hot stove. It just takes time
for the water to get really hot even though the burner is
already hot, like the sun's rays.
Once the sun starts to get really low in the sky, later in the
day, the warm rays are not hitting the Earth as directly as
they did, and it follows that the Earth's surface and air
then start to eventually cool down too.
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Another example of relationships in the world of science,
this one involving volcanoes and earthquakes, was discovered almost a hundred years ago.
Let's look at how this relatively recent discovered pattern
answered many previously unanswered questions.
People had started to realize mountain building was an
active process, it had been going on for a long time, the
Andes in South America and the Himalayas in India are
relatively recent mountains. Whereas, the Appalachian
Mountains in eastern North America are old, no longer rising. The process by which mountains grew was a mystery. People also noticed that earthquakes and volcanoes
were not evenly distributed across the planet. Their
occurrence fell into recognizable distribution patterns.
Also, the distribution of some fossils was puzzling. Here
are two trilobites that are called phacops, they come from
the same time period but one was found in Iowa and one
in Africa - another mystery.
Then scientists proposed that over time, the continents
have changed positions on the surface of the planet. This
movement would explain why Africa and South America
look like jigsaw puzzle pieces that fit together. Their
observation that continents are always moving led to
another discovery, that the interior of the Earth is hot like
the sun.
The moving continents would explain mountain building,
watch, if my hand is the force of a continent colliding with
another continent the result is an up lifted fold, just like
what mountains are. My little physical model here
explains the process of mountain building.
The new theory led to the discovery that not only are
there continental plates but there are oceanic plates as
well. It is the movement of these plates' edges against
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each other that are the cause of the earthquakes and volcanoes in areas around Los Angeles and other places
along the west coast of North America.
The reason this trilobite from Iowa and this trilobite from
Africa are nearly identical, is because at one time, about
350 million years ago, North America and Africa were
connected.
We can see once again how an idea, in this case, continental drift, the movement of huge pieces of the Earth's
surface, was the discovery of a pattern that answered
many questions. It explained many other perplexing patterns and it led to new discoveries. It also showed once
again how science is always changing, giving up old
ideas for new ones.
So you will find as you learn more about science that one
idea will become obvious: the universe is made up of consistent patterns. It is fortunate, for each one of us; from
early in our life we are able to spot patterns. This is
because our brain has been set up, wired, for finding patterns in space and time. All you need to do is see that
science is something you are born to do.
VIDEO QUIZ
Answer true or false to the following questions.
1) Pattern recognition is a procedure used by scientists to
make discoveries.
2) There are patterns occurring in space but not in time.
3) An example of a distribution pattern is a forest of closely spaced trees.
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4) Oftentimes the relationships between patterns can lead
to major scientific discoveries.
5) Human brains are not structured to recognize patterns.
20
1
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Pre-Test
Directions: Read each of the following and circle the correct answer.
1. Where would the fewest patterns be discovered?
a. In a forest filled with different kinds of trees.
b. In an ocean.
c. In the entire length of the Amazon River.
d. In fields covered with wheat.
6. Science is based on patterns that are
a. very simple.
b. impossible to find.
c. consistent.
d. easy to discover.
2. Which group is part of an organized pattern
used by chemists?
a. Stone, rag, and leaf.
b. Carbon, oxygen, and iron.
c. Frog, tree, and coin.
d. Glass, book, and stick.
7. Throughout the universe what would really help
people discover patterns?
a. Large office spaces.
b. Scientific instruments.
c. A lot of good luck.
d. An afternoon swim.
3. The gravity that affects a falling object also
affects, in the same way, the motion of the
a. planets.
b. hands of a clock.
c. beating heart.
d. wind.
8. Who would get the most use out of observing the
patterns found in the natural world?
a. A truck driver traveling over different roads.
b. A barber cutting many different hair styles.
c. A farmer planting and tending to the crops.
d. A cook making lots of fancy meals.
4. More than any other job, scientists look for
a. ways to make more money.
b. restaurants with good food.
c. patterns.
d. ways to make things explode.
9. One of the early telescopes helped discover
a. life on Mars.
b. where the edge of the universe is.
c. the tallest mountains on Earth.
d. how planets travel around the sun.
5. In ancient times, patterns in nature helped
people
a. decide on a place to go for a vacation.
b. get a job.
c. build a row boat.
d. find food.
10. Which one of the following examples is a pattern in time?
a. Fish can swim.
b. A swinging pendulum.
c. Diamonds are very hard.
d. Water is wet.
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2
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Post-Test
Directions: Select the correct answer from the following:
1. As the sun rises in the sky, a common
pattern that can be observed is
a. there is less wind.
b. the temperature rises.
c. it rains.
d. insects hibernate.
6. One of the earliest patterns recorded in history
is the
a. places where earthquakes happened.
b. amount of traffic seen between towns.
c. formation of mountains.
d. motion of the planets.
2. Many animals have bilateral symmetry
because they have:
a. a skin covering their bodies from the tip of
their toes to the top of their head.
b. a back and belly.
c. a heart that pumps a liquid.
d. two sides that are mirror images of each other.
7. Which one is the poorest example of a pattern?
a. The number of breaths a person takes each
minute.
b. The distance a person can see in the fog.
c. The hours a person sleeps every night.
d. The order which each chamber in the heart
beats.
3. What is the pattern common to dogs, geese,
and butterflies?
a. They have a head.
b. They can fly.
c. They lay eggs.
d. They have teeth.
8. Which one of the following examples is not a
pattern in time?
a. A pendulum swinging back and forth.
b. The eating habits of humans.
c. Birds singing a lot early in the morning.
d. Skunks are not very smart.
4. Who spends the greatest amount of time
looking for patterns?
a. dancers
b. joggers
c. scientists
d. painters
9. Telescopes are
a. Most often found in the chemistry laboratory.
b. not used by scientists anymore.
c. scientific instruments.
d. simple to make.
5. Which one of the following is the best example
of a pattern?
a. Clouds form first, and then rain falls from them.
b. People like to get a lot of sleep during the day.
c. A river flowing through a farmers potato field.
d. Cutting the grass in the backyard.
10. Many of the mountains on the earth are
the result of
a. continents shifting.
b. erosion.
c. the rise and fall of tides.
d. glaciers moving over the surface of the Earth.
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3
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Video Quiz
Directions: Answer the following either true or false.
1) Pattern recognition is a procedure used by scientists to make discoveries.
2) There are patterns occurring in space but not in time.
3) An example of a distribution pattern is a forest of closely spaced trees.
4) Oftentimes the relationships between patterns can lead to major scientific discoveries.
5) Human brains are not structured to recognize patterns.
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4a
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Cloud Shapes and the Weather
Materials needed include: Pen or pencil, small flag or cloth to determine wind direction, outdoor thermometer, a compass, and the pattern chart.
There is an old saying: Red sky at night sailor's delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning. The bad
weather following a red sky in the morning was part of a pattern noticed a long time ago by people who
went to sea. It would be interesting to see if there are other patterns to be found in what can be seen in
the sky. For example, a sky can be clear or have a number of different kinds of clouds. Record the shape
of clouds at least twice a day. Do this for a period of at least a week, every day.
Some of the most common cloud shapes you may see are: small fluffy cumulus clouds; large fluffy alto
cumulus clouds; low, flat, and spreading out stratus clouds, and high, wispy, cirrus clouds.
Each time you make an observation keep a record of some of the other weather events occurring at that
time, and notice the weather a day later. Wind direction, strength of wind, temperature, and kind of precipitation should be considered. For observing the wind activity, a narrow piece of cloth or small flag
attached to the end of a stick could be used. Place this out in an open area. Fill in a chart like the one
that is shown below, and see if you can discover what kind of weather patterns come along as the types
of clouds, and other conditions change.
COMPLETE THE CLOUD PATTERN CHART
Here are some possible patterns that might be observed when referring back to your completed pattern
chart. One or more types of clouds produced rain. Heavy or light rains came from only certain clouds.
Precipitation never came from one or more types of clouds. When the wind came out of certain direction
it rained steadily within a day. It rained soon after seeing one type of cloud. There are many other possible patterns that might be discovered when looking over your records.
1) Describe at least one pattern observed when a certain type of cloud was prevalent:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2) Describe other patterns that you discovered from your records. Use the back of this sheet for added
space record your answer.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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4b
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
CLOUD PATTERN CHART
Date
(2x day)
Cloud Type
Kind
of Precipitation
Wind Direction
Wind Strength
Temperature
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
AM
PM
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5a
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Life Patterns on the Bark of Trees
There are many different things living on the surface of a tree's bark. All it takes to discover what kind of
life forms are clinging to the bark, is a closer look. Sometimes you will find different kinds of fungi (mushrooms), thin films of algae, mosses, and lichens living on the bark of trees.
Fungi, algae, mosses, and lichens can be found living in many different parts of the world. They live on
many different kinds of surfaces. You may know mosses are green, and are very short compared to the
height of a tree. You may not know much about lichens. They look something like plants, but are not
plants. Lichens are made up of two different life forms living together, which are algae, and fungi. Many
lichens are thin, crusty in texture when dry, and some cling tightly to what ever they are growing on. They
come in many shades of gray, some are almost black, others can be light green or even orange in color.
Many of the lichen patches found living on tree bark have very uneven edges, ruffled edges.
See if you can discover patterns by observing where lichens and mosses live on the surface of tree bark.
It will help to use a magnifying glass. Some of the life forms you will find are small. Be sure to look at
young and old trees, even different kinds of trees. Look over the entire surface, all the way around the
tree, and from the ground all the way up the trunk.
Once you find a tree with a lot growing on its bark you should record a number of different things in the
chart below. First, record how many different kinds of lichens and mosses are observed on this tree. Next,
describe the texture of the bark: smooth, a little rough, rough, very rough. Under the title "Observations"
write down where the lichens and mosses were covering the greatest amount of bark. Also, if one side
seemed to have more lichens or mosses, record that too. If one kind of lichen, let us say for example, a
yellow one seemed to be more common three feet above the ground record that in your notes, as well.
Find another tree with a different kind of bark surface, and record what is observed from the ground up
into this tree. If you have time find a third tree that has a different kind of bark from the first two, and
record what you discover in your observations.
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5b
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Lichens and Mosses on Trees
Diameter
of tree
How many
different lichens?
How many
different mosses?
What is the texture
of the bark?
Other
observations
Directions: Answer the following; you may use the back of this sheet of paper if necessary.
1) Describe a pattern where lichens or mosses seemed to thrive where they were living. (Hints: sunny
side, shady side.)
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2) Describe a pattern where lichens or mosses did not thrive. (Hints: High up; close to the ground; or
maybe too rough a surface, too smooth a surface, too sunny, too much shade.)
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3) How do you think the amount of water affected where lichens and mosses grew the best?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4) Describe one new thing you learned about lichens and mosses living on the surface of tree bark?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
5) Because looking for patterns is about discovering something new in science, describe one other observation you made that surprised you during this activity.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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6a
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Changing the Pitch of a Slope
Materials needed: One flat or grooved bare wood board or cardboard, at least three feet long, one flat or grooved
wood board or cardboard (same length as flat board) with cover such as felt or carpeting, pen or pencil, one small
ball, one medium sized ball and one larger ball, and a way to measure angles such as an angle protractor.
One of the more obvious patterns we can witness every day, is that objects fall when dropped from any place in the
Earth's atmosphere. Gravity is at every one of these places. Not only does the object fall each time, it will eventually fall faster if dropped from a higher position. This is a pattern.
Here is an exercise that may demonstrate a pattern much like a falling object. Let a ball roll down a board that has
had one end raised just a little bit. Record how far the ball rolls from the end of the board. Since distance shows
the momentum, and thus the speed of the ball rolling, we can measure that distance as a sign of speed. If you wish,
the angle of the board could be increased five degrees, each time, before the ball is released. A protractor could
be used to keep the board at the proper angle, each time it is raised. Or, you could raise the board by an inch or
by centimeters each time if you prefer. Now raise the board a little higher (for example, by five degrees or by a set
amount of inches/centimeters each time). Now record how far the ball rolls. Keep lifting the board a little more
each time before it is let go.
Next, cover the board with cloth or carpeting. Repeat the same series of rolling the ball and measuring from the
end of the board. How does the friction of the cloth on the board affect the distance or speed of the falling (rolling)
object?
Distance of Ball Rolling Down Various Slopes
Variable
Raised 5º
Raised 10º
Raised 15º
Raised 20º
Raised 25º
Distance
of small
ball
Distance
of medium
ball
Distance
of large
ball
Distance
of small ball on
carpeted board
Distance of
medium ball on
carpeted board
Distance of
large ball on
carpeted board
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6b
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Changing the Pitch of a Slope
Use the Distance of Ball Rolling Down Various Slopes Chart to answer the following questions.
1) What kind of pattern is observed here?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2) Would the pattern change if the ball was increased or decreased in size?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3) Describe the pattern change if there was one.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
4) If the ball was made of a different material, how might the pattern change?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
5) If the surface of the board were changed, would another pattern emerge?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
6) How would a carpet-covered board affect the pattern?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
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7
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Directions: Research, perform observation, and report back to the class your findings.
1) Be a Junior Scientist - Notice a pattern you see around you. Tell what kind of pattern it is: spatial, color,
temporal (in time), behavioral, symmetrical, or a pattern of your choice. Discuss how you might be able to
document the pattern in a repeatable manner. Can you also interpret that pattern to prove a fact?
2) Junior Scientist: One Step Beyond - This time, notice a relationship of patterns, define what kind of
pattern it is, document the patterns with their relation to each other and interpret what the relationship
between the patterns might indicate.
3) You probably know certain kinds of music by its rhythmic pattern. For instance, a waltz has a temporal pattern - a pattern in time. So does rock music, rap, and reggae ad other types of music Think about
how you could document the patterns in your favorite song. Write down your ideas and share them with
the class.
4) There are recognizable patterns in clothing styles, cooking recipes, architecture, dance, art, poetry, and
many other subject areas. The list can go on and on. A computer uses a binary pattern of zeros and
ones to communicate. Choose one of the above, or pick your own area where you can detect a pattern
and write about what you observe. What are some of the patterns you can recognize as consistent?
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8
Name ____________________
HOW SCIENTISTS WORK SERIES
What Is Pattern Discovery?
Vocabulary List and Fill in the Blank Activity
Andes- the principle mountains of South America and one of
the greatest mountains systems of the world. It runs along the
west coastline through seven countries from Panama to the
southern tip of South America.
arthropods- animals without vertebrae, such as insects, spiders, and crabs, that have a segmented body and jointed
appendages.
atoms- the smallest unit of an element that can exist alone or
in combination with other elements.
bilateral symmetry- symmetry in which similar anatomical
parts are arranged on opposite sides of a median line, like a
mirror image.
chemical compounds- chemical compounds are combinations of elements. A chemical compound is a molecule. The
words compound and molecule are essentially interchangeable. Molecular forces hold compounds together. The carbon
dioxide molecule is an example of a compound. It is a combination of the elements carbon and oxygen.
chlorophyll- the pigment found in plants, some algae, and
some bacteria that gives them their green color and that
absorbs the light necessary for photosynthesis. The great
abundance of chlorophyll in leaves and its occasional presence in other plant tissues, such as stems, causes these plant
parts to appear green.
continental plates- in the theory of plate tectonics, continental plates, (also called continental crust) are the solid pieces of
the Earth's crust. These plates move relative to each other.
Scientists have used the movement of these plates to explain
geologic events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions,
and formations of mountains, and continents.
Copernicus, Nicolaus- in the 16th century, this Polish
astronomer, determined that the Earth and the planets rotate
around the sun. Previously, scientists thought the planets in
our solar system rotated around the Earth.
Galileo Galilei- Italian natural philosopher, astronomer, physicist, and mathematician born in the 16th century who made
fundamental contributions to the sciences of motion, astronomy, and strength of materials and to the development of the
scientific method.
Himalayas- mountain range in Southern Asia on the border
between India and Tibet and in Kashmir, Nepal, and Bhutan.
It includes Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
magnetite- mineral and common ore of iron. It occurs as a
strong natural magnet.
oceanic plates- oceanic plates (also called oceanic crust);
are generally thinner and younger than continental plates and
are constantly being produced at the bottom of the ocean.
Newton, Isaac- Isaac Newton discovered that gravity is a
force that acts at a distance and attracts bodies of matter
toward each other. The amount of mass and the force of gravity from the Earth give an object its weight. The laws of gravity determine how fast objects will fall. Isaac Newton determined the laws of gravity around 1680.
prehistoric people- a common term for a variety of cultures
from ancient times. It usually refers to peoples who lived
before written history.
quartz- a mineral made of silicon dioxide and the second
most common of all minerals.
symmetry- having corresponding points whose connecting
lines are bisected by a given point, for example, both sides
are the same.
trilobites- extinct marine animal having the segments of the
body divided by furrows on the back, which is divided into
three sections.
Fill in the Blank... with the correct word from the vocabulary list. Not all the terms are used.
1) A major scientist and mathematician from 16th century Italy
who conducted experiments in gravity, such as the speed of
falling objects, and who agreed with Copernicus that the Earth
orbited around the sun, was named ______________.
2) ___________ determined the laws of gravity around 1680.
3) _________ are the smallest units of an element.
4) ______________________ are solid pieces of the Earth's
crust which move in relation to one another. This movement
can cause mountain formations, volcanic eruptions, and
earthquakes.
5) _________________ are extinct marine animals whose
backs are divided into three sections of furrows.
6) The __________________ Mountains run along the western coast of South America. They were probably formed
when two tectonic plates gradually moved together pushing
the Earth's crust upward.
7) Animals without vertebrae and with segmented limbs are
called ____________________.
8) A common phrase for people of ancient times is
__________.
9) The ___________________ Mountains are in Asia and
include Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
10) The second most common mineral in the world is
______________, made of silicon dioxide.
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