“ The more they fail , the more opportunities the boys have to learn something . This experiential approach to learning is a cornerstone of inquiry in the science classroom .”
science teachers , get to enjoy observing this process unfold . The boys ’ assembly of moveable pulley systems from piles of parts is a great example . When their quadruple pulley system succeeds in making a hanging weight feel as light as a pencil , teams erupt in cheers . When the rope slacks and pulleys crash to the floor , other teams regroup and discuss their strategy to rebuild . Either way , the learning process is about the experience : Testing a theory in practice by building a simple machine , measuring and recording results , and using data to prove what they observe .
Later in the fall , boys design and engineer their own vehicles to move a load across the room , and compete to see which team can make their work the easiest . Their design choices about the size and configuration of their wheel and axle systems , strategies to reduce friction , and even the best way to measure the force needed to drive their cars are not random . They are informed by their experiences building , testing , and improving simple machines based on evidence they ’ ve collected through trial and error . Each of these experiences is one rung on a ladder that fifth graders ascend as they learn to become more sophisticated , disciplined , and rigorous scientists .
By the time their Genetics unit begins in the winter , the boys are ready to tackle the standards that define professionalgrade laboratory experiences . Our partnership with The Cold Spring Harbor DNA Learning Center affords the boys a look into best practices associated with DNA research . After modeling the structure of DNA and learning how its shape supports its function in a living organism , Fifth Grade scientists can apply their understanding of the scientific method to a controlled experiment : By dosing different strains of bacteria with antibiotics , can they determine which strain has undergone a genetic mutation for antibiotic resistance ? In order to answer this question , boys must identify the specific variables to change , conduct patient and precise lab work to grow bacteria on petri dishes in the presence of antibiotics , and make sound hypotheses about the bacterial cultures after several days of growth .
When they observe their results , as all scientists do , they must compare their findings against their hypotheses and determine whether their predictions were accurate . Activated by their growing knowledge of genetic mutation and their observations of the bacterial growth , their conclusions often result in more questions that could be answered through yet another carefully designed experiment . It is this ongoing engagement that is the essence of scientific inquiry .
By April , fifth graders are meticulous questioners and careful observers , and they use these skills to investigate both individual organisms in the lab , and whole ecosystems in the field . As we connect our study of genetic change to Charles Darwin ’ s observations of finches in the Galapagos Islands , boys begin to understand the theory of evolution by natural selection . When they are tasked with identifying the many evolutionary adaptations of a real squid , inherited over hundreds of millions of years competing for survival , the pieces truly fall into place .
While dissecting a squid , a boy may focus intently on the toothed rings inside each individual suction cup , or the hooked beak they carefully remove from the squid ’ s mouth with forceps ; they might be intent on manipulating the squid ’ s skin to change color to match the ocean environment , or removing the silvery-black ink sac
While dissecting a squid , boys identify its many evolutionary adaptations inherited over hundreds of millions of years competing for survival . to investigate how the animal can obscure its path from predators
26 • Saint David ’ s Magazine