STEM Investigation and Communication Skills

Example

Find out: Which birds nest in the ravine behind the school, and when do they arrive?

1. Observe at dawn once a week from March to June; record species, count, date and time.
2. Compare with a local birding database and a naturalist club's records.
3. Report arrivals as dates, not "early spring"; note species only one source lists.

Example

Test: Which material lets a bulb glow — copper, plastic, or aluminum foil?

1. Same: one battery, one bulb, the same clips, a strip of each material the same length.
2. Change: only the strip. Sand the strip ends clean where the clips grip, so a dirty end does not fake a result.
3. Record glow or no glow; repeat each three times.

Example

Design a paper glider that flies the farthest, and fix it when it nosedives.

1. Criteria: distance flown. Constraints: one sheet, one paper clip, no tape.
2. Test three throws; record each; note the flight's shape.
3. Nosedive → slide the nose clip a little further back; test again; keep the change that flew farther.

Example

Match the habit to the symbol, and name the first move after an accident.

1. Flame: nowhere near flames, sparks or heaters. Corrosive: gloves first, and never a drop on skin.
2. Irritant: hands washed the moment the work ends. Environmental: into the marked container, never down a drain.
3. Accident: everyone moves clear and an adult is told at once.

Example

Share the conductor test with the class and with an electrician visiting for career day.

1. Class: a table of material, trials and glow results; the words conductor, insulator, circuit.
2. Electrician: one line — copper and foil conducted, plastic did not — and the sanding step, which they will recognize.
3. Both: the one result that surprised you.

Summary

• Precise records; sources compared and named.
• One variable; clean the contacts; repeat.
• Criteria, constraints, test, targeted fix.
• Symbol habits; move clear, tell an adult.
• Table for peers; one line for the expert.