Name ____________________________ Pd ____ Date ________________________

In Class Lab 1: Science is Like a Puzzle

Introduction

We often wonder if scientists are “wrong” because they can’t answer all the questions we might have to ask. We know lots about the evolution of the universe. We know lots about the evolution of living things. But, we don’t know everything. Does that mean that we can’t explain things based on what we do know now?

Just recently, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto and some other objects in our solar system were not planets, but instead were dwarf planets. Does that mean that earlier astronomers were wrong about calling Pluto a planet? What was the basis of the change?

This activity will help you figure out how scientists make predictions and draw conclusions, and will help you begin to think more like a scientist yourself.

Materials

Bag of jigsaw puzzle pieces per group, sheet of paper, lab sheets

Procedure

You will be working in groups. I will assign you to the groups. List the names of your group members here:

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Your group will get a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Using that piece please decide what the whole picture is:

Prediction 1

Now each of you will get one more piece of the puzzle. Talk among you and decide what the puzzle is about.

Prediction 2:

Now, you will have all of the pieces of your group’s part of the puzzle (Once we put all of the group’s parts of the puzzle together we’ll have the whole puzzle). Put the pieces together. As you add pieces stop after each piece and decide what the whole puzzle is about.

Prediction 3 (after a second piece is added)

Prediction 4 (after another piece is added)

Prediction 5

Prediction 6

Prediction 7

Prediction 8

Prediction 9

Prediction 10

Prediction 11

Prediction 12

Prediction 13

Prediction 14

Prediction 15

Prediction 16

Prediction 17

Prediction 18

Prediction 19

Prediction 20

Prediction 21

Prediction 22

Prediction 23

Prediction 24

Prediction 25

Prediction 26

Prediction 27

Finally, connect your section of the puzzle with the other sections the other groups have put together.

Were your predictions correct? Were you wrong in any way? Explain.

Analysis

1. When were your predictions most accurate, when you had more information or less?

2. Can we determine what a puzzle is about even if some pieces are missing?

3. Do scientists know everything?

4. Can we define and explain things even if we don’t know everything about them?

Conclusion

How does the work you did predicting and analyzing this puzzle relate to the work of scientists?