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Lesson 4 of 84 ยท Human Impacts on Earth

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ŸŒฟ Wild Jungle

Scientific Models: Representing Reality

๐ŸงชLab Brief #4

Human Impacts on Earth.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

โšก The twist

What the body does in one minute is wilder than any cartoon.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐Ÿฆ  You have more bacterial cells in your body than human cells.

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Make a hypothesis first

Guess: how does the body solve this problem?

What You'll Learn

Models help scientists represent complex systems. Physical models (like a globe), mathematical models (like equations), and computer models all simplify reality to make it easier to study.

Key Words

  • control
  • data
  • observation

Materials Needed

  • plastic wrap
  • cardboard
  • tape
  • scissors
  • straws
  • paper clips

Safety First

  • Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.
  • Dispose of materials properly after the experiment.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Review the background information on Human Impacts on Earth before starting.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Build a simple seismograph using a pen, cup, string, and paper. Shake the table and record the marks. Can you detect bigger vs. smaller shakes?

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What makes a good scientific investigation?

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Where you see this in real life

This is why plants grow toward windows and why scabs form.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Watch a plant or pet for 5 minutes today and write down what you noticed.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œTell me something you noticed about your own body today.โ€

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๐Ÿ’งShare card

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Checkout complete lesson on Human Impacts on Earth for 5th Grade

Get the full Human Impacts on Earth track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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