Bubbles- A Scientific Investigation

The first Science Unit I teach is the unit on Scientific Investigations (SOL 3.1). I love to walk my students through the Scientific Method by having them conduct an investigation on bubble shapes.

Click Here for Link

Day 1: I activate their schema by asking them if they've ever blown a bubble? Then I read Bubble, Bubble to my students. I follow up with- What were some of the bubble shapes in the book? I then have students write a question they have about Bubbles on a post-it note.

Bubble Questions

Day 2: By now I have read through the post-it notes and written down some of the "testable questions" versus "researchable questions" on chart paper. We discuss why the questions fall into each category. I pass out a Bubble Investigation Booklet to each child. I guide students into choosing a question we can test... "Can bubbles be blown in different shapes?" and we record it in our booklet.

Bubble Investigation Booklet (inside)

Day 3: I read pages 1-8 in Pop! A Book About Bubbles. Then we write down three facts about bubbles in our Bubble Investigation Booklet. Then we write our hypothesis together. If I use a triangle, square and circle wand, then I will blow a triangle, square and round bubble.

Click Here for Link

Day 4: Have students fill in the materials list: bubble solution, bubble wands, recording sheet. Then talk about the procedure and have the students record it in their Bubble Investigation Booklet. Procedure: Use triangle wand to blow bubble. Record bubble shape. Use circle wand to blow bubble. Record bubble shape. Use triangle wand to blow bubble. Record bubble shape.

Day 5: Put students into groups. Give each group a cup of bubble solution, three wands (pipe cleaners with the ends shaped into a triangle, square and circle) and give each person a Data Analysis and Conclusion Recording Sheet. Have the students follow the procedure for the investigation. (I go outside for this). Afterwards have students sit with their groups and fill out the conclusion. (side note- when it asks how many times the experiment was conducted, each child in the group counts so 4 students in the group, 4 times conducting the experiment).

Day 6:(can be done on Day 5) Finish reading Pop! A Book About Bubbles. It explains why bubbles are round.

Hopefully all that made sense, my brain is scrambled... I just finished hosting my friend's baby shower yesterday and I need to prepare for Back to School Night on Tuesday!

Links to Documents in this Post:
Bubble Investigation Booklet
Data Analysis and Conclusion Recording Sheet

Links to Free Scientific Method Resources:
Scientific Method Foldable
Scientific Method Posters
Scientific Method Order Activity