Puzzling! A Hands-On Look at the Scientific Method

The idea that science is always changing is sometimes difficult for students to grasp. This interactive, hands-on puzzle activity helps introduce the idea of the ever-changing nature of science in a fun way without all the scientific "jargon" that is sometimes attached to discussions of the scientific method.

With this puzzle, students will be given 4 puzzle pieces and instructed to create a symmetrical shape with those pieces. Just when they think they've succeeded, a wrench (in the form of an additional puzzle piece of scientific data) will be thrown in their plans and they will have to revise their puzzle to include this new shape. This is a GREAT activity for the first day or week of school, and the questions on the attached worksheets can help you assess your students' current knowledge of the nature of science and the scientific method while keeping them engaged.

This product includes a teacher guide, puzzle template, puzzle key, and 2 levels of the worksheet (a "beginner" and "advanced" level).

If you like this puzzle, consider looking at Saving Sam: Inquiry Science Teamwork Lab- another activity to introduce the scientific method. This puzzle was adapted from a lesson found at this site- you can find the activity without the worksheet and questions here.