Overview: Using video and internet components, students will gain an understanding of the real world applications of the scientific method. Students will see how scientists use the scientific method to solve problems that are as simple as "Who ate my peanut butter?" or as difficult as "Does the Loch Ness Monster really exist?" Students will have the opportunity to design their own experiments to prove or disprove the existence of other modern legends, and they will also design and carry out an experiment to test a variable.

Time Allotment: Six to seven 45-minute class periods: approximately one day for the Introductory Activities, two days for the Learning Activities, and three-four days for the Culminating Activity.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

*Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.

*Understanding about scientific inquiry.

Strand 1: Inquiry--Lifelong learners are able to use the methods of inquiry to participate in scientific investigation and technological problem solving.

*Differentiate between questions that can be answered through direct investigation and those that cannot.

*Apply personal experience and knowledge to make predictions.

*Apply multiple lines of inquiry to address and analyze a question, e.g., experimentation, trial and error, survey, interview, and secondary sources.

*Design an investigation or problem specifying variables to be changed, controlled, and measured. Use more complex tools to make observations, and gather and represent quantitative data, e.g., microscopes, graduated cylinders, computer probes, stress and impact testers, wind tunnels and timers.

*Reformulate ideas and technological solutions based on evidence.

*Analyze alternative explanations and procedures.

*Represent data and findings using tables, models, demonstrations and graphs.

*Communicate ideas and questions generated, and suggest improvements or alternatives to the experimental techniques used.

Video: NOVA- The Beast of Loch Ness (WGBH)

Web site: BrainPOP- The Scientific Method

This animated site contains a short pop quiz and movie about the scientific method. An activity sheet is also available for students to print out and complete, and an experiment is available for students to try.

Web site: ARMS Grade 7 Individual Investigation Packet

This site contains a copy of the Athol-Royalston Middle School student handbook used to assist students in designing and conducting their own investigation to test a variable.

Web site: Google (search engine)

This search engine can provide a list of various Web sites containing information about modern legends (see "Prep for Teachers" for a list of some available sites).

Per student:

1 copy of the worksheet "BrainPOP- The Scientific Method"

1 copy of the worksheet "The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster"

1 computer with Internet access (for introductory activity-1 student per computer if possible, or have students work in pairs)

1 piece of mint flavored gum (for optional introductory activity)

1 piece of cinnamon flavored gum (for optional introductory activity)

1 piece of bubble gum (for optional introductory activity)

1 clock or stopwatch (for optional introductory activity)

Per group of 3-4 students:

1 computer with Internet access or copies of information from selected Web sites (for the culminating activity)

Make copies (1 per student) of the worksheets "BrainPOP- The Scientific Method" and "The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster."

Cue the video "The Beast of Loch Ness" to the scene with the bagpiper on the hill.

Bookmark the following Web site:

BrainPOP- The Scientific Method

The Legend of Nessie, The Ultimate Loch Ness Monster Site

This extensive site contains lists of sightings, descriptions of photographic evidence, information about the geology of the loch and more.

The Skeptic's Dictionary: Loch Ness monster ("Nessie")

This site is an entry from The Skeptic’s Dictionary and provides an opposing view to the existence of Nessie.

Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, and Other Lake Monsters

This site describes evidence that could be used to support or deny the existence of Nessie.

The Bigfoot Field Researchers

This site takes a fairly scientific approach to the search for Bigfoot (aka Sasquatch, Yeti). It tracks sightings around the world and provides tips for gathering evidence of a sighting.

The Skeptic's Dictionary: Bigfoot [a.k.a. Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas, Mapinguari (the Amazon), Sasquatch, Yowie (Australia) and Yeti (Asia)]

This site is an entry from The Skeptic’s Dictionary and provides an opposing view to the existence of Bigfoot..

Gateway to Living Vampires

This site contains a little bit of information about the existence of vampires, including excerpts from scientific articles. It also contains a list of links to other vampire-related sites.

The Skeptic's Dictionary: Vampires

This site is an entry from The Skeptic’s Dictionary and provides an opposing view to the existence of vampires.

CSIOP/Skeptical Inquirer/March 1996/Staking Claims: The Vampires of Folklore and Fiction

This site takes a look at some of the folklore behind vampire tales and examines evidence that provides explanations for some of the beliefs.

National UFO Reporting Center

This site provides up-to-date listings of UFO sightings, historical reports, and a database of sightings organized by the event date, the state, the shape of the UFO and the date of the posting.

Skeptics info-Scientific skepticism, flying saucers and the UFO myth

This site contains an extensive list of links to articles that strive to debunk the existence of UFOs as well as a few that support their existence.

The Skeptic's Dictionary: UFOs (unidentified flying objects)

This site is an entry from The Skeptic’s Dictionary and provides an opposing view to the existence of UFOs. It also has links to other entries about alien phenomena.

1. Introduce to or review with students the following vocabulary words:

The Scientific Method - A process used by scientists to answer questions about the natural world.

Observation- Something that is made by using the five senses and is based on fact.

Evidence- Facts, data and observations collected to support a hypothesis.

Hypothesis- An educated guess, based on known information, about what an experiment will prove.

Experiment- A test designed to determine if a hypothesis is correct.

3. Once the movie has loaded, students can either replay the quiz by clicking on the button labeled "Play the Quiz" or watch the movie by clicking on the button "Play the Movie." While the movie is playing, the Focus for Media Interaction is to answer the questions about the movie that are listed on the back of the worksheet. If students need time to write down their answers, they can click on the pause button, which is located on the button bar in the lower right hand corner of the movie. The pause button is the middle button. To resume the movie, students can click on the play button, which is the right hand button on the button bar. If students wish to restart the movie at any time, they can click on the rewind button, which is the left button on the bar (pressing rewind starts the movie from the beginning).

4. As an optional assignment, students may complete the experiment about the flavor of bubble gum by clicking on the button "Experiment with Bob the Ex-Lab Rat." This brings students to a page of instructions for conducting an experiment. Students may print out the directions and follow the steps to perform the experiment.

5. Another optional activity is available by clicking on the button labeled "Activity Pages." Students can print out the activity page and complete it. On the top half of the worksheet, they need to match the scenes of the movie with the terms on the left by writing the letter of the scene on the line next to the term. Some terms are used in more than one scene. On the bottom half of the activity page, students should match the first half of the statement to the second half by drawing lines to connect them.

6. Allow time for review and discussion of the worksheet answers and experiment results (if completed as an option).

1. Pass out 1 copy of the worksheet "The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster" to each student.
2. Play the video from the cue and then pause the video when the narrator says "In this century, thousands of sightings have brought the legend to life." Take a quick survey of the students in your class by asking "Who believes the Loch Ness Monster exists?" and "Who believes the Loch Ness Monster does not exist?". Record the results of the survey on the board. Allow 3-5 minutes to discuss the reasons why students believe one or the other.
3. In the next segment, the Focus for Media Interaction is for students to listen to and record on the worksheet any evidence for or against the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. Resume play of the video and pause it just after the narrator says that the analysis of the video determine that it is "probably an animate object," and the document appears on the screen. Allow a few minutes to discuss what evidence has been presented so far, and what the implications of the video are. If students seem as if they did not understand the evidence, rewind to the beginning of the segment (just after the narrator has said says "In this century, thousands of sightings have brought the legend to life.") and play the segment again.
4. Continuing the Focus for Media Interaction, students should listen to and record on the worksheet any evidence for or against the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. Resume play of the video and pause just after the narrator says that the underwater image "…somehow became this image, raising doubts about its validity." Spend a few minutes discussing the evidence that has been presented and whether or not it helps to prove the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. If necessary, rewind to the beginning of the segment and allow students to view the evidence again.
5. For the next segment, the Focus for Media Interaction is for students to listen for and record on the worksheet any evidence for or against the existence of the Loch Ness Monster and also watch for and record any experiments that have been conducted. Resume play of the video and pause just after the scientist "They did find all sorts of interesting sonar targets, including moving targets. We’ve no idea what they were." Spend a few minutes discussing the evidence that has been presented and whether or not it helps to prove the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. Also, if necessary, rewind to the beginning of the segment and allow students to view the evidence again.
6. For this segment’s Focus for Media Interaction, students should listen and watch for further evidence or experiments that are presented. In addition, students should pay attention to how people react to the evidence that is presented. Resume play of the video and pause just after Alastair Boyd says, "If I could afford to spend the rest of my life up here looking for it, I would." Allow a few minutes to discuss the photographic evidence and whether or not the experiments proved that the surgeons photo of the Loch Ness Monster was real or fake. If necessary, rewind the video to the beginning of the segment and play the segment again. If class time is short, this may be a good spot to stop the video.
7. As the Focus for Media Interaction, ask the students, "How reliable as evidence are eyewitness accounts?" Resume play and pause the video when a man is sketching what he saw and the narrator says "It’s been thirty years since Mackal interviewed eyewitnesses and the descriptions remain the same." Spend a few minutes discussing the validity of eyewitness accounts. A good question to ask may be "How do you think all of the publicity and previous sightings affects what people think they see?"
8. The Focus for Media Interaction is to have students listen to and record evidence that helps to explain what the Loch Ness Monster could be, and whether or not it exists. Resume play and pause the video just after the picture of the eels and the narrator says, "Either one would explain the sonar hits." Take a few minutes to discuss what evidence exists that explains what the Loch Ness Monster could be. If necessary, rewind the segment to review the evidence again.
9. Resume play of the video and stop it just after the eyewitness says, "…but I saw it and nothing can take that away." Take the survey again by asking the students, "After seeing the evidence as presented in the video, does the Loch Ness Monster exist?" Record their answers on the board and compare them to the original survey. Spend several minutes discussing pieces of evidence that may have changed students’ minds or supported their original beliefs.

1. Form groups of 3 or 4 students. Assign each group a "modern legend" to research. Students can examine evidence (using on-line Internet resources or printed copies of Internet resources, depending on availability of Internet access) that is in favor of and against the existence of these legends. You can bookmark the appropriate sites or provide students with a list of URLs to use.
2. Once students have conducted some research on their assigned topic, they should form a hypothesis about the existence of the legend. Next, students should design an experiment that could be conducted (allow a little bit of leeway as to the actual feasibility of the experiment) to prove the hypothesis. Students should explain what evidence they hope to gather and how they will collect the evidence. They should include a list of materials that they would need to carry out this experiment. Students can then present their experimental proposals to the class.

Social Studies: Students can examine the different versions of these legends in different cultures (i.e. Bigfoot vs. Yeti, vampires, etc.) and speculate on possible historical events that may have helped to generate or foster these beliefs.

Language Arts: Students can write mock newspaper articles or stories about local "sightings" of modern legends.

Art: Students can generate images (paintings, sketches, sculptures, dioramas, etc.) to represent their impressions of these modern legends.

Technology/Theatre Arts: Students can make mock "documentary" films about the search for a legend.

Music: "Monsters" from horror films can be recognized by their theme "music." Students can create theme music for some of the modern legends.

Worksheet: "BrainPOP- The Scientific Method"

Worksheet: "The Scientific Search for the Loch Ness Monster"

A list of Web sites for the Culminating Activity (Web sites will vary depending on availabilty of sites and topics to be researched) or copies of materials from the Web sites