Can You Help to Save Fred?S7CS1. Students will explore of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in

science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.

S7CS6. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.S7CS9. Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry. S7L4. Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.

Fred has had an accident while boating off the Coast of Discovery Island. Unfortunately due to worms having a very small brain Fred is not too bright. Even though he does not know how to swim, he never wears his life preserver. Fortunately when his boat capsized he somehow managed to get on top of the boat, however his life preserver is in the boat and he cannot reach it without falling off and drowning.

Problem: How can you and your partner save Fred using only 4 paper clips? You may not touch Fred, the boat, the life preserver or the water with your hands. Materials:

1 Gummy Worm 1 Gummy life preserver 1 Plastic cup 4 Paper clips 1 Piece of blue construction paper

The Set-Up:

Procedure:1. Set up the challenge as shown in the picture above. Work with your partner(s) and "Save Fred".

2. Follow the rules. Fred, the boat, the life preserver and the water can be touched only with the paper clips. NO HANDS.

3. A flowchart is a diagram showing a sequence of operations. Fill in the flowchart on the back side of this page with diagrams showing step by step how your group completed the challenge. Be sure that you:

Produce neat and detailed pictures. Label the major parts of your diagram. Include a written description of each diagram using complete sentences.

4. List all of the problems or challenges that your group encountered during the activity.

5. Discuss with your partner(s) the analysis and conclusion questions. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

Scientific Method:

Topic Question: How can you and your partners save Fred using only 4 paperclips?

BOAT

FRED

LIFE PRESERVER

Place the blue paper under the boat and the lifesaver

Hypothesis: Write a hypothesis.

Experiment:

Procedure - 1. Obtain a tray with all your materials: Paperclips (tools), Fred the gummy worm (worm), Lifesaver (life jacket), Cup (boat), Blue paper (water)2. Lay the gummy saver in the middle of the tray.3. Invert the cup and place it on top of the gummy saver covering it.4. Place the gummy worm on top of the inverted cup.5. Follow the rules.

Fred must remain on the boat at all times. Fred, the boat, the life preserver can be touched only with the paper clips. NO

HANDS! You may not injure Fred or damage the gummy saver in any way. Remember that if Fred falls off the boat more than once, he drowns!

Data & Results:

Draw flow chart diagrams of how you saved Fred and write a detailed description of each of the diagrams. (On back)

Analysis & Conclusion:

Be prepared to discuss the following questions:

1. Was your hypothesis supported by the data you collected?2. What strategy enabled you to save Fred?3. What strategies did you and your partner try before you succeeded? 4. What problems did you encounter in solving this problem? 5. What did you learned about problem solving and working as a team from this

activity?6. How you can apply what you learned to real life?

Discussion…making connections1. How did you and your teammates depend upon each other to save Fred?2. What effect did this dependence have on the survival of Fred?3. How do you think organisms depend on each other and their environment for survival?

Flowchart of How You Saved Fred Description Picture Problems or challenges

your group encountered