Extended Practical Investigation

Yr 10 EPI

Yr 10 Science EPI

Builds on your skills from Years 7 - 9

You choose the topic of investigation

All research done at home

Individual report!

Choosing the topic

1. Start with your interests

2. Choose one

3. Focus on some aspect, perhaps something you have been curious about

4. Try and refine this into an investigation of cause and effect

5. Think about how you might be able to test the aim in a practical and achievable experiment at home

Choosing the topic

Suitable topics are like:

"finding the effect of x on y"

In other words, you are researching the link between cause and an effect.

Choosing the topic

For example:

How does the type of timber effect the flexibility of a skateboard top?

Cause: type of timber Effect: flexibility of the top

Independent variable: type of timber Dependent variable: flexibility of the top

Choosing the topic

Safe and humane experiments only No explosive experiments No flammable liquids No cruel or unethical experiments

Choosing the topic

1. Start with your interests

Hey, I like camping and tennis and reading.

Choosing the topic

2. Choose one

Camping - especially in the winter, although I hate getting cold at night

Choosing the topic

3. Focus on some aspect, perhaps something you have been curious about

Hmm... are those really expensive feather-down sleeping bags really worth it? Is down feather really better than acrylic fibres at keeping a person warm?

Choosing the topic

4. Try and refine this into an investigation of cause and effect

How does the type of material (down or synthetic) affect the heat loss from a warm body in a cold environment?

Choosing the topic

5. Think about how you might be able to test the aim in a practical and achievable experiment at home Well.. I can't buy several whole sleeping bags... perhaps I could make little model ones. I could model a "person" with a bottle of warm water and the cool place could be a fridge. Yep, that sounds workable; I'll wrap warm bottles of water with cotton bags that I stuff with either down or synthetic. Place them in the fridge and measure their temperature loss over time. Now I just need to find a small amount of each material, make some bags (dad might help me with this). Oh - I'd better check with my teacher before I get too far.

Clarify your investigation

Use the Interactive EPI Designer (see link on MOSS)

Focus on: Independent variable

How are you going to change this? Dependent variable

How are you going to measure this? How can you get a “reading” that is not subjective and is realistic

How many trials of each type are you going to do to get more accurate results? Can you do them at the same time?

Control variables What are they? How are you going to keep them the

same each run?

Apparatus

Decide on your equipment: Plan ahead – get all your

equipment ready before you start

Assess the accuracy of your equipment – what are the sources for error?

Keep it simple – a good experiment does not necessarily have to be a complex one with complex equipment.

Write Submission 1

Submission 1 is your detailed plan for your investigation.

You should have discussed your EPI with your teacher in broad detail BEFORE submission 1

See the assessment sheet for exactly what to include

What’s in a report?

Write each heading in your notes now. Under each heading, explain the important things to include in this section.

Title Background Info Aim Hypothesis Safety Method Results Discussion Conclusion

Some ideas

How effective are different cleaning solutions in removing stains?

What colour of light will result in the greatest amount of plant growth?

What type of cup keeps tea warm longest?

Does the mass of a person or length of the chain affect the time it takes for a person to complete one swing in the playground?

Brain storm NOW

1. Start with your interests

2. Choose one

3. Focus on some aspect, perhaps something you have been curious about

4. Try and refine this into an investigation of cause and effect

5. Think about how you might be able to test the aim in a practical and achievable experiment at home

Important Reminders

You must choose your topic and discuss with your teacher

DO NOT start experimenting until you have approval (submission 1 submitted and approval from your teacher)

Submission 1 DUE by end of Term 3 Submission 2 DUE by end of week 1 Term 4