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What does a scientist do?
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What does a scientist do?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:

What do scientists DO?

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Step
01/16
You’ll work with a partner.
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Step
02/16
Get your supplies.
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Step
03/16
Watch this video. Look closely to observe the termites. Discuss.
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Step
04/16
We want to experiment. Discuss.
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Step
05/16
Let’s test what happens when we change the shape of the line. This
will be our Shape Experiment.
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Step
06/16
Let’s observe what the termites do in our Shape Experiment. Watch
closely to follow the path of the termite with a circle, a square, and a
triangle.
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Step
07/16
Find the Shape Experiment in your Termite Tracker. Use your pencil
to draw the path that the termite took. Draw a path for the circle,
the square, and the triangle.
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Step
08/16
Here are the results of our Shape Experiment.
Discuss.
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Step
09/16
Here’s what we think.
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Step
10/16
Let’s test what happens when we change what we use to draw the
line. This will be our Writing Tool Experiment.
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Step
11/16
Time for our Writing Tool Experiment. We drew the same shape
using a pen, a marker, and a crayon. Watch carefully to see what each
termite does.
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Step
12/16
Find the Writing Tool Experiment on your Termite Tracker. Draw the
path that each termite took. Draw a path for the pen, the marker,
and the crayon.
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Step
13/16
Discuss.
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Step
14/16
Here’s what we thought.
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Step
15/16
Talk with your partner and discuss.
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Step
16/16
School Year Challenge: Every time you’re curious about something
and ask questions, think about what experiments you could try!
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You've completed the activity!

If you have time, you can extend this activity to include the Color Experiment. Check out the Extensions for additional activity steps.

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Step
01/20
You’ll work with a partner.
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Step
02/20
Get your supplies.
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Step
03/20
Turn your Termite Tracker facedown. Line up the corners and fold it
in half. Use your fingernail to make a crease. Fold it in half again along
the thin black line.
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Step
04/20
Watch this video. Look closely to observe the termites. Discuss.
Video trouble?
Step
05/20
We want to experiment. Discuss.
Video trouble?
Step
06/20
Let’s test what happens when we change the shape of the line. This
will be our Shape Experiment.
Video trouble?
Step
07/20
Let’s observe what the termites do in our Shape Experiment. Watch
closely to follow the path of the termite with a circle, a square, and a
triangle.
Video trouble?
Step
08/20
Find the Shape Experiment in your Termite Tracker. Use your pencil
to draw the path that the termite took. Draw a path for the circle,
the square, and the triangle.
Video trouble?
Step
09/20
Here are the results of our Shape Experiment.
Discuss.
Video trouble?
Step
10/20
Here’s what we think.
Video trouble?
Step
11/20
Let’s test what happens when we change the color of the line. Find
the Color Experiment in your Termite Tracker. Color the first pen
black, the second pen blue, and the third pen red.
Video trouble?
Step
12/20
Let’s observe what the termites do in our Color Experiment. Draw
the path that each termite took. Draw a path for the black circle, the
blue circle, and the red circle.
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Step
13/20
Discuss.
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Step
14/20
Here's what we think.
Video trouble?
Step
15/20
Let’s test what happens when we change what we use to draw the
line. This will be our Writing Tool Experiment.
Video trouble?
Step
16/20
Find the Writing Tool Experiment in your Termite Tracker. Draw the
path that each termite took. Draw a path for the pen, the marker,
and the crayon.
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Step
17/20
Discuss.
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Step
18/20
Here’s what we thought.
Video trouble?
Step
19/20
Talk with your partner and discuss.
Video trouble?
Step
20/20
School Year Challenge: Every time you’re curious about something
and ask questions, think about what experiments you could try!
Video trouble?
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
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Optional Extra: K-2 Color Experiment

If you want, you can extend the activity to include the Color Experiment for K-2. We have provided an additional printout so students can record their results.

Go to the next slide to start the Color Experiment!

Step
01/04
Let’s test what happens when we change the color of the line. Get a
Color Experiment worksheet. Color the first pen black, the second
pen blue, and the third pen red.
Video trouble?
Step
02/04
Let’s observe what the termites do in our Color Experiment. Draw
the path that each termite took. Draw a path for the black circle, the
blue circle, and the red circle.
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Step
03/04
Discuss.
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Step
04/04
Here’s what we think.
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Featured Reviews

“The best part was watching the termites travel around the shapes. The students found it engaging! The Termite Tracker sheet was a great way to introduce the scientific process.”
· Atra · Teacher
“This lesson was terrific! I was introducing science for this year and finding this lesson was like finding gold! I was so excited to share it with my students who enjoyed it and found it as intriguing as I did. Way to go Mystery Science! ”
· Valerie · Teacher
“WOW! Everything I needed was there. I just had to print the materials and press play. It was easy to follow and the kids were SO engaged. THANK-YOU!!”
· Kathleen · Teacher
“Every time I advanced the slide and the students heard Jay's voice they got back to a zero voice immediately and were engaged. I loved the step by step directions. It was a great way to introduce the Scientific Method. Thanks!”
· Libby · Teacher
“What a great way to start Science class for a new school year. Loved it!”
· Keri · Teacher
“Very engaging and super simple. I just love Mystery Science for my classroom. The perfect balance of learning, fun, hands-on, and problem solving.”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“Students were really into this lesson. They had great questions and now they know what it takes to be a scientist. ”
· Elizabeth · Teacher
“Excellent to inspire interest in science and have a hands-on experiment for the children to do! Thanks!”
· Stephanie · Teacher
“I love the emphasis that "finding an answer usually leads to more questions!" Perfect lesson for the start of the school year!! ”
· Beverly · Teacher
“I love how the scientific method is broken down and shown for students and that it highlights curiousity - notice and wonder.”
· Karen · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Experiments & Variables

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In the mini-lesson, students explore some things they do every day that scientists ALSO do: observe, ask questions, do experiments, and share their questions and learning. In the activity, Termite Tester, students virtually observe termite behavior and then do a series of virtual experiments to figure out the answers to their questions.
Preview activity
Termite Tracker (Grades 3-5) worksheet 30 copies
Termite Tracker (Grades K-2) worksheet 30 copies
Crayons
(For grades 3-5 only. Each student will need a black, blue, and red crayon.)
Details
90 crayons
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Creepy Crawly Caution

The observations and experiments in this activity are focused on termites. We think they’re small and cute, but if you have students who are particularly sensitive to seeing any type of creepy crawly, you may want to preview the lesson prior to presenting it to your class.

K-2 Versus 3-5 Activity

There are three experiments for 3-5 students (Shape, Color, and Writing Tool) and two experiments for K-2 students (Shape and Writing Tool). If you’d like to extend the activity to include the Color Experiment for K-2, we have an additional worksheet so students can record their results. You can find the activity steps for this extension here.

Teacher Background

If you are curious, the termites only follow ink from Bic brand pens because a chemical in the pen ink is similar to a scent that termites recognize. Termites don’t have eyes and rely on their sense of smell to know where to go! If you and your students are interested, you can even order termites online and bring them into your classroom for more hands-on experiments!

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Experiments & Variables

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What does a scientist do?

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