Investigations in the Sciences

About This Course

Investigations in the Sciences challenges students to explore real-world scientific issues using inquiry-based learning. Through research, data analysis, and project-based assessments, students will identify unsolved problems or unanswered questions in a domain of the natural or physical sciences, evaluate sources, develop solutions, and present findings to real-world audiences. The course fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills while engaging students in ethical reasoning and stakeholder perspectives. Aligned with Michigan K–12 Science Standards - Science and Engineering Practices, this course empowers students to investigate, analyze, and advocate for meaningful answers or solutions in a field of science. Prerequisites:  Students require reading and writing skills equivalent to 10th-grade English and prior completion of at least one of the following high school science courses--biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, or environmental science--in their area of greatest interest to serve as a basis for their project-related research and inquiry.
Prior completion of Algebra 1 and mastery of 8th-grade probability and statistics standards will serve as a mathematical foundation for students engaging in quantitative inquiry and analysis.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...

• Investigate real-world problems, challenges, or unanswered questions
• Examine key causal or contributing factors to such problems or challenge
• Generate solutions to overcome such factors
• Design a model for testing solutions
• Produce artifacts that support proposed solutions (e.g., a piece of explanatory and argumentative writing, a visual and auditory presentation with appropriate accompanying media, a physical or illustrated model, a computer program or algorithm, data visualizations, original maps or graphics, or a physical product of another form suited to the topic investigated)
• Report the proposal and its supporting evidence to a real-world audience

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Real-World Problems in the Natural and Physical Sciences

Unit 2: Developing Scientific Questions and Hypotheses

Unit 3: Designing a Research Plan

Unit 4: Refining Your Project

Unit 5: Engaging in Research or Experimentation

Unit 6: Evaluating Your Results and Drawing Conclusions

Unit 7: Communicating Impact to Stakeholders

Unit 8: Communicating Your Results and Recommendations to a Real-World Audience

Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.

Additional Costs: The course has no material cost requirements. However, students’ individual projects may require that they acquire necessary materials of their choice.

Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.

Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.

Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Students may need the following, depending on their chosen topic and the format of their final project:

• Presentation Software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides) for creating and delivering findings
• Video Conferencing Tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) for presenting to external audiences
• Document Sharing Platform (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive) for collaboration and file exchange
• Audio/Video Recording Capability for asynchronous presentations or stakeholder communication
• Data Analysis or Modeling Software (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python) if research involves quantitative analysis
• Graphic or Visualization Tools (e.g., Canva, Tableau) for creating visual representations of findings

Note: Specific requirements will vary based on the student’s topic and the format of their final project.

Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List

Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.

Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at CustomerCare@michiganvirtual.org or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.

Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at customercare@michiganvirtual.org or by phone at (888) 889-2840.

Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building, discussion-based assessments (one-on-one conversations with your teacher), and other forms of authentic assessments.

Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:

• Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• Download and install software
• Use a messaging service similar to email
• Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• Open attachments shared in messages
• Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
• Save a file as a .pdf
• Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• Insert images or links into a file or html editor
• Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• Use presentation and graphics programs
• Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• Create and maintain usernames and passwords

Additional Information: None