Web page: Poetry Foundation: Browse Poems
Web page: John F. Kennedy Library, "The Bay of Pigs"
Web page: History.com, "Bay of Pigs Invasion"
Web page: U.S. Dept. of State, "The Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1961-1962"
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Analyzing
When you analyze something, you study it closely, taking it apart and recognizing the way that the different parts work together. Analysis deepens understanding, giving you a thorough grasp of a topic.
Identifying Constants and Variables
In math and science, you’ve probably learned about constants and variables.
ConstantsConstants are values that do not change (remain constant). | VariablesVariables are values that do change (vary). |
Formula for Calculating the Circumference of a Circle: c = 2pr
Constants:2 and p | Variables:c (circumference) and r (radius) |
Beyond math and science, constants and variables apply in all situations. For example, if you tell one of your favorite jokes and no one laughs, you’ll wonder why and naturally start to identify constants and variables:
Constants:“I used the exact same words I used last time.” | Variables:“The audience is different. The context is different. My timing may have been off. Maybe I should have added a facial expression or a gesture.” |
Your Turn English Language Arts: Find a poem that you are interested in. Choose one word to replace in each line. How do the replacement words (variables) affect the meaning of the other words (constants)? Do the replacements enhance or detract from the overall meaning?
Social Studies: Think about a governmental action that failed to have its intended effect (e.g., the Bay of Pigs invasion). Identify the constants—factors that were the same in previously successful actions. Identify the variables—factors that were different this time. Which variables most likely caused the failure?
Science: Consider a phenomenon you are studying in a science class. What are the constants in the phenomenon? What are the variables? How might you test to discover the effects of different variables?
Everyday Life: When you have trouble with a piece of technology—a TV remote, a computer program, a cell phone—list the factors that have not changed and those that have. Narrow the list of variables to find the cause of the problem. Then fix it.
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Isolating Variables
Once you have identified constants and variables, you need to isolate the variables. You may be familiar with isolating variables in math:
In science, isolating variables is the key to experimental design. After listing all the possible variables for a given phenomenon, you select and test for the effect of one variable. You can start by completing a cause-effect chart:
Your Turn Select a science topic that interests you and create a cause-effect chart like the one above.
Designing Experiments
To design an experiment, you must decide which variable you will test, and then control the other variables by turning them into constants. This experiment tests how surface area affects coal combustion by controlling other variables listed above.
Problem: How does the surface area of coal affect its rate of combustion?
Hypothesis: Combustion rate is directly correlated to surface area.
Materials: 4 gas burners, high-temperature thermometer, 4 metal frames, charcoal briquettes, paper, pencil, safety goggles, gloves
Method: The 4 gas burners are ignited and adjusted to produce 1-centimeter flames. Each flame is measured to determine temperature, and the burners are adjusted to provide identical heat. A metal frame to hold the coal is situated 1 centimeter above each flame. Flame A burns a single charcoal briquette; flame B, a briquette broken in 2; flame C, a briquette broken in 4; flame D, crushed charcoal. Each charcoal sample is placed simultaneously, and the combustion rates are timed.
Your Turn Design an experiment for the science topic you selected above. Control all the variables except the one you are testing.