How we do science… The key to inquiry investigations

Questioning…Questioning… Asking the right questions related to scientific inquiry

Questioning Skills Scientific questions need to be answered by observations or evidence If questions cannot be answered by gathering evidence, it’s not science They should identify a relationship or a factor you can investigate

Hints to help! If your questions are general, break them down into questions that can be investigated one at a time Good questions begin with: –‘What is the relationship between…’ –‘What factors cause…’ –‘What is the effect…’

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Recap: Writing A Proper Hypothesis Using the “If / Then” Method

Parts of the Statement Independent Variable: The condition being studied. It is controlled by the experimenter. ex. Water Dependent Variable: The condition affected by the ind. variable. It can’t be controlled by the experimenter. ex. Plant Growth Control: The condition that is represented in a ‘normal’ situation (what happens with no manipulation).

What kinds of variables? Most common are: –Time, temperature, length, width, height, mass, volume, number, and kinds of substances being used in the experiment.

Steps to Writing the “If” section of your Hypothesis 1.Start your sentence with the word “If” 2.Write down one of the variables 3.Connect statement with one of the following: is related to is affected by causes 4.Write down the other variable

Writing the “Then” section of your Hypothesis Write the word then (following the “if” section) Make a comment on the relationship between those two variables. Ex. If section: If water is related to plant growth, Ex. Then section: then the more you water plants, the bigger they will grow.

Final “If / Then” Statement If water is related to plant growth, then the more you water plants, the bigger they will grow.

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