The Scientific Method Created by: Mrs. Herman 2012

Topic: The Question EQ: Why is it important to develop a good testable question?

Step 1: Ask Questions Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation.

Examples and non-examples Do students learn better before or after eating? How do students learn best? Do big flowers have better smells? Does singing to a plant increase the plant’s size? *Tip* You must be able to measure the results in some way for it to be considered a testable question.

Step 2: Observe and Research Make observations and research your topic.

Topic: Observation vs. Inference EQ: What is the difference between an observation and an inference?

Observations vs Inferences Any information collected with the senses. Quantitative – measureable or countable 3 meters long 4 marbles 50 kilograms 35 degrees Celsius Qualitative – describable, not measureable red flowers smells like fresh baked cookies Tastes bitter

Observations vs Inferences Conclusions or deductions based on observations. The process of drawing a conclusion from given evidence. Practice: Observations: I hear people screaming Inference: I hear people screaming because there is an ice-cream truck.

Practice: Observation or Inference? The bell is ringing. observation

Practice: Observation or Inference? The flower has red petals. observation

Practice: Observation or Inference? There is a lot of red in the painting so the artist must have been angry. inference

Practice: Observation or Inference? The dog has 3 legs. observation

Practice: Observation or Inference? My mom is angry. inference

Practice: Observation or Inference? The cat is on top of the table. observation

Practice: Observation or Inference? The kids are smiling, they must be happy inference

Practice: Observation or Inference? The man has a mustache. observation

Practice: Make an observation

Practice: Make an inference

Practice: Make an observation

Practice: Make an inference?

Topic: variables EQ: what is the difference between independent and dependent variables?

Variables in an experiment TEST VARIABLE (also called the independent variable) is a factor that is changed Example: In an experiment to see how different soils affect the growth (or height) of plants, the test variable would be the different kinds of soil.

Variables in an experiment OUTCOME VARIABLE (also called the dependent variable) is a factor that is the result of something being changed. It is observable or measurable. Example: In an experiment to see how different soils affect the growth (or height) of plants, the outcome variable is the height of the plants.

Variables in an experiment CONSTANT are factors that do not change during an experiment. Example: In an experiment to see how different soils affect the growth (or height) of plants, the constants would be the amount of sunlight, amount of water, type of plant, etc.

Variables in an experiment CONTROL a standard against which other conditions can be compared. Example: In an experiment to see if you add sugar to the soil to help plants grow taller, your control would be a plant without the sugar. All other variables would be the same.

PRACTICE Question 1: Will more birds visit the schoolyard if we put up a birdbath? Test Variable: Putting a birdbath in the school courtyard. Outcome Variable: The number of birds

PRACTICE Question 2: Does the height of the grass affect the number of robins feeding? Test Variable: Height of the grass. Outcome Variable: The number of robins.

Step 3: Formulate a hypothesis Predict a possible answer to the problem or question. Must be written in an if/then/because statement

Step 3: Formulate a hypothesis Also written as: If (test variable), then (outcome variable) because (fact from research). Example: If a plant is watered everyday, then it will grow faster because plants need water to grow.

Step 4: Experiment Design Some things to remember when developing an experiment: Must include a detailed materials list. Designing an experiment involves developing a step by step procedure. Procedure is in a list 1. 2. 3. The outcome of the experiment must be measureable (quantifiable).

Experiment vs. Investigation: What is an experiment? Following the scientific method and doing an experiment to find evidence to support or not support a hypothesis. Example: What kind of liquid helps a plant grow taller?

Experiment vs. Investigation: What is an investigation? using observations to study the natural world without interference or manipulation. Example: Walking around school to observe and record different types of organisms in order to create a food web.

Topic: Graphing EQ: How do we collect an analyze the results of our experiment.

Step 5: Collect and Analyze results Includes tables, graphs, pictures, etc.

How to set up your graph!

This is for your outcome (dependent) variable How to set up your graph! Y Axis This is for your outcome (dependent) variable

X Axis How to set up your graph! This is for your test (independent) variable

TAILS Teachers’s Favorite Singer T - Title

Y Axis = Outcome Variable TAILS Teachers’s Favorite Singer T - Title A - Axis Y Axis = Outcome Variable X Axis = Test Variable

T - Title A – Axis I L S – Scale TAILS Scale is determined by your highest & lowest number.

How to determine scale In this example, the scale would be from 2- 22 Favorite Singer Number of Teachers Toby Keith 22 Madonna 15 Elvis 11 Sting 5 Sinatra 2 In this example, the scale would be from 2- 22

How to determine Intervals Favorite Singer Number of Teachers Toby Keith 22 Madonna 15 Elvis 11 Sting 5 Sinatra 2 The interval is decided by your scale. In this case your scale would be from 2 – 22 and you want the scale to fit the graph. The best interval would be to go by 5’s.

T – Title A – Axis I – Interval S – Scale TAILS The amount of space between one number and the next or one type of data and the next on the graph.

T – Title A – Axis I – Interval S – Scale TAILS Teachers’s Favorite Singer T – Title A – Axis I – Interval S – Scale 25 20 15 10 5

LABEL your bars or data points TAILS Teachers’s Favorite Singer T – Title A – Axis I – Interval L – Labels S – Scale 25 20 15 Number of Teachers 10 5 Toby Keith LABEL your bars or data points Madonna Elvis Sting Sinatra Singers

When to use… Bar graphs Line Graphs Used to show data that are not continuous. Allows us to compare data like amounts or frequency or categories Allow us to make generalizations about the data Help us see differences in data Line Graphs For continuous data useful for showing trends over time

Data Collection: Graphs and Charts 2005 Playoffs – Number of Games Played Player Games Played Tim Duncan 23 Manu Ginobili Tony Parker Robert Horry Nazr Mohammed Brent Barry Bruce Bowen Glenn Robinson 13 Beno Udrih 21 Devin Brown 12 Rasho Nesterovic 15 Tony Massenburg 9

Number of Games Played in the 2005 Playoffs

Data Collection: Graphs and Charts San Antonio Spurs Games Won Each year Year Games won 1991 - 92 47 1992 - 93 49 1993 - 94 55 1994 - 95 62 1995 - 96 59 1996 - 97 20 1997 - 98 56 1998 - 99 37 1999 - 00 53 2000 - 01 58 2001 - 02 2002 - 03 60 2003 - 04 57 2004 - 05

Step 6: Conclusion A conclusion is a summary of information gained during experimentation. Should be a paragraph or more

Step 6: Format of a Conclusion Restate Problem or question Restate your hypothesis (It was predicted that…) Accept or reject your hypothesis “My hypothesis was supported by the data” or “My hypothesis was not supported by the data” State the Facts (Provide evidence) Actual data from the experiment (What did the data say?) Relationships or trends in the data (Provide evidence) Discuss any questions you may still have or what you would do different next time. Issues or problems with the investigation (Provide evidence) Wrap it up! Concluding sentence with transition word, rephrased problem, and explain Why the experiment was important.

Step 7: Communicate Results Present the project results to an audience.

Practice Bart Simpson believes that mice exposed to microwaves will become extra strong (maybe he’s been reading too much Radioactive Man). He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 mice in a microwave for 10 seconds. (Do not do this at home. Bart is a misguided fictional character ) He compared these 10 mice to another 10 mice that had not been exposed. His test consisted of a heavy block of wood that blocked the mouse food. He found that 8 out of the 10 microwaved mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of the 10 non-microwaved mice were able to do the same.

Practice Identify the problem / question Observe / research Hypothesis Experiment Collect and analyze data Conclusion Communicate results

Topic: Repetition vs. Replication EQ: What is the difference between repetition vs. Replication?

Practice: Observation or Inference? They boy has tears in his eyes, so he must be sad. inference

Replication vs. Repetition Repetition is when the same scientist completes multiple trials to limit the bias of experiment.

Replication vs. Repetition Replication is when a different scientist completes the experiment by following the same procedures. Replication is done to get same/similar results which validate the experiment.

PRACTICE Can you explain the difference between repetition and replication and identify their role in a controlled experiment? Which picture below represents replication and which represents repetition? Repetition – same scientist Replication – different scientist

Why would a scientist use repetition in an experiment? To verify the accuracy and results of the experiment. To find possible flaws in their experiment Why would a scientist replicate an experiment? So scientists can check to see if a controlled experiment was conducted and that good scientific practices were used. This is called peer review

both Scenario 1 repetition ; scenario 2 both; scenario 3 replication

Topic: Laws vs. Theory’s EQ: What is the difference between a scientific law and a scientific theory?

Scientific Law A description of an observed phenomenon. It offers NO EXPLANATION to WHY it is that way. It only says that it happens. Predictable outcome

Scientific Law Example #1: The law of gravity – “What goes up, must come down”.

Scientific Law Example #2: Kepler’s Law of planetary motion- “All planets move around the sun in elliptical orbits”.- Gives no explanation.

Scientific Theory A well supported, well- documented EXPLANATION of why something happened. THIS IS NOT A GUESS. The theory can be changed as new evidence is found, but it is considered to be TRUE.

Scientific Theory Example #1- The theory of plate tectonics. You do not need to write this “These plates make up the top layer of the Earth called the lithosphere. Directly under that layer is the asthenosphere. It's a flowing area of molten rock. There is constant heat and radiation given off from the center of the Earth. That energy is what constantly heats the rocks and melts them. The tectonic plates are floating on top of the molten rock and moving around the planet.”

Scientific Theory Example #2- Cell Theory You do not need to write this “Cells are tiny structures that make up all living things. They are the basic units that make up plants, dogs, cats and you! Scientists use the cell theory to explain cells”.