The Science of Biology The Study of Life http://www.ted.com/talks/award_winning_teen_age_science_in_action.html

The Goal of Science is to: Investigate and understand nature Explain events in nature Use explanations to make useful predictions

What is Science? Your definition:

Science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world.

Science is Imaginative and Creative Problem Solving Creative Problem Solving Game Demo a Day pp. 4-5

Evidence Based Observation Develop a Question Data Driven Empirical

Inference Boxes Make observations (without opening the box) Describe what the inside of the box looks like.

Interpreting Evidence Inference: logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience Observation Research

Guess What? There is an object sitting on your table. On a piece of paper describe the object as thoroughly as possible

Hypothesis Explaining Evidence If …Then Statement Based on Observation and Research You should be able to justify why you chose a given hypothesis.

Sport Science Hypotheses Which generates more force, football or cheerleading? Which sport has the smelliest athletes? Does moisture wicking clothing increase athletic performance in high heat? Which generates more force, Ray Lewis or a battering ram? Who is more accurate, an NFL quarterback or a professional archer?

Experimental Design Setting Up a Controlled Experiment

Keys to a Scientific Investigation Only 1 variable tested at a time What is the difference between a dependent and an independent variable?

Keys to a Scientific Investigation Look for patterns and draw a conclusions Graphs are a great way to locate patterns and trends Repeating and Publishing

Test Only 1 Variable at a Time What is the difference between the independent and depend variable?

Include a Basis for Comparison The Control Group

Keep Detailed Records Data Tables Drawings Photographs

Look for Patterns and Draw Conclusions Graphs are a great way to locate patterns and trends. Line graphs are typically the best in scientific investigations. Demo a Day pp. 2-3 Black Magic Game

Extrapolation Extending the graph, along the same slope, above or below measured data? What purpose would extrapolation serve?

Interpolation predicting data between two measured points on the graph. What purpose would interpolation serve?

Line of Best Fit The lines on scientific graphs are usually drawn either straight or curved. These "smoothed" lines do not have to touch all the data points, but they should at least get close to most of them What is the purpose of a best fit line?

Best Fit Line: The lines on scientific graphs are usually drawn either straight or curved. These "smoothed" lines do not have to touch all the data points, but they should at least get close to most of them.

Experimental Design Practice

What is the Control Group? What is the Independent Variable? Bob thinks that a special juice will increase the productivity of workers. He creates two groups of 50 workers each and assigns each group the same task (in this case, they're supposed to staple a set of papers). Group A is given the special juice to drink while they work. Group B is not given the special juice. After an hour, Bob counts how many stacks of papers each group has made. Group A made 1,587 stacks, Group B made 2,113 stacks. What is the Control Group? The group without the juice What is the Independent Variable? Whether or not the workers receive juice What is the Dependent Variable Work productivity What should Bob’s conclusion be? The juice does not impact worker productivity. More trials needed for more conclusive data How could this experiment be improved? More trials Use a placebo

Frank notices that his shower is covered in a strange green slime Frank notices that his shower is covered in a strange green slime. His friend Barney tells him that coconut juice will get rid of the green slime. Frank decides to check this out by spraying half of the shower with coconut juice. He sprays the other half of the shower with water. After 3 days of "treatment" there is no change in the appearance of the green slime on either side of the shower. What was the initial observation? Slime on the shower Does it appear that Frank did good research before he began his experiment? Why or why not?  No research indicates that coconut juice would be a good cleaner What is the Control Group?  the half of the shower not sprayed with coconut juice What is the Independent Variable?  treatment with coconut juice What is the Dependent Variable? Presence of scum What should Frank's conclusion be? Coconut juice is not effective as a scum remover

What is the Control Group? Those mice not exposed to UV radiation Billy believes that mice exposed to UV radiation will become extra strong. He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 mice in a tanning bed for 10 seconds. 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 10 of the tan mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of 10 of the non-tan mice were able to do the same. What is the Control Group?  Those mice not exposed to UV radiation What is the Independent Variable?  Whether or not they receive UV radiation What is the Dependent Variable?  The strength of the mouse What should Billy's conclusion be? Inconclusive evidence…more trials needed