Creating a Salad Dressing Using the Scientific Method Mrs. Vredenburg July, 2001

What is the problem today? “Can I come up with a sweet salad dressing?” “Can I come up with a tangy salad dressing?”

Your next step is developing a hypothesis. Guess how you could make your salad dressing taste the way that you want it to or that would answer your question.

Now write down your procedure for your first trial Now write down your procedure for your first trial. Make sure you write down the ingredients that you choose to use for each “experiment” or recipe.

Start to make the salad dressing following the procedure (recipe) that you just created. Make sure that you measure carefully and document the amount of each ingredient on your handout. If this isn’t precise, we cannot duplicate the recipe-the recipe will be lost!!!!!

Write down the data. What happens while following the recipe? What does the dressing look like? You may want to taste it to check-out flavors during the experiment.

What are the results? When you taste your creation, use plenty of adjectives to describe the result. Use many senses-smell, sight, taste.

What are the conclusions? Did you prove your hypothesis? Did you make the recipe that you were expecting to make? If it isn’t what you expected, describe what seems to be off, for example, is it too sweet or bitter? Do you think you used too much of something?

Scientists may also repeat the experiment, changing some of the variables, one at a time, in order to get different results.

Once you have completed three trials, as a group, choose the one that your group likes best. You have the recipe for what could be a new salad dressing sensation!! Oh yes, by the way, recreate your dressing in an amount large enough to be shared with the class at the Salad Bar!!!