The Scientific Method and Beyond Think Like a Scientist!! The Scientific Method and Beyond

Quick Think! What do you know about the scientific method?

The Scientific Method Who uses it? What is it? Why should I care?

Everyone uses it everyday. Yes Even You!!!!!

It is a way to solve problems. Any small or any big ones?

These may sound familiar: Where are my shoes? What should I have for lunch? What class do I have next? Did I do my homework for that class? What is the cure for cancer? Which deodorant works the longest?

A. Defining Science “Science” derived from Latin ‘to know’ Way of asking and answering questions Seeking answers to questions about natural phenomena

Scientific Method ABCDEF

Ask A Question -The first step of the Scientific Method starts when you ask a question about something you OBSERVE -How? What? When? Who? Which? Why? Where?

Background Research -Research your topic and see if any other experiments have been done before -See what other scientists have come up with before starting from scratch -Don’t repeat mistakes from the past

Construct A Hypothesis -Educated guess about how things work -“If_____(I do this)_____, then____(this will happen)______. -You must be able to MEASURE your hypothesis in some way -You must be able to TEST your hypothesis

Do An Experiment -Experiment tests whether your hypothesis is supported or not -Must be fair test -Repeated several times

Evaluate Data -Collect measurements and data -Make a table or graph -Based on the data collected, is your hypothesis supported or not?

Formulate Conclusion -A report, display board, or presentation that describes your conclusion - “My hypothesis was supported/not supported because…” -Suggestions for ways to improve your experiment, sources of error

What is wrong experiment 1: A farmer wanted to know if ABC fertilizer would be good for his beets. He fertilized all his beets with ABC, but didn’t put any fertilizer on his green beans. His beets didn’t do well at all, but he got a great crop of green beans. He concluded that ABC fertilizer was a waste of money. A. Not enough subjects. B. Subjects are not similar. C. Conditions are not kept the same. D. The experiment is not reproducible.

What is wrong experiment 2: A bakery manager wanted to find out if using egg whites to make pastry would make his pie crust more tender. He made 5 pies without egg whites. As they baked, he noticed that the pies made with egg whites browned faster, so he took them out 10 minutes early. The other 5 pies without egg whites baked for the total baking time. When he served the pies, everyone said that the first 5 with egg whites were more tender. The bakery manager decided that using egg whites will make his pie crust better. A. Not enough subjects. B. Subjects are not similar. C. Conditions are not kept the same OR more than one variable. D. The experiment is not reproducible. E. No control group.