Thinking Like a Scientist and Scientific Inquiry September Help Thinking Like a Scientist and Scientific Inquiry

Approval Form Items and their format Question: What is the effect of __________ on _________? Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of ______________ on ______________. Hypothesis: If ___________, then _______________________.

What skills do scientists use to learn about the world? 1. Observing = using one or more of your senses to gather information. Your senses include sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Quantitative observations = deal with number, or amount Qualitative observations = deal with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers Jane Goodall spent countless hours among chimpanzees – quietly following them, taking notes, and carefully observing.

What skills do scientists use to learn about the world? 2. Inferring = explain or interpret the things you observe Does not mean guessing wildly Based on reasoning from what you already know Jane Goodall observed a chimpanzee peer into a hollow in a tree. The chimp picked off a handful of leaves from a tree and chewed on them. Then it took the leaves out of its mouths and pushed them into the tree hollow. The chimp pulled the leaves back out, and Jane saw it filled with water. The chimp put the wet leaves back in its mouth. What was the chimpanzee doing? Jane reasoned that the chimp was using chewed leaves to get the water out of the tree.

What skills do scientists use to learn about the world? 3. Predicting – making a forecast of what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence Jane learned that when a chimpanzee is frightened or angry, its hairs stand on end. Therefore, if Jane sees a chimp with its hairs on end, she can predict that there might be danger and move away.

What skills do scientists use to learn about the world? 4. Classifying – the process of grouping together items that are alike in some way. Jane wanted to know how much time Jomeo spent feeing or resting in the morning. She found out some information by classifying Jomeo’s actions into several categories. She grouped together all the information about Jomeo’s feeding habits and his resting behaviors.

What skills do scientists use to learn about the world? 5. Making Models – creating representations of complex objects or processes. Helps people study and understand things that are complex or that can’t be observed directly

Is there a relationship between air temperature and cricket’s chirping? Scientific inquiry – the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence they gather.

Step #1 = Posing Questions Scientific Inquiry begins with a problem or question about an observation The Effect question: What is the effect of ___________ on _____________? sunlight on the growth of plants eye color pupil dilation oil a ramp The How Does Affect Question: How does the _____________ affect ________________? color of light the growth of plants humidity the growth of fungi

Now its your turn: Create your science fair question using either “Effect Question”, or the “How does Affect Question” What is the effect of air temperature on the number of chirps a cricket makes?

Step #2 = Developing a Hypothesis A hypothesis is a possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question. It is not a fact, but instead, it is only one possible way to explain a group of observations. It must be testable. This means that researchers must be able to carry out investigations and gather evidence that will either support or disprove the hypothesis.

Example of a Hypothesis If crickets are placed in a 30 degree Celsius environment, then their chirping rate will increase by 25% .

Examples of Hypotheses If classical music is played while Wisconsin Fast Plants grow, then the Wisconsin Fast Plants will grow taller to when rap, rock and roll, or country is played. If the subject plays Halo 2 for 30 minutes, then his/her heart rate will rise by 30%. If the color placed in front of the heat lamp is a dark color such as the color black, then the energy absorbed will increase by eight degrees Celsius when exposed to the energy source for 9 minutes. If the level of acetic acid in orange juice is reduced by 25%, then the vitamin C content will not be altered. If channel depth is decreased on the wave’s amplitude, then the amplitude of the wave will increase.

Now its your turn: Now it is time to PREDICT what you think will happen if you test your problem. This type of “SMART GUESS” or PREDICTION is what real scientists call a HYPOYTHESIS. How do you begin? Just answer this very simple question: What do you think will happen, (even before you start your experiment)? Then, write the statement using the following format: If ________________, then _________________. Include specifics by quantifying items within this statement; percent, amount of, time, etc.

Variables To test your hypothesis scientists design san experiment in such a way that an experiment will yield results that will either support or not support their hypothesis. Controlling Experiments: Setting up a Controlled Experiment Forming Operational Definitions

Variables – Step #1 = Controlling Variables Manipulated Variable = Independent Variable The one variable that is purposely changed to test a hypothesis Responding Variable = Dependent Variable The factor that may change in response to the manipulated variable. Other Variables = all other factors that can change in an experiment, but must be exactly the same

Variables – Step #1 = Controlling Variables Hypothesis = If crickets are placed in a 30 degree Celsius environment, then their chirping rate will increase by 25% . Independent variable = air temperature Dependent variable = number of cricket chirps Other variables to control = type of crickets, type of container, type of thermometer used, the time of day data is recorded.

Variables – Step #2 Setting up a Controlled Experiment Controlled Experiment = an experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time Includes a control group = a group in which not variables are changed; offering you the ability to compare experimental groups to the control groups.

Variables – Step #3 = Forming Operational Definitions Operational Definition is a statement that describes how to measure a particular variable or define a particular term. For example, in the experiment with crickets, one would need to determine what sounds will count as a single “chirp”.

Approval Form Items and their format Question: What is the effect of __________ on _________? Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of ______________ on ______________. Hypothesis: If ___________, then _______________________.