Aim: How can we use scientific inquiry to explain how the world works? DO NOW: In your notebook, describe what scientific inquiry means to you

Science Relies on logic & creativity Body of knowledge & way of knowing about the unusual happenings around us called phenomena uses the methods of scientific inquiry to explain how the world works

Scientific Inquiry Involves questioning, observing, inferring, experimenting, finding evidence, collecting and organizing data, drawing valid conclusions & peer review To infer means to make a conclusion based on an observation Technique used for this process is called the scientific method, which is made up of steps

The Scientific Method State the problem (question) Formulate a hypothesis (prediction, based on research) Test the hypothesis (controlled experiment) Make observations (data) Come to a conclusion (answer to the problem) Repeat the experiment

Research Plan Needed if you want to do an experiment Background information needs to come from reliable sources: scientific journals, books etc.

Experimental Design Large sample size should be used Experiment should be repeated many times to get the same results Experiment should have a control group, in addition to an experimental group

Improper Scientific Procedures Small sample size Experiment wasn’t controlled well Fact & opinion intermingled Not citing adequate evidence Basing conclusions on faulty, incomplete or misleading use of numbers Conclusion doesn’t follow logically from evidence

Facts, Theories & Laws Fact: knowledge based on an experiment & careful observations Theory: scientific explanation, of some aspect of the natural world, based on the scientific method Law: statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some aspect of the universe

Summary Questions 1. What is the first step to the scientific method? 2. What do we call a prediction, based on research? 3. How should an experiment be designed?

Video nquiry/scientificmethod/ nquiry/scientificmethod/

Homework On a sheet of looseleaf, define the following 6 terms 1. Observation 2. Inference 3. Data 4. Controlled experiment 5. Peer review 6. Scientific method