To Do Today (8/26): n Glue Scientific Method Notes onto Page 6 of your spiral n Answer Warm-up #2 on Page 4 of your spiral n Update your Planner for this week (8/24-8/28) n Any Graphing worksheets from yesterday to be turned in?? n Leave any papers/supplies to be turned in on your desk and I will collect later

SCIENCE Defined as the use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena

SCIENCE, cont. n Some questions are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are NOT scientifically testable –Example: Faith based philosophies n Many questions can be explored through investigation and there are 3 types of investigation: descriptive, comparative & experimental

3 Types of Investigations n Descriptive –Example: count the number of owls living in a forest n Comparative –Example: observe similarities & differences between the wings of a butterfly & the wings of a wasp n Experimental –Example: apply different amounts of fertilizer to plants to explore how fertilizer levels affect plant growth

What type of investigation is this? n Examine the differences between leaves from a oak tree and leaves from a cedar tree n Comparative

What type of investigation is this? n Over a three month time period observe the behavior of rhesus monkeys n Descriptive

What type of investigation is this? n Test the affect of varying temperatures on the hatching rate of frog eggs n Experimental

For an experimental investigation, use…. THE SIX STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

(1) Observe and State a Problem n Asking a question

(2) Form a Hypothesis n Proposed explanation (If, then statement)

(3) Test the Hypothesis (Design an experiment) n Variables – factors that can change n 3 Categories of Variables: n 1. Manipulated Variable (independent variable) – factor that scientists purposely change n 2. Responding Variable (dependent variable) – factor that may change because of the manipulated variable and that scientists want to observe n 3. Controlled Variables – factors that scientists purposely keep the same

(3) Test the Hypothesis, cont. n A controlled experiment is set up with a control group and the experimental group n All the groups in an experiment are treated exactly the same except for the manipulated variable n In the experimental group, the manipulated variable is being changed n The control group is used as a standard of comparison (it may consist of objects that are not changed in any way or objects that are being treated in the usual way – natural conditions)

(4) Record and Analyze Results n Data - written observations, charts & graphs

(4) Record and Analyze Results, cont. n Observations can be quantitative OR qualitative –Quantitative data involves measurement, like counting the number of owls observed –Qualitative data uses words to describe the properties that were not measured, like noting that a bacterial colony growing in a petri dish was circular in shape & orange in color

(5) Form a Conclusion n Evaluate the hypothesis (Do the results support the hypothesis?)

(6) Repeat the Experiment n Especially important for work to be published

Extra Science Definitions n Inference –Reasonable conclusion based on observations and clues n Prediction –Guess about what will happen next based on observations and experiences; can use data to predict trends n Theory –Well-established, reliable explanation that has been tested in many conditions by multiple people; Example: cell theory

Fact vs. Theory n When a hypothesis is tested and confirmed by scientists n Can change as new data becomes available n Something known to be true