1. SCIENTIFIC METHOD Ms. Fontenot – 5 th Grade Science

2. WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? It is the process which scientists use to learn about the world and conduct experiments. This process has actually been around since the 17 th century and is still used by scientists today. This process holds scientists accountable! By going through this process, they have a way to verify their guesses and to double check each other. Another scientist can take a look at your tests and add some more tests and continue to refine your answer to the question.

3. WHAT ARE THE STEPS?  State the Problem  Form Your Hypothesis  Do an Experiment  Analyze the Data  Make a Conclusion

4. STATE THE PROBLEM  What do you want to know? What are you going to try to figure out in your experiment?  Make sure your question is TESTABLE! Example: Which color of bird feeder will attract the most hummingbirds out of red, blue, green & yellow?

5. FORM YOUR HYPOTHESIS  Make a careful guess. Think about what you already know to make a guess about what you will find out in the experiment.  Example: I think the red feeder will attract the most hummingbirds, because I have seen them at a red feeder before.

6. DO AN EXPERIMENT  Test your hypothesis by carefully following steps, safety rules, and making observations and recording data.  Example: I will hang out 4 bird feeders from the same tree, one of each color (red, yellow, blue, green). The bird feeders will be exactly the same, just different colors, and will contain the same contents hung from the same height. I will also test the for the same amount of time and use a video camera to record the data.

7. DO AN EXPERIMENT  Variables: An experiment usually has three kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled.  The independent variable is the one that is changed by the scientist, in this case… the color of the bird feeder!  A dependent variable is what you measure in the experiment and what is affected during the experiment. The dependent variable responds to the independent variable. It is called dependent because it "depends" on the independent variable. What are we measuring in our example? How many hummingbirds go to the feeder!  In an experiment, the control variable is something that is constant and unchanged. In this case, the contents of the feeder and the feeder type. This helps us stay consistent!

8. EXAMPLE EXPERIMENT Controls: Same height & tree Same type of feeder Same food inside Tested the same amount of time (This what stays the same) Independent Variable: Color of the feeder (it’s what we changed!) Dependent Variable: Number of hummingbirds who come to the feeder (it all depends on if they like the color of the feeder!)

9. ANALYZE THE DATA  What does your data (numbers or descriptions) mean? Compare, contrast, and classify the information by putting it into a chart, graph, or diagram. Which type of graph would we use for our hummingbird experiment? Bar graph, because we are comparing different variables !

11. MAKE A CONCLUSION  Tell if your hypothesis is right or wrong, and figure out what you learned by conducting the experiment.  Example: My hypothesis was correct. Hummingbirds, in my area, are more attracted to red feeders than the other three colors.  How could I continue to test this?