1. Scientific Inquiry with Gummy Bears
Properly title your lab paper.

2. Collecting on Friday
Please make sure you have the following papers completed (with your name) to turn in on Friday 8/28/15:
Science Parent Signature Sheet (green) –make sure all lines are filled in
Science Safety Story Poster

3. Let’s Set up Your Notes and the Lab
Throughout the powerpoint everything in RED should be copied and completed on your paper.
Title:
Scientific Inquiry with Gummy Bears

4. Scientific Question Hypothesis
What will happen to a gummy bear when you put it in water over night?
If…then…because…
Hypothesis

5. Bear Data Collection Day/Time Bear Color Length Width Initial ½ Point
End Day 1
Amount of total change

6. Conclusion
Leave a few blank lines.
We’ll come back to this.

7. Directions
Choose one gummy from the container on your table. It must be a different color from those bears already in the beaker.
Use the ruler to measure the length and width of the gummy bear.
Record this information on your chart.
Place the gummy bear in the beaker of water.
We’ll carefully measure the bear at the end of class today and Friday morning.
While we’re waiting we’ll discuss Scientific Inquiry

8. Scientific Inquiry Notes
Scientific Inquiry = the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence they gather
Scientific inquiry begins with a problem or question about an observation

9. 1. Ask a Scientific Question (State the Problem)
Form a question about a specific event or reaction; often this question is based on observations
A scientific question has to be testable, so it can’t ask about opinions or morals.
Cannot be yes/no questions, ask about opinions, morals or religious phenonmena4.
What will happen to a gummy bear when you put it in water over night?

10. 2. Collect Information
Research all aspects of the problem—observations, research, etc.
Example: What can you find out about gummy bears and/or water?
What ingredient do the two products have?

11. 3. Form a hypothesis -a suggested solution to the problem
A hypothesis is a prediction that can be tested, written in an
“if … (iv) , then (dv) because” format.
Example: If you place a gummy bear in water overnight, then the gummy bear will … because …
Must be testable – researchers must be able to carry out investigations and gather evidence that will either support or disprove the hypothesis

12. 4. Design an Experiment
Devise a way to test your hypothesis—write a step-by-step procedure
Create a
CONTROLLED
experiment.
Controlled experiment means we control all of the conditions to be the same except for one.

13. Designing an Experiment
To test the hypothesis
Variable = factor that can change
Controlled experiment = only one variable is manipulated at a time

14. A controlled experiment MUST have 2 groups:
1. CONTROL GROUP: all conditions of a “normal” situation
*The group that is not experimented on*
Gummy Bear Experiment
Control Group
–Gummy Bear out of water

15. 2. EXPERIMENTAL GROUP: only the condition that you are testing for is changed
ONLY 1 condition is changed!
Gummy Bear Experiment
Experimental Group
-Gummy Bear in Water

16. Designing an Experiment
Establish the variables for your experiment.
1. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: (manipulating variable)
the one variable that is purposely changed to test a hypothesis
the factor that you changed
X axis for graphing
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Water

17. 2. DEPENDENT VARIABLE:
(responding variable)
the factor that may change in response to the IV (independent variable)
the factor you measure at the end of the experiment
The DV depends on the IV
Y axis for graphing
DEPENDENT VARIABLE:
Size of the gummy bear

18. Design an Experiment
Constants: the factors or conditions that must be KEPT THE SAME in the experiment
Examples: time, quantity, type, size, temperature

19. Run the experiment & record the data in a chart or graph
5. Collect & Analyze Data
Run the experiment & record the data in a chart or graph
Data are the facts, figures and other evidence gathered through observation

20. There are two types of data:
QUANTITATIVE:
numerical data, deals with specific quantities, usually in the form of a graph or chart
QUALITATIVE:
descriptive data, describes how something looks, smells, sounds, or feels; deals with qualities

21. QUALITATIVE EXAMPLE : QUANITATIVE EXAMPLE:
Placing Pop Rocks in soda makes popping sounds
QUANITATIVE EXAMPLE:
Amount of gas produced by Pop Rocks= ______
Amount of gas produced by Soda= _________
Amount of gas produced by Pop Rocks and soda=______
Qualtitative—popping sound, bubbles, one balloon bigger than the other
Quantitative—measure balloons

22. They Might Be Giants
“Put It to the Test”

23. Gummy Bear in Water Over Time
Measurement in cm
Time

24. Determine if the data collected supports your hypothesis.
6. Draw Conclusions
Determine if the data collected supports your hypothesis.
Conclusion = summary of what you’ve learned from an experiment.
What did this lab show?
Did the data support the hypothesis?
Did you collect enough data?
Did anything happen that could’ve affected the results?
What happens if your hypothesis turns out to be wrong? Nothing. In science its okay to be wrong.

25. Conclusion
EXAMPLE: If you place a gummy bear in water overnight, then it will expand because water will travel through the outer membrane due to osmosis.

26. Repeating the Experiment
Scientists repeat experiments to see if they get the same findings and results.
Verification—
checking things out to make sure everything was valid and will happen again and again.

27. Sharing Their Findings
Scientists share their findings to learn from each other and often use someone else’s experiences to help them with what they are studying or doing.

28. Is there one right way to follow the scientific method?