1. Scientific Inquiry
Biotechnology I

2. Essential Question
What scientific processes do scientists use to investigate the natural world?

3. Definition of Science
Way of investigating and learning about the natural world
Accomplished through inquiry

4. Scientific Inquiry involves
Making Observations
gather information about natural world using our senses and scientific tools
Developing scientific questions
Forming logical hypotheses
Tentative answer to the formulated question
Testing Hypotheses
Through experimentation
Drawing Conclusions

5. Identify which of the following questions are scientific?
How is bug blood different from human blood?
Is rock music better than hip-hop music?
Is vegetarianism better than eating meat?
Does God exist?
Why does bright light cause some people to sneeze?

6. Think-Pair-Share
What criteria did you use to determine whether the questions are scientific?
3. Think-pair-share
teacher presents a question
teacher gives wait time for student to form answer
teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner
teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

7. Scientific Questions Focuses on natural phenomena
Related to scientific concepts
Investigated through experimentation
Leads to gathering of data about how the natural world works

8. Scientific Questions DO NOT ASK ABOUT Why? Supernatural phenomena
Personal Preference
Moral Values
Religious Beliefs
Why?

9. Testable Questions Include
Independent Variable – the variable manipulated
Dependent Variable- the variable measured

10. Think-Pair-Share
Take one of the questions identified as scientific and come up with two testable questions that relate to the problem described in chosen question.
3. Think-pair-share
teacher presents a question
teacher gives wait time for student to form answer
teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner
teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

11. Scientific Inquiry Often involves controlled experiments
Characteristics of controlled experiment
Manipulate one variable keeping the other variables fixed
Consists of
Experimental group –exposed to condition tested
Controlled group – not exposed to tested condition
Fixed variable – variables kept constant other than variable tested

12. Example
A clinical trial was conducted to address the question “Does the drug “Colonix” reduce the number of tumors associated with colon cancer?” Two groups of 50 people were given either the drug “Colonix” or a “sugar pill”, the placebo.
Is the question asked testable? Why or Why not?
What is the
Experimental group
Control group
Fixed variables

13. Hypothesis Tentative answer to the scientific question
Hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable
A well-written hypothesis includes
Experimental group
Predicted result
Measurement

14. Example of a Well-Written Hypothesis
If the amount of fertilizer given to seeds is increased then the seeds will grow faster because nutrients in fertilizer is required for growth.
What is the condition tested?
What is the predicted result?
How was the condition measured?

15. Practice Problem
A exercise-science researcher asked the question “Does consuming carbohydrates within 45 minutes after a workout increase insulin levels in the blood? He forms two age-matched groups and feeds one group some carbohydrate plus 8 oz.. of water after their workout, while giving the other group only 8 oz. of water. Develop a hypothesis for the described experiment using If… then….as measured by
3. Think-pair-share
teacher presents a question
teacher gives wait time for student to form answer
teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner
teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

16. Conclusion Key component of scientific inquiry
Conclusion should contain four components
State Claims.
Use numerical evidence to justify the claims
Reject or accept hypothesis based on the numerical evidence
Make Inferences using prior knowledge (explains what the data means)

17. Observation versus Inference
Observation-description of natural structures and processes
Can involve five senses-seen, tasted, heard, touched, or smelled
Measurements taken with scientific tools (Ex. spectrophotometer, pH meter)
Inferences- conclusions based on observations
Goes beyond what directly sensed or measured
Provides meaning to the observation based on prior knowledge

18. Identify as observation or inference
Examine the far-side picture provided in your notetaker
Beside each of the statements – identify as either observation or inference
Summarize what characteristic allowed you to make the distinction
3. Think-pair-share
teacher presents a question
teacher gives wait time for student to form answer
teacher instructs students to share their answer with a partner
teacher calls on non-volunteers to share with the class 3

19. Answer the following questions in your IAN
Scientific Inquiry Questions
What should be included in a
Testable Question
Hypothesis
Conclusion
Explain the difference between observation and inference and give an example of each
Complete Scientific Method problems