1. 8th Grade Science Academy of the Pacific Rim
The Scientific Method
8th Grade Science
Academy of the Pacific Rim

2. What is the Scientific Method?
The scientific method is a step-by-step __________________.
It is the way scientists study the world around them.

3. The Steps of The Scientific Method
Identify the problem you want to study
Develop a hypothesis
Design an _____________
Collect data
__________ Results
Write a ___________

4. Step 1: Identify the Problem
Decide what problem you want to investigate.
It has to be ______________ – can you design an experiment to test the question?
It may be something you have a question about.
For example: Why does the video camera on my I-Phone continue recording even when I try to stop it? (If you know how to fix it would you tell me because it is driving me crazy?)

5. Step 2: Write a hypothesis
A hypothesis is a ______________ about what YOU think will happen in your experiment.
You use what you already know about science to develop a hypothesis. Or _________ your topic to learn background information.
They are written “If….then….. ___________…”
Example: “If I water a plant with Gatorade, then the plant will die because the plant relies on water to perform photosynthesis.”

6. Step 3: Design an Experiment
How are you going to test your hypothesis to see what the __________ are? Design an experiment!
Create a step-by-step ______________ that tells other people how to complete your experiment.

7. How To Write A Procedure
A procedure is a list of ________ and a list of ___________ that you will need for the experiment.
Do not use I, WE, YOU
Use the present tense – pretend that you are explaining it to someone sitting next to you right now.

8. Step 4: Collect Data
Data is the _____________ you collect during your experiment.
________ - observations using your senses and description.
_____________ – observations using measurements or counts.

9. Step 5: Display your Results
Put all of data into a _____________.
Create a ___________ to show other people the results you got during your experiment.

10. Step 6: Write a conclusion
Write a _____________ that talks about:
your original __________
Did the results of your experiment _________ your hypothesis (Was your prediction proved to be correct?)
Did the results of your experiment ________________your hypothesis (Was your prediction proven to be incorrect?)