1. The Scientific Method

2. 6 Main Steps
The series of steps that scientists use to answer questions and solve problems. You may use all of the steps or just some of the steps.
The goal of the scientific method is to come up with reliable answers and solutions.

3. #1 Make an observation
Look at the world around you and NOTICE something!
Then, ask a QUESTION about what you see:
What
Why
How
When

4. #2 Form a Hypothesis Educated answer Testable.
Stated in an IF – THEN format
Example: How does acid rain affect plant growth?
IF a plant encounters acid rain, THEN it will grow at a slower rate than a plant that encounters unaffected water.

5. #3 Test your Hypothesis
Experiment
Observe
Record Data
VERY CONTROLLED

6. #4 Analyze the results
Decide if your hypothesis was correct or incorrect

7. #5 Draw Conclusions Hypothesis correct? move on
Hypothesis incorrect? Try again. Ask more questions, check and change the experiment.

8. #6 Communicate Results Share your findings!
Science builds more science
Scientists love to prove each other wrong or confirm findings.

9. Scientific Method in Action
The Scientific Method is not a straight line of steps. It contains loops which may be repeated over and over while others may be deleted and not necessary.
In science, it is ok to be WRONG, a good experiment answers questions and finds answers- it may lead to other questions that need to be answered.

10. Scientific Law
A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen EVERY time under a particular set of conditions.
Example: Law of gravity …what goes up will come down…(happens every time)

11. Scientific Theory
A well-tested idea that explains and connects a wide range of observations.
Can be changed because of new evidence
Example: My theory is that everyone in this class will get an A+ on their first test

12. Parts of a Science Experiment

13. Question
Question= Observation! It must be specifically measureable and testable

14. Hypothesis Educated answer to the question Measurable
IF-THEN Statement

15. Independent/Manipulated Dependent/Responding
Variables
3 Types of Variables
Control
Independent/Manipulated
Dependent/Responding

16. Control/Constant Variable
Stays the same in every step
Improves reliability – allows for a “fair test”
Have as many as possible
Example: You have two plants that are both in the same pot, with the same amount of soil, the same amount of seeds and have the same amount of water. You place one in front of the window and the other in a closet. After two weeks you measure to see the growth of each of the plants.

17. Independent/Manipulated Variable
What are we changing or watching differently?
x-axis on a graph.
Example: You have two plants that are both in the same pot, with the same amount of soil, the same amount of seeds and have the same amount of water. You place one in front of the window and the other in a closet. After two weeks you measure to see the growth of each of the plants.

18. Dependent/responding variable
What are we looking for? What are the results? What happened? What can we measure?
affected by the change in the independent variable
y-axis on a graph.
Example: You have two plants that are both in the same pot, with the same amount of soil, the same amount of seeds and have the same amount of water. You place one in front of the window and the other in a closet. After two weeks you measure to see the growth of each of the plants.

19. Results
There are many different ways to organize the data into your results
Bar Graph
Data Table
Line Graph
Circle Graph

20. VARIABLE PRACTICE W/S

21. Bar Graphs A bar graph displays discrete data in separate columns.
Advantages
Visually strong
Can easily compare two or three data sets
Disadvantages
Graph categories can be reordered to emphasize certain effects

22. Line Graph
A line graph plots continuous data as points and then joins them with a line. Multiple data sets can be graphed together, but a key must be used.
Independent variable on the x-axis
Dependent variable on the y-axis
Advantages
Can compare multiple continuous data sets easily
Interim data can be inferred from graph line
Disadvantages
Use only with continuous data

23. Pie chart
A pie chart displays data as a percentage of the whole. Each pie section should have a label and percentage.
Advantages
Visually appealing
Shows percent of total for each category
Disadvantages
No exact numerical data
Hard to compare 2 data sets
"Other" category can be a problem
Best for 3 to 7 categories

25. Observations and Data
Qualitative data: description of results of experiment. Tell what it looks like.
The solution boiled.
Quantitative data: numerical data collected during the experiment. (May be expressed in a table and graph.)
The temperature of the solution was 112° F.

26. Paper Airplane Experiment
Question
Hypothesis
Controls
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Results: Which type of graph?
Graph title
X-axis
Y-axis
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