1. What is science The Scientific Method
Unit 1
What is science
The Scientific Method

2. What is science?
Science is a process of gathering knowledge about the world around us
Goal of science- To understand and investigate the natural world, and to explain events in the natural world.

3. Science is different because…
It is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the natural world.
Concepts or ideas must be testable
It is not a set of truths that never change
It is a set of stable ideas that can change with new evidence
Science is an ongoing process

4. The Scientific Method
Why is it so important to follow this method? Scientific ideas MUST be testable and repeatable. The scientific method is the common process for establishing these ideas.

5. Think about Saving Sam Lab…..
The Scientific Method
Think about Saving Sam Lab…..
1. Ask a question
2. Gather background information
3. Construct a hypothesis
Hypothesis is a prediction
If…… then…….will happen
4. Conduct an experiment to test hypothesis

6. The Scientific Method 5. Record and analyze data Types of Data
Quantitative: Expressed as numbers, obtained by counting and measuring
Exact temperature, Weight, Height, Number of stems
Qualitative: Descriptions and involve characteristics that can’t usually be counted
Shiny/Dull, Old/New, Blue/Purple/Green
Inference: Logical interpretation based on prior knowledge or experience/observation.

7. The Scientific Method
6. Draw a conclusion and communicate your results
Did the data support or not support your hypothesis
You are never proving that a hypothesis is true, only supporting it.
Scientific Theory- Well tested hypothesis that has been repeatedly supported.

8. Scientific Method
“Dancing Plants”

9. - What do you want to learn more about…#1
Asking a QUESTION:
- What do you want to learn more about…
Which type of music will have the greatest effect on a plant’s rate of growth: Hard rock, pop, or classical?

10. #2 Gather background INFORMATION:
- What information can we uncover to help us form an educated guess?

11. Forming a HYPOTHESIS: #3
- Educated guess of an answer to the question
- Should be an “I believe…because…”
Statement (well supported) #3
I believe that hard rock music will have the greatest effect on a plants growth because I believe it produces greater sound waves and vibrations, which in turn will stimulate the plants growth.

12. Conducting the EXPERIMENT:#4 a.
Materials
Conducting the EXPERIMENT:
- Test your hypothesis
- Written and carefully followed step-by-step experiment designed to test hypothesis
12 -5” pots
36 marigold seeds
6 cups of potting soil
1200 ml of water
3 CD players
3 CDs –
AC/DC,
Brittany Spears,
Andrea Bocceli
1 – 12” ruler
4 different locations

13. b. Procedure - Step-by-step format - Numbered steps - Direct commands
Measure 3 oz. of soil into “ flower pots.
Place 3 marigold seeds together in the soil in the center of the pot
Cover seeds with 1 oz. of soil
Add 10 ml of water to each pot
Place pots in sets of 3 in 4 different locations away from each other
Etc. …….
- Step-by-step format
- Numbered steps
- Direct commands
-Repeatable b.
Procedure

14. - Identify the control group if applicable
Controlled Variable = plant type, amount of soil, sunlight, water, and time music played
Independent Variable = types of music
Dependant Variable = amount of plant growth
4) Control Group = plants grown in absence of music c.
- State the controlled (constant), independent (manipulated), and dependant (responding) variables
- Identify the control group if applicable
Variables

15. #5
ANALYZE RESULTS:
-Interpret the information collected during the experiment
-Data includes charts, tables, PICTURES, and graphs (excel)

16. Control Classical Pop Hard Rock
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Control
1 cm
2 cm
4 cm
Classical
Pop
2.75 cm
4.5 cm
Hard Rock
5 cm
8 cm

18. - Possible sources of error#6
Drawing
CONCLUSIONS:
- Refer back to your hypothesis (supported, not supported? Why/why not?)
- Possible sources of error
- What did you learn?

19. Boy in the Pond Worksheet
Place an ‘I’ after statements that are inferences, and an ‘O’ after the statements that are observations.