1. Scientific Method
Ecology

2. What is the scientific method?
Common steps scientists use to gather information and answer questions
- We are going to watch this video clip, it is 10 minutes long. No notes are necessary, just watch and enjoy!

3. Observation
Seeing or noticing something

4. Hypothesis
An explanation for a question or problem that can be tested

5. Experiment
A procedure that tests a hypothesis

6. Control and Variable Control: Group in which conditions stay the same
Variable: Group in which conditions are changed

7. Data
Information obtained from the experiment

8. Analysis
Review of the results and determining if the hypothesis was answered…

9. Reporting Results
Sharing the results with others so they can try to duplicate your results
(Experiments are only valid if they can be repeated by others)

10. Qualitative Observation
An observation using the five senses
The car is red
The fan is loud
The table is smooth

11. Quantitative Observation
Observation using measurement or numbers
Length, mass, time, volume, density, counting, area, temperature…

12. Length
The distance between two points
Meters (m), cm and mm

13. Mass
The amount of matter in an object
Grams (g, mg, kg)

14. Area The surface of an object Area = length x width (A= L x W)
Units: cm2

15. Volume The amount of space an object takes up
Liquid volume is calculated using mL
Solid volume is
L x W x H
Units: cm3

16. Temperature The amount of heat present in an object
Celsius (and in the US Fahrenheit)

17. Time The indefinite continued progress of existence and events
Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks…