1. The Scientific Method

2. Consumer Reporting Magazine Helping consumers make smart choices! To Robert R. Lazar Middle School: We here at Consumer Reporting Magazine are doing a special investigative report to determine if certain products live up to their advertising claims. We are asking schools across the nation to help us with this project so that we can collect as much data as possible. As upcoming scientists, your school has been chosen to test the claim made by Bounty Paper Towel. Bounty claims that it is more absorbent than the leading brand (Brawny) and store brand (Shoprite). Is this claim accurate? It is your job to find out. However, in order to draw a good conclusion you will need to follow the scientific method and perform a carefully controlled experiment. Good Luck! We look forward to seeing the results of your hard work.. Sincerely, Consumer Report Data Collection Division

3. Step 1: State the Purpose What is the problem we are trying to solve? Write it as a question. THINK : Write an experimental question for Consumer Reporting Magazine. ____________________________________ Will Bounty paper towel hold more water than the leading brand?

4. Identify your Variables I will change (test): I will measure:  To design your experiment you must identify what you will change (test) and what you will measure.  THINK! - As a group, write your answers in the boxes below. I will NOT change (conditions held constant so it is a fair test): Brand of paper towel How many drops of water each can hold Size of paper towel Color of paper towel Thickness of Paper towel Independent variable dependent variable control variables

5. Step 2: Make a Hypothesis To make a hypothesis, think about the following : THINK! THINK! – As a group, fill in the hypothesis. If I change _______________, then I think that ______________________,because_______________ Brand of paper towel When I change theWhat will happen to the amount of water each can hold the brand of towel Bounty will hold the most waterthey advertise the most.

6. Step 3: List the Materials This is list of all the tools you will need to carry out your experiment. THINK! – Look in your lab buckets and make a bulleted list of materials.  ____________________  _____________________ Pieces of paper towels Water Pipette (dropper) Test Tubes Rubber bands

7. Step 4: Develop a Procedure Develop the steps for your experiment. THINK! – Write a numbered list of steps explaining how you will test each brand of paper towel to see how much water each can hold.  1.Secure Bounty over the top of a test tube with a rubber band.  2. Using your eyedropper, begin to count the drops of water Bounty can absorb. *STOP COUNTING when you see water leaking off the towel.  3. Record your data in the data table.  4. Repeat for Brawny and Shoprite.

8. Step 5: Collect Data Conduct your experiment and record results. THINK! – Use the table below to record your data. What I changed: _______________ What I measured (specify units): ________________________ Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3Average Bounty Brawny Shoprite

9. Step 6: Write a Conclusion This is a summary of your results. THINK! – Discuss as a group and write a brief paragraph explaining whether or not your hypothesis was supported (correct) or not supported (incorrect). Make sure to reference the data you collected when writing. If you encountered any problems, please state this as well. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

10. Step 7: Communicate Results THINK! -  Fill in your group’s average under Group 1.  Go to each lab group and record their AVERAGE in the table below.  Afterwards, calculate the class average for each brand of towel. THINK! – What can we tell Consumer Reporting? Paper Towel Grp 1 Grp 2 Grp 3 Grp 4 Grp 5 Grp 6 Grp 7 Grp 8 Grp 9 Grp 10 Class AVG. Bounty Brawny Shoprite