1. How to write a good hypothesis. Step 2 in the Scientific Method

2. What is a hypothesis? An hypothesis is an educated guess or prediction based on observation It usually can be supported or refuted through experimentation or observation

3. How do you write a GREAT hypothesis? Use the If, then formula If independent variable, then dependent variable Or…. If I change this, then this will happen.

4. Example Question: I wonder if the amount of food affects my cat’s weight? If I feed my cat a lot of food, then she will get fat. Independent Variable Dependent Variable

5. Remember… Try to use INCREASE and DECREASE in your hypothesis! Ex. IF I increase the amount of food I give my cat, THEN she will increase her weight You are predicting CAUSE and EFFECT

6. Let’s do the first one for practice How does Temperature affect the amount of plant growth? If _____________, then __________________

7. How did you do? How does Temperature affect the amount of plant growth? If I increase the temperature around the plants, then the plants will grow at a faster rate.

8. Hypothesis versus Theory Hypothesis An educated guess, based on observation. Theory Summarizes a hypothesis or a group of hypotheses Supported through repeated testing