1. Science Process Skills
Three Types of Investigations
Scientific Method
Variables
Tools and Measurement

2. 3 TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS
DESCRIPTIVE
COMPARATIVE
EXPERIMENTAL

3. DESCRIPTIVE
Measure, observe and describe the subject of study Ex. Behavior among wolves in a pack

4. COMPARATIVE Comparing two or more things
Ex. Heart Attack Rate in Men and Women

5. EXPERIMENTAL Controlled experiment to test a variable
Ex. Effect of fertilizer on plant growth

6. A sequence of steps that you follow to conduct an investigation.
Scientific Method
A sequence of steps that you follow to conduct an investigation.

7. SCIENTIFIC METHOD OBJECTIVE- The question or problem
RESEARCH-Gathering background information
HYPOTHESIS- Prediction based on background info
EXPERIMENT- Observing, measuring and recording data
RESULTS- The data you collect and analyze
CONCLUSION- The claim, evidence and reasoning

8. SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS WITEOBOB=What is the effect of blank on blank?
(the IV-the one thing the scientist changes) on
(the DV-thing that responds to the thing the scientist changed and is measured and recorded as data)?

9. VARIABLES- Things in an experiment that can change or vary
Independent Variable (IV)
What the scientist manipulates to see if it causes a change
The “cause”
Dependent Variable (DV)
The “effect” that is measured and recorded

10. OTHER PARTS OF AN EXPERIMENT
CONSTANTS
The things that are kept the same throughout the experiment
Makes sure that the IV is the only reason for changes observed in the DV
CONTROL
The group in an experiment that does not experience a change in the IV
The “normal” state that you can compare to

11. Example:
Objective
What is the effect of amount of fertilizer on plant growth?
Independent Variable (IV)
Amount of fertilizer
Dependent Variable (DV)
Plant Growth
Control
Plants that did not get fertilizer
Constants
Same soil and same amount of water, sunlight

12. Example:
Objective
What is the effect of antibiotic dose on the growth of pneumonia bacteria?
IV= Different amounts of antibiotic drug
DV= The “kill zone” around the antibiotic
Control= a petri dish with pneumonia cells and no antibiotic
Constants = the temperature, light, food source and the amount of time the petri dish is allowed to sit

13. SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT
TOOL
MEASUREMENT
UNIT
EXAMPLE
METRIC RULER
DISTANCE
KILOMETER (km)
METER (m)
CENTIMETER (cm)
MILLIMETER (mm)
9 football fields
Length of a table
Width of a pinkie
Thickness of a dime
GRADUATED CYLINDER
LIQUID VOLUME
MILLILITER (mL)
10 drops of water
TRIPLE BEAM BALANCE
MASS
Kilogram (kg)
Gram (g)
Dictionary
Paper Clip or TicTac
L x W x H
SOLID VOLUME
(of a box or cube)
Cubic Centimeters
(cm3)
A sugar cube

14. Measurement Practice = 1 cm and 4 mm = 1.4 cm or 14 mm = 27.7 g
= 66 mL