1. Learning to THINK like a SCIENTIST!!!
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
Learning to THINK like a SCIENTIST!!!

2. Designing an Experiment
Designing an experiments starts with what?
Observation!
What’s an observation? What do we use to make them?
We use our Five Senses to make an observation!
Then a question regarding that observation is asked.
The PROBLEM QUESTION
From there you must figure out a way to collect data that will help answer your question.

3. The PROBLEM QUESTION…
Before you ask this question you must know what VARIABLES you are working with.
Every experiment has two variables:
INDEPENDENT
and
DEPENDENT

4. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
This is the variable that you will be controlling (changing) in the experiment.
This is the variable that might effect the results of the experiment.

5. DEPENDENT VARIABLE
This is what you will be measuring in the experiment.
This is the variable that gives you the data you will be collecting.

6. Warm Up Question Let’s find out how well you study!!!
Without looking at your notes, What is the difference between the Independent Variable and the Dependent Variable?

7. Airplane Experiment
You have 3 minutes to build the best paper airplane with a sheet of notebook paper. No tape, paper clips etc. can be used.
You will launch in the back of the room in groups of 4.
You will throw it 3 times. The person the most distance goes on to the final round.
The finalists will then compete against each other to find the winning airplane.

8. Airplane Demonstration
In the airplane exercise we just did, what was the I.V. and D.V.?
I.V.= the different modifications you made to the plane.
Because you controlled what changes to make.
D.V. Distance the plane traveled.
Because we can measure how far it traveled.

9. Let’s Practice… Pepper Lab
You want to grow some big peppers this summer, but you do not know which fertilizer will make them grow biggest. So, you set up five rows of peppers. Here is what you put on each row:
1. Cow poop Miracle Grow
3. Nitrogen Nothing
5. Compost

10. Let’s Practice… Pepper Lab
You want to grow some big peppers this summer, but you do not know which fertilizer will make them grow biggest. So, you set up five rows of peppers.
QUESTION:
What is the I.V. ?
What is the D.V.?

11. ANSWER… I.V. = type of fertilizer Because it is what we are
controlling/changing.
D.V. = size of the peppers
Because this is what we are
measuring.

12. Let’s Practice Some More…
Tea Lab
You want to know if sugar will dissolve faster in cold or hot tea.
QUESTION:
What is the I.V. ?
What is the D.V.?

13. ANSWER… I.V. = temperature of the tea Because it is what we are
controlling/changing.
D.V. = time it takes the sugar to dissolve.
Because this is what we are
measuring.

14. Setting Up a Data Tables
When you make a data table:
the I.V. always goes on the LEFT
the D.V. always goes on the RIGHT 1 2 3 4 20 21 22 23
I.V.
D.V.

15. The PROBLEM QUESTION…
Now that you know what variables are, you can write the problem question for the experiment!!!
Follow this formula:
What is the effect of the _________
on the ________?
I.V.
D.V.

16. Let’s Practice… ANSWER: Tea Lab
Write the problem question for the pepper experiment.
ANSWER:
What is the effect of the type of fertilizer on the size of the peppers?
I.V.
D.V.

17. Let’s Practice Some More…
Tea Lab
Write the problem question for the hot and cold tea experiment.
ANSWER:
What is the effect of the temperature of the tea on how much time it takes the sugar to dissolve?
I.V.
D.V.

18. Designing an Experiment
Starts with an observation.
Then a question regarding that observation is asked.
The PROBLEM QUESTION
From there you must figure out a way to collect data that will help answer your question.
The PROCEDURE

19. Designing an Experiment
Next, you think about what you expect the outcome to be.
This is done BEFORE the experiment and is based on your prior knowledge of the situation. (NOT a guess!!!)
The HYPOTHESIS:
An “Educated Prediction” not a guess!

20. The HYPOTHESIS… Follow this formula: If _________________________
Then the ___________
will _________________________
State how the I.V. is being changed.
D.V.
increase, decrease, OR stay the same
Choose only one!!!

21. Let’s Practice… ANSWER: Airplane Lab
Write the problem question for the Airplane Lab.
ANSWER:
What is the effect of the different types of
modifications on the distance the plane travels?
I.V.
D.V.

22. Let’s Practice… ANSWER: Write a hypothesis for the pepper experiment.
IF the type of fertilizer is cow poop
Then the size of the peppers will increase.
I.V.
D.V.

23. Let’s Practice Some More…
Write a hypothesis for the hot and cold tea experiment.
ANSWER:
If the temperature of the tea increases
Then the time it takes the sugar to dissolve will stay the same.
I.V.
D.V.

24. Designing an Experiment
Now you know how to:
Make an Observation
Determine the I.V. and the D.V.
Write a Problem Question
Write a Hypothesis
But, there’s more to understand here…

25. Constants and Controls
In every experiment you can only change one variable. The rest must be held constant.
A constant is something that stays the same throughout the lab.
What was the constant in the Airplane Lab?
Where you stood during your throw!
The control group is…
the part of the lab that we use to compare our results to! No changes are made to the control in the lab! (Usually the original)
What was the control in the Airplane Lab?
The First throw!

26. The CONTROL GROUP… Challenge…
You will collect data from this group, BUT it does not have any of the I.V.
Challenge…
What is the control group in the fertilizer experiment???
Answer: The row without any
fertilizer!!!