WWYS: What would you say? What is scientific inquiry?

Understand investigations involve systematic observations, carefully collected, relevant evidence, logical reasoning, and some imagination in developing hypotheses and explanations OBSERVATION BACKGROUND INFORMATION RESEARCH QUESTION HYPOTHESIS VARIABLES (I.V., D.V., C.V.) MATERIALS METHOD CONCLUSION EVALUATION Objective

Quiz 1. Observing 2. Inferring 3. Controlled variable 4. Qualitative Observation 5. Independent variable 6. Dependent variable 7. Quantitative Observation a. Variable that can act as the dependent variable that is maintained the same: volumes, temperatures, masses b. An observation made by measuring c. Explanations for observations, must be logical d. Noticing things going on around you, using your senses, paying close attention e. A variable that depends on the independent variable, the results of the experiment, what you observe. f. A variable that is adjusted by the experimenter g. Observations made with the senses, not exact. In pairs, complete the following quiz:

Research Question How does the independent variable affect the dependent variable? Relate to scientific ideas, not personal preferences or morals Form testable questions that can be answered by collecting and analyzing evidence that is measurable Testable questions are always about changing one variable to see what the effect is on another variable.

Research Question Examples How does changing the amount of water affect the growth of tomatoes? How does changing the type of soil affect the growth of petunias? How does changing the type of fruit affect its ability to float in water? How does changing the shape of a rocket’s fins affect its ability to fly? Write a testable question about something in your everyday life.

Hypothesis ( Educated Guess) If independent variable, then dependent variable because scientific reasoning. EXAMPLE: The volume of the gas will decrease as the pressure of the gas increases because of the relationship between volume and pressure described by Boyle’s law; P 1 V 1 = P 2 V 2 Your hypothesis can be wrong and still be based upon correct scientific reasoning!

Hypothesis ( Educated Guess) An experiment should test a specific hypothesis. Always ask yourself, “Does my experiment match my hypothesis?” For example, Mild wanted to test the following hypothesis: “Gerbils can think better right after they eat.” She built a maze to test her eight gerbils’ thinking ability. At first, she planned to test four ger- bils right after they had eaten one brand of gerbil food and the other four after they had eaten another brand of gerbil food. Would this experiment test Mild’s hypothesis? Write the hypothesis you think this experiment would test. Mild decided she would feed her gerbils at 8 P.M. every evening. Then she would test four gerbils in the maze at 8:30 P.M. and the other four on the following morning. This experiment would test her origi- nal hypothesis.

Hypothesis ( Educated Guess) For each experiment, provide an appropriate hypothesis. Write down the different variables that your hypothesis mentions. Your experiment to test your hypothesis should use the same variables. Mild fed half her gerbils all at once. The other half were fed their daily ration in three equal parts—in the morning, at midday, and at night. After a month, all of the gerbils were tested in the maze. Hypothesis: If independent variable, then dependent variable because scientific reasoning.____________________________________________________

Hypothesis ( Educated Guess) For each experiment, provide an appropriate hypothesis. Write down the different variables that your hypothesis mentions. Your experiment to test your hypothesis should use the same variables. Mild kept half her gerbils in a cage on a table surrounded by plants. She kept the other half in a cage on a table without plants. After a week, she tested the gerbils in the maze. Hypothesis: If independent variable, then dependent variable because scientific reasoning.____________________________________________________

Systematic Observations Observations: see, touch, smell (senses) Inferences Gather and record observations (qualitative and quantitative) Observations must be relevant Inferences: conclusion based on observations

Systematic Observations Determine if the following statements are observations or inferences by labeling them “I” for inference and an “O” for observation. 1. The boy is in the water. 2. If the boy crawled out of the water, the goat would push him. 3. The goat is standing by the pond. 4. The boy fell off the rocks. 5. There is a sailboat in the water. 6. The sailboat belongs to the boy.

Scientific Logical Reasoning “How do mountains like these disappear? The process begins with rain. As it rains, water seeps (passes) through cracks and joints in the stone. Chemicals in the water dissolve small grains of rock. Later on, the water freezes and thaws, loosening bigger pieces of rock. These rocks grind against other rocks as they slide downhill. The wind carries away particles of dust left behind by these grinding rocks. In the end it can be said that wind, water, and gravity have hauled away these mountains.” Peter Anderson, A Grand Canyon Journey: Tracing Time in Stone, 1997, p. 45, ISBN Identify the cause and effect in this paragraph