Warm Up #3 Where have you seen variables before? Explain what a variable is.

Nature of Science (NOS): Scientific Explanations Lesson 3: Case Study Nature of Science (NOS): Scientific Explanations

Essential Questions How do independent and dependent variables differ? How is scientific inquiry used in a real-life scientific investigation?

Key Terms Variable – any factor in an experiment that can have more than one value Controlled experiments are experiments in which a scientific investigation that tests how one variable affects another. Control group – contains the same factors as the experimental group, but the independent variable isn’t changed Experimental group – used to study how a change in the independent variable changes the dependent variable

Key Terms Dependent variable – the factor measured or observed during an experiment Independent variable – the factor that you want to test; changed by the investigator to observe how it affects a dependent variable Constants – the factors in an experiment that remains the same

Compare and Contrast Container 1 – 50 mL of warm water with tablespoon of dry yeast and pinch of sugar Container 2 – 50 mL of warm water with tablespoon of dry yeast Observe both containers for 15 mins. What were the constants in the experiment? What was the independent variable? What was the dependent variable?

Practice with Variables Worksheet Step 1 – Define each term in your own words Step 2 – Write a hypothesis for each experiment Step 3 – Determine the independent variable and dependent variable for each experiment Step 4 – Give the control group and experimental group for each experiment