Designing an Experiment

Do now Take out (or write down) a hard copy of your experimental question and your hypothesis

Scientific method We went over this yesterday in class What steps have we covered so far? Make an observation Ask a question Form a hypothesis

Today in class First we have to determine if you asked a testable question that can be explored with an experiment. Was this testable? Ehhh…. Maybe not. Jackalope

What is a testable question? We must be able to answer our question with an experiment that has a(n): Independent variable that you change or manipulate Dependent variable that you observe or measure Quantifiable data with 4-5 data points that can be graphed Control trial

What is an experimental control? A control is a baseline trial where you do not manipulate the independent variable The control trial lets you know whether changes you see in the dependent variable are due to changes you made in the independent variable, or if they’re due to some other factor. Can you think of an example of a control in prescription drug trials?

Confounding variable A confounding variable is an unexpected factor that affects the result of your experiment A confounding variable often leads you to make the wrong conclusion What were the confounding variables in the jackalope example? Losing mass through excretion, respiration, sweating, etc.

Separate into your groups. Pair with another group Give feedback on the other group’s experimental question (is it testable?) and their hypothesis (is it an educated guess?)