How do questions fuel the study of science?

You are walking though a field with some friends. Suddenly, you notice that there are frogs hopping around all over the place! You and your friends start catching the frogs with your hands. As you lift the first frog from the net, you notice something. Its’ legs seem to be broken. You look at your friend’s frog. It seems to be injured, too. You look at another. A frog with no eyes? Wait a minute! These frogs aren’t injured. They’re deformed! 1995

The friends, like almost all scientists, begin their research by noticing something about the natural world and then by asking questions about what they observe. Why was asking questions important in the case of the frogs?

It All Starts with a Question! Who? What? When? Where? Why? The Scientific Method 1.Observation 2.Question 3.Collect Data 4.Form a Hypothesis (From Collected Information) 5.Test the Hypothesis 6. Analyze Results of Data 7. Draw Conclusions/Communicate Results Check out chart on pg. 17 in book.

Ask a Question Identify the Problem Decide what you want to know

Collect Data Observe Measure Do research

Form a Hypothesis Designing a test Identifying Variables -Control - Experimental State the Hypothesis “ I believe that if I take light away from the plant at my house they will NOT die!” “If ….then...” statement!

Experiment/Test the Hypothesis Select a control group and experimental group Determine how these variables will be measured/controlled Do the experiment

Variables Independent The one factor that your changing in your experiment. Dependent Is what your measuring in your experiment. Constant All the factors that are kept the same.

Analyze Results of Data Observe Record Organize Gather

Draw Conclusions If wrong…reform hypothesis If right…redo experiment to prove! “I was right! I am a genius!”

Drawing Conclusions: Scientific Validity 1.Hypothesis = Guess 2.Theory = A hypothesis that has been supported over a long time, but never proven. 3.Law = A theory that has been tested, validated, and proven true.

3 Cool Scientists 1.Redi - covered jar experiment with flies 2. Spallanzan i- canned sterilization experiment with microbes 3.Pasteur - broth in curved neck flask experiment.