1. Welcome to Mr. Crocco’s Living Environment

2. What is Science? Science is an organized way of using evidence to learn about the real or natural world. The goal of science is to explore, understand, and explain nature.

3. What is biology? Biology is a specific branch of science that deals with life. The word biology is derived from the Greek words “bios” meaning “life” and “logos” meaning “study.” Biology: study of life.

4. What is the process used to study life? The Scientific Method

5. What is the Scientific Method? The Scientific Method is a series of steps used by scientists and everyday people to solve any kind of problem.

6. All Scientist use this same process to study nature. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. What's the cause? What the effect?

7. What the cause? What's the effect?

8. What the cause? What's the effect?

9. What are the steps of the Scientific Method? 1) Ask a question 2) Research your topic 3) Form a hypothesis 4) Test hypothesis by setting up experiment 5) Collect and analyze data 6) Form a conclusion 7) Report data

10. 1. Ask a question The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe: How, What, When, Who, Why, or Where? It must be about something that you can measure. Example Does putting aspirin in the soil make flowers more colorful?

11. 2. Research topic Use the library or internet find information about your topic. Helps avoid mistakes made in the past by others. Easier than starting from scratch. Example: Research flowers and aspirin.

12. 3. Form hypothesis Hypothesis: an educated guess about how about the outcome of the experiment. You are guessing the answer to your question in step 1. The hypothesis is never in the form of a question.

13. It is usually stated in an “if…. then….” format. Ex. If aspirin is in the soil, then the flowers will be more colorful. It is a cause and effect relationship. If I do this, then that will be the result.

14. 4. Test hypothesis: set up experiment You are trying to prove or disprove your hypothesis. There must be at least two groups 1.Control group 2.Experimental group

15. The control group is identical to the experimental group except for one thing. The experimental group has one extra variable that the control group does not have. That variable is what you are testing (independent variable). variable is something that can be changed during an experiment.

16. There are three types of variables in any experiment: 1. Controlled variables 2. Independent variable 3. Dependent variable

17. 1.Controlled Variable: Variables that are kept the same between the control and experimental group Example: Same temperature, same amount of water, same type of flowers, same sunlight, etc. The only thing that is different is one group gets aspirin and one does not.

18. 2. Independent variable: The variable you are testing. The independent variable is something in the experiment that is going to be changed It’s the only difference between the control and experimental groups. This is why its called the independent variable, it stands alone.

19. The independent variable is always in the experimental group. It’s the “If” part of the hypothesis: If we put aspirin in the soil then……… Example: The aspirin is the independent variable. It’s the only difference between the experimental and control group.

20. 3. Dependent variable: The way you choose to measure the results of the experiment. The dependent variable is called this because it depends on independent variable. The independent variable effects the dependent variable. It’s a Cause-effect relationship.

21. The dependent variable is the “THEN” part of the hypothesis. If we put aspirin in the soil…. then the flowers will be more colorful. What are we going to measure in this experiment? Color change in the flowers.

22. Reminder: The control group and experimental group are identical except for one thing The experimental group has the independent variable: variable you are testing. This is called a controlled experiment. You control every variable of the experiment.

23. Example: If we put aspirin in the soil, then the flowers will be more colorful. Independent variable: aspirin Control group does not get aspirin Experiment group does get aspirin.

24. 5. Collect and analyze data Conduct the experiment with the control group and experimental groups Take measurements and collect data throughout The data is organized in charts and graphs to make it visual

25. Color no aspirinaspirin Red025 Blue020 Green015 Orange020 White10020 Experimental Results

26. 6. Form a Conclusion The measurements of the control group are compared to the measurements of the experimental group. Any difference was caused by the independent variable since it’s the only difference between the control and experimental groups.

27. Use the data you’ve collected, what you already know about the topic (about aspirin and flowers), and research of other scientists to make an inference. Inference is a conclusion based on what you have observed and what you already know.

28. After comparing the data, you must reject or accept your hypothesis. Then write a lab report explaining all the step you followed The data you collected. The conclusion you made.

29. Look at our results. What is our inference? Do we accept or refute our hypothesis? Did the aspirin effect flower color? Color no aspirinaspirin Red025 Blue020 Green015 Orange020 White10020

30. 7. Report data Publish your report for others to read You publish online and in scientific journals Others will repeat you work. This is called peer review

31. Accountability: Any good experiment should be repeatable by others with the same results. This proves if your data is correct or not. If it can not be repeated by others, your hard work is ignored by the scientific community. You will have no credibility.

32. Scientific method (21 min)

33. HAPPY PROBLEM SOLVING!!

34. Example: You discovered a new shampoo called New Afro that you think will grow hair on Mr. Crocco’s bald head. 1.Problem: will New Afro grow hair? 2. Research: read about the chemicals in this product: Google, books, articles, etc. 3. Hypothesis: If we use New Afro on bald heads, then it will grow hair.

35. 4) Test hypothesis by setting up an experiment Control group: No New Afro Experimental group: gets New Afro Independent Variable: New Afro Dependent Variable: Hair growth All other variables are the same: includes water they use, food they eat, temperature

36. 5) Collect and analyze data: decide when to take measurement and record DayNo new afro New afro 100 201 3¼2 4½4

37. 6) Form a conclusion: My data supported my hypothesis. The experimental group that received the New Afro grew faster than the control group Write a formal research paper 7) Report data: publish paper on line and in science journals.

38. You do this one You think you have found a vitamin that causes humans to lose 10 pounds in a week. Go through each step of the scientific process to test your product.