1. Designing Experiments
The Scientific Method
Lesson 1

2. TMBG

3. Guiding Question-
What tools, skills, knowledge, and dispositions are needed to conduct scientific inquiry?

4. Notes-Follow and fill in…
Scientists observe and ask questions about the natural world. Then, they look for answers. This process is inquiry.
Scientists often carry out experiments or investigations in order to answer questions and test ideas.
Their methods and results form the body of knowledge that make up science.
This understanding and the ability to conduct inquiry are essential for living in the 21st century.

5. Scientific investigations follow a scientific method, which is a series of steps that a scientist follows in order to solve a problem or answer a question.

6. The steps to the scientific method that we will follow for this class are-
Identify the problem-It must be solvable
Form a hypothesis-make a guess about what will happen
Make a plan/procedure-create steps to find the answer. This will include what you will do at each step and what materials you will use
Experiment and control the variables-carry out the plan and keep track of what happens by writing it down
Collect the data-use charts and graphs to make sense
Make a conclusion-decide if your hypothesis is correct
Report what you’ve learned

7. If your results do not support your hypothesis, you may come up with a new one. Then, you will need to carry out more experiments.
You will use this method throughout the year in labs, the year-end science fair, and on your own in projects.

8. Terms to know:
Hypothesis-
Experiment-
Data-
Conclusion-
Variable-

9. Terms to know: Hypothesis-A possible, testable answer or explanation
Experiment-A controlled procedure designed to answer a scientific question
Data-pieces of information
Conclusion-a statement that sums up the experimental results
Variable-any factor that can affect the results of an experiment

10. More Terms
Independent variables-are the causes; they are the factors that you can change in order to find out what will happen
Dependent variables-are the effects; they are the factors that can be affected by changes in the independent variable
Control group-a group or setup used as a standard of comparison; all variables here are controlled. In other words, not much is done to them experimentally.

11. Even More Terms
Experimental group-the group that is exposed to changes in the independent variable; everything else is the same as the control group
Trial-repetition of an experiment using the same plan to test the results

12. Using both a control group and an experimental group in an experiment helps make sure that only one variable is tested at a time. It keeps things focused and simple.

13. Let’s discuss-Robin Eggs
You have found a robins’ nest in your yard in the early spring. You wonder if those eggs will hatch faster since the weather is warmer. You decide that they will.
Your question is…
Your hypothesis is…
You just so happen to have an incubator, and there are plenty of eggs.
What will you do?
What is your independent variable?
What is your dependent variable?

14. Brain Pop!
Let’s try it-The Salt Water Lab
You will need a CPOP to graph what we find.

15. The Salt Water Lab
Imagine that you want to investigate how salt affects the boiling point of water.
The first thing you might do is label beakers as no salt, 5 ml, 10 ml, and 20 ml.
Then, you would add 250 ml of water to each beaker.
Measure out three different amounts of salt: 5 ml, 10 ml, and 20 ml.
Stir the contents of each beaker to dissolve as much of the salt as possible.
Place each beaker on a hot plate. Heat each until it begins to boil.
Use a thermometer to find the boiling point of the water in each beaker.
Record what is found.