1. The Scientific Method

2. Do Not Copy This Slide!!! 1. pose questions about the natural world,
2. conduct systematic observations,
3. examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known,
4. review what is known in light of empirical evidence,
5. plan investigations,
6. use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data, including data tables and graphs),
7. pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events,
8. generate explanations that explicate or describe natural phenomena (inferences),
9. use appropriate evidence and reasoning to justify these explanations to others,
10. communicate results of scientific investigations, and
11. evaluate the merits of the explanations produced by others.

3. Scientific method - The pattern in which most experiments are followed: posing questions, developing a hypothesis, designing an experiment, interpreting data, and drawing conclusions

4. experiment - a way to test an idea in a careful, orderly manner

5. hypothesis - a possible explanation for a set of observations or an answer to a scientific question
If ______________________, then _______________________.
It’s what you think will happen…

6. variable - any factor that can change during an experiment
Examples:
Growth
Adding or taking something away
Temperature
Sunlight

7. independent variable - (manipulated variable) - the thing that a scientist changes. This is what you change
Something you add or take away…
If you add salt to water, then an egg will float in the water.

8. dependent variable - (responding variable) - the variable that is expected to change in response to the manipulated variable.
This is what you measure or observe.
If you add salt to water, then an egg will float in the water.

9. Controls/Constants – things that you keep the same in an experiment

10. control group – any group that does NOT receive the independent variable

11. Controlled experiment – an experiment with only one independent variable

12. Read the information below and then answer the questions.
SpongeBob and Patrick love to go jellyfishing. They wondered if a new brand of jellyfish bait would help them catch more jellyfish. To test their idea, they bought a big container of bait for their next 3 trips to their top-secret fishing spot. SpongeBob fished without any bait, while Patrick used the new bait. Both of them kept track of how many jellyfish they caught in 30 minutes, which is shown in the chart.
SpongeBob
Patrick 25 24 18 28 26 19
Which person was the control?
2. What is the independent variable?
3. What is the dependent variable?
4. Based on the data, how would you rate the new bait?

13. Read the information below and then answer the questions.
SpongeBob and Patrick love to go jellyfishing. They wondered if a new brand of jellyfish bait would help them catch more jellyfish. To test their idea, they bought a big container of bait for their next 3 trips to their top-secret fishing spot. SpongeBob fished without any bait, while Patrick used the new bait. Both of them kept track of how many jellyfish they caught in 30 minutes, which is shown in the chart.
SpongeBob
Patrick 25 24 18 28 26 19
Which person was the control?
SpongeBob
2. What is the independent variable?
Jellyfish Bait
3. What is the dependent variable?
Number of jellyfish caught
4. Based on the data, how would you rate the new bait?
The bait appears to have helped a small amount, but shouldn’t be rated as a great deal. Overall Patrick caught 2 more jellyfish than SpongeBob.

14. observation - using one or more of your five senses to gather information

15. Inference - a logical interpretation based on observation or prior knowledge

16. Lab Report – an organized way of recording everything about an experiment
Title
Problem Statement
Hypothesis
Materials
Procedures
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

17. What’s in Conclusion Anyway?
Write conclusions that cover the following seven points: state what was investigated
Describe whether or not the hypothesis was supported by the results
Include sample results
Compare the results with other investigations
Provide possible explanations about the results
Recommend additional studies
Discuss possible applications.