1. Next, Experimentation

2. Why do we have the scientific method?
Gives us logical steps to follow to assist us in answering a question.

3. What are the “steps”? Develop a question
Conduct background research: (Obtain facts and ideas that provide info regarding your questions)
Form a hypothesis: (Proposing a solution to your question)
Test with an experiment: (Gives you info or data that supports or rejects your hypothesis)
Analyze the results: Does your data support or reject your hypothesis?)
Draw conclusions
Report results and test again

4. Parts of an experiment

5. Hypothesis A working explanation or “an educated guess”
Can be written in the form of “If….. then…....because

6. Independent Variable Part of the experiment that the scientist changes
The factor that you wish to test
There is only one independent variable at a time.
A variable we manipulate, change, on purpose

7. Dependent Variable
Part of the experiment that changes because of the independent variable
The factor you measure to gather results

8. Control
A group of subjects in an experiment that are not given any special treatment
Something that is not manipulated
This group is used to make a comparison to the other experimental groups.

9. Constants
Factors in an experiment that remain the same for every part of the experiment

10. An example experiment
A person wants to test whether music can help make plants grow. The person plants several seeds from the same batch into identical flower pots with identical potting soil, watering schedule and light supply. One flower pot is isolated from the sound supply, while the other pots are subjected to various types of music. After 1 month, the “healthiness” of each plant is measured.

11. Self Check
The Control Group in the experiment is used for ______________.
An educated guess or possible answer to your question that is based on your research is known as ________________.
The parts of an experiment that stay the same are known as ________________.

12. What is the best color in the world?
Put a YES next to questions that are good scientific method questions and a NO next to those that are not.
What is the best color in the world?
Will using or not using fertilizer help a plant grow better?
Do athletes run faster with or without vitamins?
How fast can humans run?