1. Steps of
the
Scientific Method

2. The Scientific Method involves a series of steps that are used to investigate a natural occurrence.

3. We shall take a closer look at these steps and the terminology you will need to understand before you start a science project.

4. Observation/Research Formulate a Hypothesis Experiment
Scientific Method
Problem/Question
Observation/Research
Formulate a Hypothesis
Experiment
Collect and Analyze Results
Conclusion
Communicate the Results

5. Steps of the Scientific Method
Problem/Question: Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation.
Ex: Which turtle is faster, young or old

6. Do you remember the next step?

7. Steps of the Scientific Method
2. Observation/Research: Make observations and research your topic of interest.
Ex: Observe speed of turtle swimming, time in water, length.

8. Steps of the Scientific Method
3. Formulate a Hypothesis: Predict a possible answer to the problem or question.
Example: If I race the turtles then the young turtle will be slower.

9. Steps of the Scientific Method
Hypothesis: All Hypothesis must be stated in an “If, then” statement.

10. Steps of the Scientific Method
Experiment: Test your hypothesis.
Develop and follow a procedure.
Include a detailed materials list.
The outcome must be measurable (quantifiable).

11. Steps of the Scientific Method
Procedure: Step by step process that tells exactly what we do and how we do it.
Materials: All supplies used in the experiment.
Must be very detailed.
This is done so someone reading your lab report can repeat your experiment

12. Steps of the Scientific Method
5. Collect and Analyze Results: Modify the procedure if needed.
Confirm the results by retesting.
Include tables, graphs, and photographs.

13. Steps of the Scientific Method
6. Conclusion: Include a statement that accepts or rejects the hypothesis.
Make recommendations for further study and possible improvements to the procedure.

14. Steps of the Scientific Method
7. Communicate the Results: Be prepared to present the project to an audience.
Expect questions from the audience.

15. Think you can name all seven steps?
Collect and Analyze Results
Formulate a Hypothesis
Communicate the Results
Observation/Research
Problem/Question
Experiment
Conclusion

16. Let’s put our knowledge of the Scientific Method to a realistic example that includes some of the terms you’ll be needing to use and understand.

17. Problem/Question
Students sit in class each day and wonder who would win a race.
Timmy Or
“The YTB” (Young Turtle Brigade: Sergio, Blanc, Mario or Luigi)

18. Does the age of a turtle make it slower or faster on land?
Problem/Question
Does the age of a turtle make it slower or faster on land?

19. Observation/Research
Students are to research and observe different aspect of turtles, such as life span, diet and daily activity.
All information on this topic is kept in a journal.

20. Observation/Research
After talking with their teacher students also learn Timmy was the “Northeastern Turtle Race Champion” from , with an incredible undefeated record of 56-0.
Even though he has never lost he has been out of the circuit for 3 years, and might be past his prime.

21. Students talk with their teacher and he gives them an Experimental Design Diagram to help them set up their investigation.

22. General Layout for an Experimental Design Diagram
Title:
The Effect of _________________________________________(independent variable)
on _________________________________________________(dependent variable)
Hypothesis:
If ________________________________ (planned change of the independent variable)
then ______________________________ (predicted change in the dependent variable)
Independent Variable: (what I am changing in the experiment)
______________________________________________________________________
Dependent Variable and how it is measured:
Constants:

23. Formulate a Hypothesis
After talking with their teacher and conducting further research, students come up with a hypothesis.
“If age determines how fast a turtle travels, then the younger turtle will be faster.”

24. Note: These variables will be defined in the next few slides.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Note: These variables will be defined in the next few slides.

25. Do you know the difference between the independent and dependent variables?

26. Independent Variable
The independent, or manipulated variable, is a factor that’s intentionally varied by the experimenter.
Students will use turtles of different age groups. One turtle is 21 years old the others are 2 years old.

27. The measurable outcome.
Dependent Variable
The dependent, or responding variable, is the factor that may change as a result of changes made in the independent variable.
The measurable outcome.
In this case, it would be how long it takes the turtles to leave the circle.

28. They discuss how to determine the control group.
Experiment
The teacher helps the students come up with a procedure and list of needed materials.
They discuss how to determine the control group.

29. Control Group
In a scientific experiment, the control is the group that serves as the standard of comparison.
The control group may be a “no treatment" or an “experimenter selected” group.

30. All experiments should have a control group.
The control group is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group, except for the variable being tested.
All experiments should have a control group.

31. Control Group
Because Timmy is the undefeated Champion, he will be used as the standard of comparison, or control group. All other turtles times will be compared to her’s.

32. Constants
I remind students to keep all other factors the same, so that any observed changes in the race can be attributed to the age of the turtles.

33. Constants
The constants in an experiment are all the factors that the experimenter attempts to keep the same.

34. Can you think of some constants for this experiment?

35. Constants They might include:
Diet, time trained, external stimulus, similar tanks, similar water quality, temperature, same racing surface, same timing mechanism.

36. Experiment
Students write out their procedure for their experiment along with a materials list in their journal. They have both of these checked by their teacher where he checks for any safety concerns.

37. Materials
Turtles
Racing Mat
Stopwatches
Food
Tanks
Bucket
Tape

38. Procedure Feed turtles the recommended dose each day
Race turtles same time each day
Place one turtle in center of carpet under a box.
Release the turtle to start timer
Time turtle to find how long it takes to leave the circle
Place the turtle back into its home.
Race each turtle at least three times to find the average time it takes to leave the circle

39. We are going to race each turtle 3 times.
Trials
Trials refer to replicate groups that are exposed to the same conditions in an experiment.
We are going to race each turtle 3 times.

40. The Race!

41. Collect and Analyze Results
The students come up with a table that can be used to record data.
We get all materials together and carries out the experiment.

42. Time for each turtle to travel outside the circle
Time it took to leave the circle (s)
Trials
Turtle 1 2 3
Average
Time (s)
Timmy 98
116 84 99
Sergio
482
396
427
435
Blanć
228
276
235
246
Mario
181
196
140
172
Luigi
376
304
388
356
Control group

43. Can you tell which group did the best?

44. Collect and Analyze Results
We examine our data and notice that the control worked the best in this experiment, however we still feel our results can be better.

45. Conclusion We accept our hypothesis, but decide to re-test.
What should we maybe change?

46. Once again, we gather our materials and carries out the experiment.
Here are the results.

47. Time to leave circle on carpet
Time to leave circle (in s)
Trials
Turtles 1 2 3
Average
Time (s)
Timmy 62 45 50 52
Sergio
260
275
300
278
Blanc
154
175
162
164
Mario
102 94
115
104
Luigi
224
208
194
209
Control group

48. His hypothesis is accepted.
Conclusion
Retesting on a different surface, like carpet should give us more accurate results.
His hypothesis is accepted.

49. Communicate the Results
As an extra credit project for the first quarter write a short article about the scientific method and this class example to be published in the Solomon Shuttle

50. Observe your
world and come
up with a question
to answer using the
Scientific Method!