1. How will discussion days/note taking work in science class this year?
Day 1: - The day before OR for homework the night before you will read and answer the “guided notes” to prepare for class the next day.
Day 2: - We will review the material on “discussion days” in class. During this time you will follow along with the PowerPoint presentation – You will refer to your notes and highlight information presented OR add information you are missing.

2. Scientific Inquiry:
Science is the investigation and exploration of natural events and of the new information that results from those investigations.
Throughout history, people of many different backgrounds, interests, and talents have made scientific contributions.
3 branches of science:
Physical Science
Earth Science
Life Science

4. What is Scientific Inquiry?
Scientific Inquiry – various organized methods of trying to solve problems and answer questions.
The basic process of Scientific Inquiry:
Posing a Question
Hypothesis and Predict
Experiment (Test Hypothesis)
Analyze Results
Draw Conclusions
Communicate Results

5. Ask Questions:
You need a scientific question – can be answered by making observations or collecting data.
Observations— the results of using one or more of your senses to gather information and taking note of what occurs.
Ex: Does the size of a shadow depend on the distance between the light and the object?
Scientific Inquiry cannot answer questions based on opinions, values, or judgments. Ex: Which photo is the most interesting in a photo contest?

6. Hypothesize and Predict:
A hypothesis is a possible explanation for an observation that can be tested by scientific investigations.
A prediction is a statement of what will happen next in a sequence of events.
Scientists make predictions based on what information they think they will find when testing their hypothesis.
Ex: I predict changing the distance between an object and the light source changes the size of the object’s shadow.

7. Experiment:
To test your predictions and hypothesis, you could design an experiment.
Variables – factors that can change in an experiment. In a well-designed experiment only one variable is purposely changed.
The variable that is changed is the manipulated variable (independent variable).
The variable that is expected to change due to the manipulated variable is the responding variable (dependent variable).

8. Distance between object and light (cm)
Analyze Results:
After doing an experiment or research, you need to analyze your results and findings. You might make additional inferences after reviewing your data. Some methods include graphing results, classifying information, and making calculations.
Data – facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations.
Scientist create data tables to keep data organized.
Use GRAPHS to help organize data. Look for trends or patterns in your data.
Distance between object and light (cm)
Height of Shadow (cm) 10 32 15 27 20 25 23 30 22 35 21 40
Height of Shadow
Distance From Object

9. Draw Conclusions:
A conclusion is a summary of the information gained from testing a hypothesis.
Retest - You should test and retest your hypothesis several times to make sure the results are consistent.
Example of a Conclusion:
I conclude that the height of a shadow decreases as the light is moved further and further away from the object.

10. Communicate Results:
Sharing the results of a scientific inquiry is an important part of science.
Scientists can evaluate and test others’ work and make faster progress in their own research.
Exchanging information is one way of making scientific advances as quickly as possible and keeping scientific information accurate.
Scientist often communicate by giving talks at meetings, sharing results via the internet, or publishing articles in scientific journals.

11. Scientific Theory Scientific Law
When many tests over many years support a hypothesis (or a group of closely related hypotheses), a scientific theory can develop.
A scientific theory is an explanation of observations or events that is based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations.
Scientific Law
A scientific law is a rule that describes a repeatable pattern in nature.
A scientific law does not explain why or how the pattern happens. It only states that it will happen.