1. Consumer Science
Scientific Method

2. Lesson Essential Question
How can the steps of the scientific method influence a life choice?

3. Vocabulary
Fair Test: making sure that the test are exactly the same for all brands being tested (a controlled experiment).
Bias: Letting your opinion influence the outcome of the experiment prior to testing.

4. The Scientific Method Song
Observe the world around you and determine a problem
Form a Hypothesis
Research
Conduct an experiment
Record & Analyze your results
Compare results with your hypothesis
Share your information

5. Activate! Look at & read the wrapper you were given.
Discuss the following questions with your group:
What brand of paper towels do you use?
Why do you think that brand is best?
How could you find out for certain which brand is best?

6. The brands of paper towels we will be investigating will be labeled A, B, C, and D.
Why do you think is might be a good idea to use letters instead of the actual brand?

7. What are some important things Paper Towels have to do?
Absorbency: the amount of liquid a paper towel will hold
Wet Strength: the amount of weight that can be supported by a wet paper towel.

8. Absorbency Experiment
In your group you will design and conduct experiments that are “fair tests” which means that whatever is done to one brand must be done to the other 3.
Don’t ask me for ideas, you are doing this your own way!
Write down your experimental design for absorbency.
Create a data table for you to record your data.
Example:
Towel Letter
Results of Test
Rank A B C D