1. Steps of The Scientific Method:
Problem
P = ___________________________
What is the main question being asked?

2. Steps of the Scientific Method:
Hypothesis
H = _____________________________________
“Educated Guess”
This should be an “IF - THEN” statement
Ie. – “IF” we do not water the plants, “THEN” they will not grow!

3. Steps of the Scientific Method:
ALERT - Within the Experiment, we need to look for the…
Control Group:____________________________________________
Experimental Group:_______________________________________
Independent Variable:_____________________________________
Dependent Variable:______________________________________
Constants:_______________________________________________
Experiment
Does not receive the special treatment or receives the recommended treatment
Receives the special treatment
A measurement that we CAN control
(the “IF” part of the hypothesis)
A measurement that we CANNOT control
(The “THEN” part of the hypothesis)
Things that are the same for all groups

4. Steps of the Scientific Method:
Observation
O = _____________________________________
What is it that you are actually being asked to look for or measure?

5. Steps of the Scientific Method:
Conclusion
C = _____________________________________
A Final statement that either supports or refutes the hypothesis

6. Example – Grow Plant Grow!
Pete thought that if a plant received 250 mL of water, it would grow the tallest. He planted ten seeds in each of 5 pots found around the house that contained 500 g of “Pete’s Potting Soil.” The recommended amount of water for the plants to receive is 150 mL. The pots were given the following amounts of water each day for 40 days: pot 1=50 mL, pot 2 = 100 ml, pot 3 = 150 ml, pot 4 = 200 ml, pot 5 = 250 mL. The height of each plant was measured at the end of the experiment. WRITE A HYPOTHESIS FROM THIS SCENARIO……
IF Pete gave a plant 250 mL of water a day, THEN that plant would grow the tallest.

7. Pete thought that if a plant received 250 mL of water, it would grow the tallest. He planted ten seeds in each of 5 pots found around the house that contained 500 g of “Pete’s Potting Soil.” The recommended amount of water for the plants to receive is 150 mL. The pots were given the following amounts of water each day for 40 days: pot 1=50 mL, pot 2 = 100 ml, pot 3 = 150 ml, pot 4 = 200 ml, pot 5 = 250 mL. The height of each plant was measured at the end of the experiment. WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLE IN THISSCENARIO…… (Hint: The independent variable will be the “if” part of the hypothesis and the dependent variable will be the “then” part of the hypothesis.
IF Pete gave a plant 250 mL of water a day, THEN that plant would grow the tallest.
Independent = amount of water
Dependent = height of plant

8. 150 mL of water. 500 grams of Pete’s Potting Soil ; tested for 40 days
Pete thought that if a plant received 250 mL of water, it would grow the tallest. He planted ten seeds in each of 5 pots found around the house that contained 500 g of “Pete’s Potting Soil.” The recommended amount of water for the plants to receive is 150 mL. The pots were given the following amounts of water each day for 40 days: pot 1=50 mL, pot 2 = 100 ml, pot 3 = 150 ml, pot 4 = 200 ml, pot 5 = 250 mL. The height of each plant was measured at the end of the experiment. WHAT ARE THE CONSTANTS IN THIS EXPERIMENT? WHAT IS THE CONTROL? HOW MANY DIFFERENT TREATMENTS (OR GROUPS) ARE THERE? HOW MANY TRIALS ARE IN EACH TREATMENT OR GROUP?
500 grams of Pete’s Potting Soil ; tested for 40 days
150 mL of water. 5 10

9. TEAM TIME…..
Sandy heard that plants compete for space. She decided to test this idea. She bought a mixture of flower seeds and some potting soil. Into each of the 5 plastic cups, she put the same amount of soil. The amount of seeds in each cup were as follows: Cup A = 2 seeds, Cup B=4 seeds, Cup C = 8 seeds, Cup D = 16 seeds, Cup E = 32 seeds. After 25 days, she determined which of the plants looked the best. She predicted that cup E would do the worst. IN YOUR TEAM, DECIDE ON THE FOLLOWING….. HYPOTHESIS: INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: DEPENDENT VARIABLE: CONSTANT(S): CONTROL: NUMBER OF GROUPS: TRIALS PER GROUP:
If plants were planted close together, THEN they would not do well
How many seeds were put in a cup
How well the plant did
Same amount of soil, looked at for 2 days, used plastic cups
NONE!!! 5 1

10. NOW ITS YOUR TURN…
As a team, make up any experiment (we will not actually test it out.) You can present this to us in several forms, picture, acting out, song, diagram, etc….. In the experiment, you will need to identify to us the hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, control, constant(s), number of groups, number of trials in each group.