1. “What are the steps of the scientific
method?”
Objectives:
1. Recognize that a scientific study always begins with
qualitative/quantitative observations.
2. Understand that a hypothesis represents a tentative explanation for the initial observation.
3. Realize that an experiment is necessary to test a hypothesis;
understand the distinction between dependent and independent
variables, as well as the importance of a control in an experiment.
4. Recognize the importance of data analysis in reaching a conclusion
that can either support or disprove the hypothesis.
5. Distinguish among law, theory and inference.

2. Scientific Method 1. Define the scientific method.
2. List the steps of the scientific method.
3. What is the difference between an independent and a dependent variable?
4. What is a control group and why should it be included in all experiments?
5. Why is it important to have more than a couple of experimental subjects?

3. Scientific Method Group # of Coughs/hr # Tsp of Syrup A 20 3 B 25 2 C
Lucy has made some
homemade cough syrup.
She believes that people will
cough the least if they take
2 teaspoons of the cough
syrup every 4 hours. Her
data is in the following table.
Group
# of Coughs/hr
# Tsp of
Syrup A 20 3 B 25 2 C 30 1 D 40
1. What is the hypothesis?
2. What is the independent variable?
3. What is the dependent variable?
4 Which group is the control group?
5. What should Lucy’s conclusion be?

4. Scientific Method Group Brand of Bug Spray # of mosquito bites 1 A 4 27 3 C
None 15
1. What is the hypothesis? 2. What is the dependent variable? 3. What is the independent variable? 4. Which group is the control group? 5. What should Quinten’s conclusion be?
Quinten wanted to know which bug spray is the best at repelling
mosquitoes. He decided to test three brands of bug spray repellant
that he labeled A, B, and C. Quinten had always used brand A in the
past, so he believed that it would repel mosquitoes the best. He
decided to measure the number of mosquito bites that people using
these brands got. He applied the same amount of bug spray to each
person and placed them in rooms containing the same number of
mosquitoes. After an hour, he counted how many mosquito bites each
person had gotten.

5. Scientific Method You notice that your houseplant is dying.
You want to figure out
how to make it healthy
again.
Design an experiment
to determine what is
wrong.
1. State your hypothesis.
2. What is your independent variable?
3. What is your dependent variable?
4. What will be your control group?