Focus ActivityCheck the board for what you need to hand in.

Left Hand Side of your notebook - On a new Page and #

My car broke down and I brought it to my mechanic. Describe in your own words how the mechanic would go about fixing my car using the scientific method.

Science- way of learning about the natural world by gathering information

Chemistry: study of properties of matter and how matter changes

Physics: study of matter and energy and how they interact

Fill in any notes that you do not already have

What do scientists use to begin the thought process of a law or theory?

We use the scientific processing skills! These process skills use the 5 senses

Observation Inference Prediction

DO NOT open the folder until the class has completed the WHOLE activity!

On the LEFT SIDE of your notebook answer the following questions.

1. What colors do you observe? 2. What textures do you observe? 3. What do you think the picture is?

Get up and move around the room. Take a marker board and dry erase

marker. A-Write down 5 qualitative- “think

quality” observations you make. B-Write down 5 quantitative- “think

quantity” observations you make.

The pencil is 15 cm long. I have brown hair. He is left-handed. I have a large shirt. There are 3 clouds in the sky. There is 15ml of water in the graduated

cylinder.

Quantitative

Qualitative

Qualitative

Qualitative

Quantitative

Quantitative

An EXPLANATION of your observationsUses background knowledge

Example: Observation- The ground is wet. There are many dark clouds in the sky. Background Knowledge- Dark clouds usually indicate

rain. Rain makes things wet.

Inference- It just rained. OR A storm just passed.

There can be many different inferences based on what you know and what you observe!

1. Observation- A call interrupts class and calls a student from the room.

2. Observation-A former rock and roll band member has poor hearing.

3. Observation- The classroom lights are off.

4. Observation- All middle school students are bringing lunch from home.

Make an inference about this picture.- 3 minutes

Long ago in a distant land, 6 blind men lived together. All of them had heard of elephants, but they had never “seen” one. When they heard that an elephant and his trainer would be visiting their village, they all wanted an encounter with this beast. They made their way to the site where the elephant was being kept. Each blind man touched the elephant and made his observations. The observations are as follows.

One man touched the elephant’s side and said, “ An elephant is like a wall”

Another man touched the trunk and said,“An elephant is like a snake.”

Another man touched a tusk and said,“An elephant is like a spear.”

Another man touched a leg and said,“An elephant is like a tree.”

Another man touched an ear and said,“An elephant is like a fan.”

The last man touched the tail and said,“An elephant is like a rope.”

Talk with your partner to answer these questions*Did the blind men make appropriate inferences? Explain.*How might the blind men improve their inferences?*One of the characteristics of science is that scientists communicate their

ideas, observations, results, and inferences with each other. Why is this a good idea?

A forecast about what YOU think will happen in the future based on past experiences or evidence.

Example- Evidence- It’s cold out.

There are dark clouds approaching. It's winter.

Prediction- It's going to snow!

Science is about solving problems.

-A Problem -Something appears to be missing What is it? BE SPECIFIC!! How do I solve it? Where do I start? 1)Look for clues 2)Find Pattern 3)Take measurements

* The more specific you are, the better able you will be to solve it.

Strategy - Plan, Logical Sequence. 1) Use what you know, eliminate

possibilities. 2) Patterns: Find them; Use tables or

graphs. 3) MODEL: represents what you are

trying to explain. Representation - Not an exact replica

of the “real” thing’. 4) Break it down into simpler steps.

Step 1: Ask a question

Step 2: research your topic and develop a hypothesis

Step 3: Design an experiment

Step 4: Collect and interpret your data

Step 5: Conclude and Communicate your results

IF/THEN statement Is a possible answer for the question

that is posed. Is not a fact MUST be testable by an observation or

experiment

Step 1: Pose a question Will an M&M left in water change the color of the water?

Step 2: Research and Develop a Hypothesis

What we know- when M&Ms melt in our mouths or hands- the color comes off.Hypothesis: IF I put an M&M in water and leave it, THEN the water will change color.

Step 3: Design an experiment *Test your hypothesis in an organized way.*Create a STEP by STEP procedure than can be replicated by others.*Create a control for comparison

Step 4: Collect and interpret data Create data tables and graphs of your data

Step 5: Conclude and Report your results

Was your hypothesis correct or not? What evidence do you have?Communicate with others.

When creating an experiment you need to determine what the variables are.

Variables- Factors that can affect an event Manipulated (Independent) Variable- ONE factor that

you change purposely.

Responding (Dependent) Variable- the factor that changes in response to the value of the manipulated variable. -THE RESULT.

Control –An experimental setup used for a comparison

Constant- Variables that are the same in all setups

What are some variables that might affect the attendance at a football game?

What are variables that might affect the number of books sold by a door-to-door salesman?

Cut out the pattern given to you and follow the directions to create your “helicopter”

Drop your helicopter from the same height several times.

On the LEFT side of your notebook answer these questions: 1. Record your observations and inferences 2. What are some possible variables that could affect

how it flies? 3. Test one of your variables- does it make a

difference?

Problem/Question- Does Brand A fertilizer cause flowers to grow more than Brand B?

Hypothesis: IF I put beans in Fertilizer A, THEN the beans will grow faster than in Fertilizer B.

Set up A Set up B 1 Cup of Fertilizer A 1 Cup of Fertilizer B 2 Bean Seeds 2 Bean Seeds 1 Cup of water 1 Cup of water Check 1 week later Check 1 week later. What is the manipulated variable? (What YOU

change) What is the responding variable? (The RESULT

of you changing the manipulated variable) Which are the constants and what is the

control?

1. Manipulated Variable: Length of String telephone

Responding Variable: Clarity of sound

2. Manipulated variable: temperature of solutionResponding variable: dissolving time of powdered

drink mix.

3. Problem: How does the number of hours practicing riding a bike affect the performance of riding a bike?

1. Name 4 variables that might affect the amount of books sold door to door.

2. Write a hypothesis for the following situations (If/Then)1. Manipulated/Independent variable- hours spent

shooting free throws2. Responding/dependent variable- accuracy of shots

1. Manipulated/Independent variable- amount of air in tires

2. Responding/dependent variable- miles driven per gallon of gasoline

H/W – Quiz on H Day (Thursday)

Directions 1) Problem:/Question What can we vary to change the bounce height of a

tennis ball?

2) Define the following terms and identify what each is from the lab Variable: Constants Control: Independent Variable Dependent Variable

3) Form a Hypothesis: Choose one variable and make a hypothesis about the relationship between the ?? variable and the height the ball will bounce.

4) Materials Tennis Ball Meter Stick

5) Procedure: Plan the experiment, write step-by-step directions

6) Answer the questions at the bottom of your lab.