Scientific Method

Definition of Scientific Method:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are ____ steps in the Scientific Method.The goal for using it is to make a scientificclaim ________________, _______________, and_____________.

The orderly and universally accepted stepsthat a scientist uses to answer andsolve problems.

6

reliable reproduciblevalid

The 6 steps of the scientificmethod are:

1.______________________________

2.__________________________________

3.______________________________________

4.__________________________________

5._________________________________________

6.____________________________________

Ask a question (or state the problem)

Form a hypothesis

Test the hypothesis by performing an experiment

Analyze the results

State a conclusion – accept or reject the hypothesis

Communicate the results or take action

1. Ask a questionGood questions come fromgood _______________________,which are only useful if they are accurately _____________ and ______________________.

Tools to assist in observation:_____________, ______________, ____________,________________, ____________, _______________,___________________, __________ __________,______________, ________________, ________________,______________, etc.

observations

made

recorded

Sight hearing tasting

smelling touching telescopesmicroscopes graduated cylinders

clocks, rulers stethescopesx-rays

Form a hypothesis – an____________ __________ or a_________________ that can be tested.

Can you have different hypothesesfor the same problem? ________

Use ____________________ statements.

Example: If a plant does not get sunlight,then it won’t grow.

educated guessprediction

YES!

“if – then”

3. Test the hypothesisby performing a controlledexperiment.a. Only one variable per experiment! A variable is the factor that is _________________ between the test groups.b. The _______________ statement defines the variable.c. You must have at least ____ groups: the ___________________ group(s) and the ________________ group.d. The control is the group tested under __________________ conditions.e. Collect the _____________.f. ________________________: the larger the number of tested ______________ or the number of times an experiment is ________________, the more reliable.

different

“if – then”

2experimental

control

normaldata

Law of large numberssubjects

repeated

4. Analyze the results of the experiment.

Organize the _____________using _____________ or ______________.

data

tables graphs

5. Draw a conclusion …If the experiment supports the_________________, you ___________the hypothesis. If not, you ________________ the hypothesis.

Options if your hypothesis was wrong:a. Repeat the ___________________.

b. Find another _________________ for what you have observed.

hypothesis accept

reject

experimentexplanation

6. Communicate the results or do something with them.

Ways to communicate the results:1. Publish them in a _______________

_________________. 2. Tell other _____________________.

3. Take _______________.

scientificjournal

scientists

action

Definitions:

Theory: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Example: our solar system – do theplanets go around the Earth or the Sun?

Scientific Law: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Example: the law of gravity – what goes up must come down

a description of nature,subject to change when the evidence changes, ora unifying explanation for a broad range of hypothesesand observations.

a rule that describes a patternin nature under specific conditions

Example of the Scientific Method

1. State the problem: __________________________________________________.2. Form a hypothesis: __________________________________________________________.3. Test the hypothesis: __________________________________________________________________4. Analyze the results: ______________________________________________________________________5. State a conclusion: _________________________________________________________________________________6. Do something with the results! ______________________________________________________________________

Bob has a sore throat

Bob has strep throat. The doctor takes a swabof Bob’s throat and sends it to the lab.

Strep bacteria arefound in the culture.

The doctor accepts hishypothesis that Bob has strep throat.

The doctor gives Bob some antibiotic medicine.

Scientific Method

Definition of Scientific Method:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are ____ steps in the Scientific Method.The goal for using it is to make a scientificclaim ________________, _______________, and_____________.

The 6 steps of the scientificmethod are:

1.______________________________

2.__________________________________

3.______________________________________

4.__________________________________

5._________________________________________

6.____________________________________

1. Ask a questionGood questions come fromgood _______________________,which are only useful if they are accurately _____________ and ______________________.

Tools to assist in observation:_____________, ______________, ____________,________________, ____________, _______________,___________________, __________ __________,______________, ________________, ________________,______________, etc.

Form a hypothesis – an____________ __________ or a_________________ that can be tested.

Can you have different hypothesesfor the same problem? ________

Use ____________________ statements.

Example: If a plant does not get sunlight,then it won’t grow.

3. Test the hypothesisby performing a controlledexperiment.a. Only one variable per experiment! A variable is the factor that is _________________ between the test groups.b. The _______________ statement defines the variable.c. You must have at least ____ groups: the ___________________ group(s) and the ___________________ group.d. The control is the group tested under __________________ conditions.e. Collect the _____________.f. ______________________: the larger the number of tested ______________ or the number of times an experiment is ________________, the more reliable.

4. Analyze the results of the experiment.

Organize the _____________using _____________ or ______________.

5. Draw a conclusion …If the experiment supports the_________________, you ___________the hypothesis. If not, you ________________ the hypothesis.

Options if your hypothesis was wrong:a. Repeat the ___________________.

b. Find another _________________ for what you have observed.

6. Communicate the results or do something with them.

Ways to communicate the results:1. Publish them in a _______________

_________________. 2. Tell other _____________________.

3. Take _______________.

Definitions:

Theory: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Example: our solar system – do theplanets go around the Earth or the Sun?

Scientific Law: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Example: the law of gravity – what goes up must come down

Example of the Scientific Method

1. State the problem: __________________________________________________.2. Form a hypothesis: __________________________________________________________.3. Test the hypothesis: __________________________________________________________________4. Analyze the results: ______________________________________________________________________5. State a conclusion: _________________________________________________________________________________6. Do something with the results! ______________________________________________________________________