Scientific Method & Processing Skills

Observation

• Using your senses to study the world

Problem Statement

• Question that scientists are wanting to answer with an experiment.

Helpful hints when writing a problem statement:– Must be in question form– Must include IV and

Hypothesis

• Proposed answer to a scientific question.• Hypothesis Must Haves:– Testable and Specific– Take If.. IV then …DV

Practice writing Hypothesis

Experiment

• Testing the hypothesis• Must be repeated• Include independent and dependent variables.– Only one variable tested(keep constants)

Independent Variable

• Condition that is manipulated, or changed, by a scientist

Dependent Variable

• Observed and measured during an experiment.

Constant

• Conditions that do not change during an experiment.

PRACTICE

Identify the Independent and Dependent Variables

1. What effect does food color have on the amount of food fish eat?

IV=DV=

2. What effect does light have on plant growth?

IV=DV=

3. What effect does smiling have on the teacher giving no homework?

IV=DV=

4. How does the amount of water effect plant growth?

IV=DV=

5. How does the number of leaves on a tree effect the number of bird nests in the tree?

IV=DV=

Valid Experiments

• Two groups are required:– Control – standard for comparison– Experimental – group that receives the

independent variable

Observations can be recorded as DATA

• Qualitative: include sights, sounds and smells.

• Reports what happens

• Quantitative: can be measured or counted. EX: mass, volume, temperature.

• Explore how something happens

DATA

• Must be organized into charts, tables, or graphs

Communication/Conclusion

• Answer to the hypothesis based on data obtained in experiment.

• Scientist shares the analysis of data and experiment.

• Other scientist review experiment