Scientific MethodStudent Fill in Notes

Observations vs Inferences

_________________: Something that you experience with your 5 senses

_________________: A statement, conclusion or reflection based on prior knowledge or experience

Observations

- Observations must be ______________ and accurate, not relative, so that it means the same to everyone.

Example:•Incorrect - the burning bag smelled nasty

•Correct - the burning bag smelled similar to rotten eggs

Inferences

Examples:- You leave the movie theater and

see the ground is wet so you infer that it rained.

- You are walking along the beach and see a footprint in the sand. You infer that someone was here before you.

Obs or Inf?

1. There is a representation of a face on one side of the coin.2. The coin tells us that these were deeply religious people.3. The words “We Trust the Gods” are printed on the coin.4. On one side of the artifact is a drawing of leaves.5. We can tell that these were peace-loving people.6. The face on the coin is a representation of the nation’s king.

Scenario #1

You come home to melted ice cream in the freezer. What can we infer?

Scenario #2

Your observations & inferences?

Qualitative vs Quantitative

- Both Observations and inferences can be qualitative or quantitative

- Quantitative: ________________________________

_____________________________________________

- Qualitative: __________________________________

_____________________________________________

Qualitative vs Quantitative

Qualitative observations –- Example: Hedwig has blue

eyesQuantitative observations- Example: Hedwig has two

eyes

2 Qualitative Obs:____________________________________

2 Quantitative Obs:____________________________________

2 Inferences:____________________________________

Scientific Method

•A process used to find answers to questions about the world around us. It uses observations, logic, reasoning and experimentation.

•There are certain steps we follow while using this method.

1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________- Based on previous observations of

the problem or phenomenon- Can be stated as a question- Example: Does the color of light

affect plant growth?

2. COMPLETE BACKGROUND ________________.

3. _____________________________________.

•Hypothesis – An educated _______________ of

what will happen. •A hypothesis must be ______________ and can be proven false.•Predicts the cause and effect•They are often written as “_________” statements

Circle the better hypothesis.

● The color of light might affect plant growth.

● If plants are exposed to green lights, then these plants will grow taller than plants that are exposed to natural, red, yellow or blue light.

4. ____________________________________

______________________________________.● Consider your methods (steps to perform the

experiment), variables & number of trials● Materials needed● Carry out a ________________ experiment-

experiment in which an experimental group is compared to a control group. Only one variable is tested at a time.

Same species of plant/ soil / watering patternMeasure growth after certain amount of time. Compare.

LIGHT

Variables

•_______________________ VARIABLE (IV) – The

variable that YOU purposefully change.

•_______________________ VARIABLE (DV) – The

variable that responds to the IV. (what you

measure)

Variables

•_________________ –Variable that is used as a

standard for comparing your results.

_________________________ GROUP - Group of

subjects that are exposed to the variable being

tested

When we discover new medicines, they have to undergo human trials before they can be sold to the public. The scientists testing the medicine will often have two groups: one group who is given the pill and another group who is given a placebo (usually a sugar pill that will not affect the results).

Which group would be considered the control group? _________________________________

The experimental group? ____________________________

Same species of plant/ soil / watering patternMeasure growth after certain amount of time. Compare.

LIGHT

Plant Example Variables:

Indep. V (what we are changing): __________________________

Dep. V (what we are measuring): _________________________

Control (what we compare our data to):___________________________________Experimental Group: __________________

Identify the Variables

1.Ms. Stone wanted to see how different types of music affected students' pulse rates. She played different types of music: heavy metal, rap, R&B, alternative, pop, country, and classical music and compared the pulse rates to students’ normal relaxed pulse rate.

Identify the Variables

1.Identify the•IV: _________________________

•DV:_________________________

•CONTROL:___________________

Identify the Variables

2. Nick wanted to see how high an ice cube would float in different temperatures of water.•IV: _________________________

•DV:_________________________

_____________________- All factors that remain the same during the course of an experiment to make sure our data is only from the variable we are changing.

● Constants are the factors that do not vary between the experimental and the control groups.

5. ____________________

•Data – __________________________ that display the observations and measurements from the experiment.

•Present the information in a way that allows people to see patterns and make connections (tables and graphs).

Types of Graphs

Bar Graph Line Graph Pie Graph

GraphsTITLE

_______________

___________

___________

_______________________

_________

6. ____________________.

Includes restatement of the hypothesis, data

and observations.

● Explain if your experiment __________

● _______________________________.

● Suggest new and better experiments.