The Scientific Method:AKA “scientific inquiry”

process used to answer questions & gain knowledge

1. Question2. Research3. Hypothesize/Predict4. Experiment/Test/Collect Data5. Analyze Data & Make Data Visual6. Conclude/Report results

The 6 “Steps”

1. Question. • Comes from OBSERVATIONS• What do you want to find out?• Must be testable and measurable

(have a clear outcome).• NOT opinion ex: Which flower

smells better?

2. Research info about the question.

• prior knowledge • internet • books • ask an expert, etc.

3. Make a HYPOTHESIS/Prediction• an “educated guess”• based on research from step 2!

• “If, then, because” statement• “If”: what you are planning to test• “then”: what you expect to happen• “because”: why you think it will

happen (justification)

3. Make a HYPOTHESIS/PredictionHypothesis:Some students behave better in class if they

know there will be a reward.

Prediction:If the school offers fun incentives, then students will behave better because they’ll want to receive a fun reward.

4. Experiment/Collect Data (run your test)

• must have clear procedures (steps)• must be able to be duplicated by others• Include a list of all materials used, AND

specific instructions.

You must: • Do the experiment multiple times OR with

multiple items.

• Collect Data = write it ALL down

An experiment always has:A. variables- factors that can exist in

various amounts or types

3 TYPES:a. independent variable: What is being tested.

b. dependent variable: What is observed/measured by the tester c. constant (controlled) variable(s): Keep the same throughout ALL trials

An experiment always has:B. Experimental group: the group or individual in the experiment that receives the experimental treatment.

(the “lab rats”)

An experiment MIGHT have a:Control group: the group or individual in the experiment that is •NOT tested •is used as a reference for what “normal” would be like.

• Not all experiments have a control group

A good experiment:•tests one ________ at a time.

•must be fair and unbiased. • DON’T allow opinions to influence the

experiment or your results.

5. Analyze the data collected(What does it all mean?)

• Look at your data for patterns or trends.• Make a graph, table, diagram, etc.

Effect of sun on plant growth

cm

What’s missing??

Types of Data

Qualitative- use words to describe what you see (Quality)ex: color, smell, shape

Quantitative- use numbers to describe what you see (Quantity)Ex: temperature, amount, liters, speed

Data Practice Worksheet

6. Come to a Conclusion (Does the data support your hypothesis?)

a. Valid hypothesis: hypothesis is supported “My hypothesis was valid because ….”

b. Invalid hypothesis: hypothesis is NOT supported

“My hypothesis was invalid because ….”(revise your hypothesis and try again!)

A conclusion should:•clearly answer your question regardless if your hypothesis was valid or invalid.

•Be supported/justified by the data (cite the data in your conclusion)

Additional Notes

PERFECT is an OPINION• There are no perfect solutions to a problem.

There are ALWAYS pros and cons to any solution.

SKEPTICISM• In light of new evidence scientists should

recognize the skepticism of others and be prepared to consider alternative conclusion or new ideas

Doing Science Reading

THE END

Agenda Following PPT

1. Read articles about scientists in history and their advancements.

2. State test practice questions from booklet. 3. State practice test questions. 4. Inquiry Test

Bell Ringer

• How many rectangles do you see?

Bell Ringer

• These are pictures of common sayings. What

are they?

#1 #2

StandJACK

Bell Ringer

• Open your textbook to page NOS 10. • READ the advertisement, “Learn Algebra

While You Sleep!”1. What are two facts that can be found in

the ad?2. What is one crazy claim the ad makes?

You have a sub today. If you have a class job, make sure you do it. Behave, work hard, do the right thing.

Mrs. Bilbo

Bell Ringer

• Read page NOS 6 in your textbook.

You might have to look on with a

classmate or borrow a book from

an empty desk.

1. What is the difference between a

hypothesis and a prediction?

Friday Reflection

• How has the first 9 weeks been for you?

• Are your grades where you want them to be? Do

you want to improve them?

• What class has been the most difficult for you?

How can you be more successful in that class

next 9 weeks?

• If anything, what can you do to be a better

student next 9 weeks?

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

What is your hypothesis? Plants grown with Miracle-Gro® fertilizer will grow taller b/c Ashley Stephenson said so.

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

What is your prediction (If, then, b/c …)? If plants are grown with Miracle-Gro® fertilizer, then they will grow taller b/c Ashley Stephenson said so.

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

What is your independent variable (IV)? You are testing types of fertilizer.

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

What is your dependent variable (DV)? You are measuring plant height.

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

What are your control variables (CV)? Things that should all be the same include: types of flower, amt. of H2O, amt. of sun, type of pot, etc.

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

Is your hypothesis valid or invalid? Why?

I wanted to test types of plant fertilizers. I thought that using Miracle-Gro® fertilizer makes plants grow taller because a famous gardener said so. I put 3 marigolds in a pot with Miracle-Gro® and 3 marigolds in a pot with Wal-Mart brand fertilizer. After 8 weeks of data collection, I found that there was no difference in plant height but that the plants with Miracle-Gro® have more flowers.

finEND OF Scientific Method NOTES 2014

Amber wants to see if plants grow better in the sunlight or with indoor lighting. She put 1 Better Boy tomato plant outside in the sun and 1 Big Tasty tomato plant inside the house under a Gro-Light. She treated each plant the same way during the test.

How could Amber improve this experiment?(use for sci. method BW day 1)

3 fins

Bell Ringer• A farmer is having a problem with pests eating his blueberries. He

has a friend who has had success preventing pests by spraying pesticides on his blueberry bushes. The farmer has decided that he will conduct an experiment to see if spraying the bushes with pesticides will prevent the pests from eating the blueberries. He conducts the experiment the following year. He sprays half of his bushes with the pesticide and leaves half of the bushes untouched. When it is time to harvest (pick) the blueberries, he counts how many gallons of quality blueberries have been produced by the two groups. The bushes that were sprayed with the pesticides produced 130 gallons of blueberries, the group that was not sprayed produced 105 gallons of blueberries.

1. What is the farmer’s hypothesis?2. Was the hypothesis valid or invalid? Provide evidence and explain.

Friday Reflection• If you could perform any experiment, what

would it be? What would your hypothesis be? Where would you conduct this experiment? Would you have a control group and an experimental group?

Write until you are told to stop. Done answering the reflection question? Tell me

about what is going on in your life. Run out of room? Draw something in the empty box.

Bell Ringer1. Write ROCKET CONSTRUCTION in the Friday

section of your bell ringer sheet. Keep your bell ringer out. I will take this up in a few minutes

2. Get out your rocket supplies and a pair of scissors from the basket.

3. Cut out your fins and nose cone.

FinNose Cone

Cut out the whole circle. Fin

Fin

DO NOT start coloring anything.

Rocket Construction TO DO

1. Cut out your fins and nose cone.

2. RECYCLE your trash!3. Construct one rocket. 4. Construct the 2nd rocket. 5. Put your rocket in the correct

box. 6. Clean your desk. Leave the

instructions on your desk.

Rocket Launch DayREAD ALL OF THIS BEFORE YOU ASK MRS. BILBO ANYTHING!

1. Write “Rocket Launch,” in the Tuesday section of your bell ringer. 2. Get out your Paper Rocket Lab sheet. 3. If your brought your 2 Liter bottle in today, keep it at your desk. If you have

already brought your bottle then I will give it to you when we get outside. 4. When your name is called, go to the back of the room to do the following:

1. Get your rocket. 2. Find the mass of your rocket using the digital scale. 3. Write the mass of your rocket on the back of your Paper Rocket Lab sheet. 4. Show your rocket to Mrs. Bilbo for a grade. 5. Write the mass of your partner’s rocket on your Paper Rocket Lab sheet. 6. Sit down and wait for further instructions.

Bell Ringer• Use your lab sheet to help you with your bell

ringer. Look at your data from yesterday’s launch.

1. What were the 3 best launches you and your partner had?

2. What was the worst launch you and your partner had?

3. Did you have two launches that flew the same distance? If so, what was the distance?

Bell RingerFYI: A square is a

quadrilateral with all four angles right angles and all four sides of the same length. So a square is a special kind of rectangle, it is one where all the sides have the same length. Thus every square is a rectangle because it is a quadrilateral with all four angles right angles.

Reflection FridayHow did your rocket launch go? Were you

happy with your results? Will you do something differently as you

construct your new rocket? What will you do differently?

Did you see others make mistakes that you want to avoid? What were the mistakes?

Write until you are told to stop. If you are done answering the reflection question tell me about your life.

Bell Ringer• Benzoyl peroxideBenzoyl peroxide is a medicine used to

treat acneBenzoyl peroxide is a medicine used to treat acne. It comes in different strengths in lotions, gels, soaps, and liquids. Benzoyl peroxide unclogs skinBenzoyl peroxide is a medicine used to treat acne. It comes in different strengths in lotions, gels, soaps, and liquids. Benzoyl peroxide unclogs skin pores. It also helps stop bacteria from growing and causing acneBenzoyl peroxide is a medicine used to treat acne. It comes in different strengths in lotions, gels, soaps, and liquids. Benzoyl peroxide unclogs skin pores. It also helps stop bacteria from growing and causing acne pimples and cystic lesions. Ben would like to try to use this product to clear a breakout on his forehead. He has researched the topic. Next, he must write a prediction.

• Write a prediction using the information above.

IF ________________________, THEN_____________________, BECAUSE _________________.

Bell RingerCompanies that make and sell Vitamin E supplements claim

that if you take the vitamin it will make your nails quickly grow long and strong. If you were to test the effectiveness of Vitamin E on nails, you would need to determine a few important variables.

1. What would be the independent variable?2. What would be the dependent variable?3. Write a prediction statement for the experiment.

If ________________, then _______________, because ____________.

To Do• Complete construction of Rocket #2. • Read FROGS and answer questions.

When your name is called: 1. Find the mass of your rocket using the digital

scale in the back of the room. 2. Record the mass of your rocket on your lab

sheet. 3. Show your rocket to Mrs. Bilbo for a grade.

BELL RINGER

READ EVERYTHING BELOW BEFORE YOU ASK

MRS. BILBO A QUESTION.

Bell RingerHours of Sleep

Students Receive Per Night

REFLECTION FRIDAY

If you could do ANYTHING to change the rocket

launching project, what would you do? Give me details. Done writing? Tell me

what you’re going to do this weekend. Will you be dressing up and collecting enough candy to put yourself into a sugar coma?

Directions:1. Read the Frog article and answer the question.

2. Read pages NOS 4-11 in your science textbook. Answer questions 1-9 on page NOS11. Write your answers on notebook paper. Use complete sentences.

3. Copy pages NOS 4-11 on notebook paper.

TURN IN ALL WORK AT THE END OF CLASS.

Bell Ringer• Many athletes drink Gatorade to replace lost carbohydrates,

electrolytes, and water from working out. A cross country (running) coach conducted an experiment to see if drinking Gatorade during races would increase each athletes pace. The athletes drank what they wanted during regular practices. On race day the athletes drank unlimited water and 8 oz. of Gatorade before the race. Then the athletes drank 4 oz. of Gatorade at the 2 mile marker.

1. What is the independent variable?2. What is the dependent variable?3. Name two control variables.

Bell RingerIf I use O’Keefe’s Healthy Feet lotion at night,

then my feet will become softer and smoother, because it contains glycerin which softens dry skin.

1. What is the dependent variable?2. What is the independent variable?*If you are turning in your study guide for extra credit have it on your desk, ready to turn in.

Bell Ringer

• Ex: If I water some flowers twice as much as other flowers, then the ones watered more will grow taller because I know that plants need plenty of water to grow.

Quest.: What is the dependent variable?Ans.: plant height

Quest.: What is the independent variable?Ans.: amount of H2O used

Quest.: What are some control variables?Ans.: type of flowers, where planted, amount of sunshine, soil, fertilizer, how watered