SCIENTIFIC METHOD

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

15 sec to get in groups of 4 Use whiteboards to write scientific method 10 min Look at other boards, add to your whiteboard if need to 3 min

SCIENTIFIC METHOD---LIST STEPS

Sci method song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giC6ZYBIeFY

OBSERVATION ACTIVITYCANDY: Write list of observations

Observation Game

PENNY: Write list of observations using all senses. Use hand lens if you need to. Compare list with partner.

Any observations that you can make with numbers?

Quantitative VS Qualitative

Why do we need both? What are some issues?

TYPES OF DATA

Observation: receiving knowledge of the outside world through our senses, or recording information using scientific tools and instruments

Qualitative: describe the quality ex: color, luster, taste, smell, etc.

Quantitative: measuring the quantity ex: height, mass, volume, length, temp, etc.

OLD-TIME STANDARDS

Measure objects using early kinds of standards.

Use early standards to measure the following objects:

1. Your palm in digits

2. your span in palms

3. Your cubit in spans

4. the length of a pen in digits

5. The length and width of in palms

How do the measurements compare with those of your classmates?

Why is important to standardize units so that everyone uses the same ones?

PALM:

SPAN:

CUBIT:

DIGIT: finger’s breadth/width (ancient Egypt)

METRIC SYSTEM

Meter: Length

Liter: Volume

Grams: Mass

1. 3km= m

2. 4g= cg

3. 5ml= l

METRIC SYSTEM

Practice

OBSERVATION OR INFERENCE? Inference: conclusion reached on basis of evidence and reasoning

EX: classroom door unlocked, hot coffee on desk, lights are on

Difference between observation and inference?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBSERVATION AND INFERENCE?

Prediction: a guess what might happen based on observations

Look at pictures again and make predictions What are you basing your predictions on?

5 observations 5 inferences 5 predictions

Write on board

Observations InferencesPredictions

PREDICTION VERSUS HYPOTHESISHypothesis:

a tentative explanation for a observation or problem that can further be tested by experimentation

What is the difference?

A prediction is basically an attempt to "guess" what will happen next. A hypothesis, on the other hand, establishes a relationship, which helps explain what happens.

HERE ARE THE STEPS TO FORM A HYPOTHESIS:

Think about any observations or previous knowledge you know about the variables.

Express what you think will be the effect of changing one of the variables (Independent variable) on the other variable you expect to change (Dependent variable).

Develop your hypothesis using a statement.

If the (independent variable) ( describe how you would change it) , then the (dependent variable ) will (describe the effect)

VARIABLES Independent variable:

What you have control over, what is being changed/manipulated

Dependent variable:

What you measure in an experiment/what is affected

Controlled variable:

is constant, stays the same

Example: You are interested in how stress affects heart rate in humans. Your independent variable would be the stress and the dependent variable would be the heart rate. You can directly manipulate stress levels in your human subjects and measure how those stress levels change heart rate.

IDENTIFYING INDEPENDENT, DEPENDENT, CONTROL VARIABLES At study was done to find if different tire treads affect the braking distance of a car

Students of different ages were given the same puzzle to assemble. The puzzle assembly time was measured.

An experiment was performed to determine how the amount of coffee grounds could affect the taste of coffee.

IDENTIFY INDEPENDENT, DEPENDENT, AND CONTROL VARIABLES. How do the different chemicals in fertilizers affect plant growth?

How long does it take three different types of enzymes to digest a liter of milk?

Researchers want to discover if listening to classical music helps students earn better grades on a math exam.

Researchers are interested in seeing how long it takes people to respond to different sounds.

Researchers want to know whether first-born children learn to speak at a younger age than second-born children.

PRACTICE WRITING A HYPOTHESIS Independent Variable: baseball batting practice

Dependent Variable: batting average

Hypothesis: If batting practice increases, then the batting average will increase.

Independent Variable: depth of Lake Powell

Dependent Variable: water temperature

Hypothesis:

PRACTICE WRITING A HYPOTHESIS Independent Variable: Number of recycling posters

Dependent Variable: Amount of aluminum cans in recycle bins

Hypothesis:

Work with Partner:

Independent Variable:

Dependent Variable:

Hypothesis:

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBSERVING, INFERRING, AND HYPOTHESIZING

Observation: there are fleas on dogs

Inference: golden retrievers have more flea habitat than Chihuahuas

Variables: size of dog and flea population

Hypothesis: If dogs are larger, then they will have a larger flea population than smaller dogs.

Work with partner:

Observation:

Inference:

Variables:

Hypothesis:

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=ITXVLU8J_D0

Scientist 1 Scientist 2 Scientist 3

Observation

Fact

Hypothesis

Theory

Law

Scientist 1 Scientist 2 Scientist 3

Observation Lead to facts Data

Fact Are observations,Don’t explain

Observations Observation

Hypothesis Testable statement,Look at relationships, Help build theories

Lead to theories Explains how something works AFTER facts are gathered, needs to be testable, provides evidence for or against

Theory Explanation, tested

Explains observations, lasts the test of time

A Body of knowledge that explains a major hypothesis

Law Descriptive generalization

Reduced to an equationLAW: describes some aspect of the universe

****Theories do NOT always become Laws

Ecology:

Hypothesis pg 19-21

Read pg 24---write notes about theories in science