scientific inquiry: warm-up #1

1. Take out a sheet of notebook paper2. Put your name, date, and hour in the top right hand corner3. Put all notes and other materials away!4. This is a practice quiz – see how you do from your experience in class yesterday!

Scientific Inquiry: Warm-Up #1

Define the term “variable”

• things in an experiment that CHANGE

Variable

Define an “independent

variable”

• variable that is changed on purpose– “manipulated” variable– What the experimenter (“I”)

can control AND change in the experiment

– Experimenter controls the change

– Only have ONE– The cause of the change in an

experiment

Independent Variable

Define a “dependent variable”

• variable that changes in response to the independent variable. – What changes because of the

independent variable– What is being measured (what

is being put into the data table)– The effect of the change in an

experiment– Examples: Data or

measurement or observations.

Dependent Variable

The height of the plant.

Define a “constant”

• what stays the same (on purpose) in an experiment

– potential variable that is not changed

Constant

1 hr 2 ml

2 ml

2 ml

2 ml

2 ml

2 hr

4 hr

6 hr

8 hr

Define a “problem”

• the purpose of the experiment– the question the scientist is trying to

answer – 3 characteristics: specific, testable, in

the form of a question– Specific: specific enough that you can

find an answer– Testable: ability to conduct a valid and

reliable experiment to find the answer– Form of a question: written as a question

that can be answered– Example: How does the amount of light

affect plant growth?

Problem

Define a “hypothesis”

• answers the problem question• a prediction or a statement of the expected

outcome of an experiment– Written as: If (the independent variable), then

(the dependent variable). – If IV, then DV. – OR If the (IV) is/are (HOW CHANGED), then the

(DV) will (YOUR PREDICTION).– It answers the question: “How will changing your

independent variable affect your dependent variable?”

– Example: If the amount of light increases, then the plants will grow taller.

Hypothesis

If you had to give a title to an experiment or a graph, knowing that both the IV and the DV would have to be included, what

form would the title take?In other words:

How do you write the title for an experiment?

• The Effect of the ________ on the ________ (IV) (DV)

• Capitalize all essential words (not words like: on, the, of, for, etc.)

• Example: The Effect of the Amount of Light on the Plant Growth

• This title is used at the top of a lab report, at the top of a data table, at the top of a graph

Make sure that you include this on your vocabulary chart!!!

Title

So, let’s put it all together…Write up the experiment performed by the scientists in this Shark Week video clip. (Yes, some of you completed this yesterday, and yes, inquiry is used in the real

world – for real).

Be sure to include: • IV• DV

• Constant• Problem• Hypothesis• Title

Shark Week Video Clip (2:38)

Shark Week Video Clip• IV = human vulnerability (how vulnerable a human

appears)• DV = shark behavior (whether or not the sharks attack)• Constants = location of the experiment, how the diver

is dressed, • Problem = Is it possible that a fish can sense

vulnerability in a human? • Hypothesis = If a human is in a vulnerable position,

then a shark will attack because it believes it will get an easy meal.

• Title = The Effect of Human Vulnerability on the Shark’s Behavior (Likelihood of a Shark Attack).

Stations Directions• Title your paper “Inquiry Stations”• There are 5 stations (4 minutes to complete it and

1 minute to check answers)• As long as you put forth effort for the FULL TIME,

then you will receive full credit. • HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE! I AM GIVING YOU AN

OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE ALL OF THE SKILLS YOU WILL BE TESTED ON THIS THURSDAY!