Did You Survive

1. A cosmetic mirror

2. 1 Topcoat per person

3. 1 quart of water per person

4. Flashlight

5. Red and white parachute

6. Jack knife

7. Plastic raincoat

8. Two pair of sunglasses

Sectional air map

The book

Bottle of salt tablets

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is the scientific

method?

It involves a series of

steps that are used to

investigate a natural

occurrence.

What are the steps in the scientific

method?

Problem/Question

Observation/Research

Formulate a Hypothesis

Experiment

Collect and Analyze Results

Conclusion

Communicate the Results 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is a problem?

It is a statement or a question in

which can be solved through

experimentation.

Problem/Question: Develop a

question or problem that can

be solved through

experimentation. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is an Observation/

Research

It is orderly, direct information

gathering about a natural

phenomenon. Make

observations and research

your topic of interest.

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Do you remember the

next step?

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is a hypothesis? It is a testable explanation of a

situation. Predict a possible

answer to the problem or

question.

Example: If soil temperatures

rise, then plant growth will

increase. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is an experiment?

It is a procedure performed in a

controlled setting to test a

hypothesis and collect precise

data. Experiment: Develop and

follow a procedure.

Include a detailed materials list.

The outcome must be measurable

(quantifiable). 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is collect data? It is quantitative or qualitative

information gained from

scientific investigation. Collect

and Analyze Data: Modify the

procedure if needed.

Confirm the results by retesting.

Include tables, graphs, and

photographs. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

What is a conclusion? It is a summary of your result of

the investigation. Conclusion: Include a statement that

accepts or rejects the hypothesis.

Make recommendations for further study and possible

improvements to the procedure.

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What is communication?

It involves the investigator to

articulate the result of the

investigation. It can be written

or verbal.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Think you can name all

seven steps?

Problem/Question Observation/Research Formulate a Hypothesis Experiment Collect and Analyze Results Conclusion Communicate the Results 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Another Way To Remember the

Scientific Method

Ask a Question,

Observation

Form a Hypothesis,

Test with an experiment,

Analyze results,

Draw Conclusion, and

Communicate Results.

Annie Oreos Found Twenty Adorable Dogs

& Cats. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Final Way to Look at Scientific

Method P Problem

I Introduction

H Hypothesis

E Experiment

R Results

C Conclusion

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Let’s put our knowledge of the

Scientific Method to a realistic

example that includes some of the

terms you’ll be needing to use and

understand.

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Definition

• Scientific method:

basic steps that

scientists follow in

uncovering facts

and solving

scientific problems

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Basic Parts of Scientific Method

• Stating the problem

• Gathering information

• Suggesting an answer for the problem

• Performing an experiment to see whether

the suggested answer makes sense

• Recording and analyzing the results of

experiments or other observations

• Stating conclusions

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Stating the Problem

• What invisible trail does a rattlesnake follow in tracking down its bitten prey?

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Gathering Information

• A rattlesnakes eyes are only sensitive to visible

light

• A pair of organs located under the eyes detect

invisible light in the form of heat

• A rattler’s tongue “smells” certain odors in the air

• The sight or smell of an unbitten animal does not

trigger the rattler’s tracking action

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Hypothesis

• After the snake wounds its victim,

the snake follows the smell of its

own venom to locate the animal

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Experiment

• Drag a dead mouse that has been struck and

poisoned by a rattlesnake along a curved path

on the bottom of an empty cage

• Place the snake in the cage

• The snake follows the exact trail that has been

laid out

• Control

• Drag an unbitten dead mouse along the path

• The snake seems disinterested

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Recording and Analyzing Data

• Do the

experiment

many times

• Record the data

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Conclusion

• The scent of venom was

the only factor that could

cause a rattlesnake to

follow its bitten victim.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Scientific Method Words

1. Hypothesis

2. Observation

3. Ask a Question

4. Prediction

5. Conclusion

6. Experiment

7. Data Analysis

8. Inference

9. Data

10. Responding variable

11. Experimental group

12. Control group

13. Statistics

14. Independent Variable

15. Probability

16. Mean

17. Dependent variable

18. Manipulated variable

19. Theory 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Another Example

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Problem/Question

Scott watches his

grandmother, Alicia,

bake bread. He ask

his grandmother what

makes the bread rise.

She explains that yeast

releases a gas as it

feeds on sugar. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Problem/Question

Scott wonders if the

amount of sugar used

in the recipe will affect

the size of the bread

loaf?

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Caution!

Be careful how you use effect and affect.

Effect is usually a noun and affect, a verb.

“ The effect of sugar amounts on the rising of bread.”

“How does sugar affect the rising of bread?”

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Observation/Research

Scott researches the

areas of baking and

fermentation and tries

to come up with a way

to test his question.

He keeps all of his

information on this

topic in a journal. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Scott talks with his

teacher and she gives

him a Experimental

Design Diagram to

help him set up his

investigation.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Formulate a Hypothesis

After talking with his

teacher and

conducting further

research, he comes

up with a hypothesis.

“If more sugar is added,

then the bread will rise

higher.” 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is an educated

guess about the relationship

between the independent and

dependent variables.

Note: These variables will be

defined in the next few slides.

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Do you know the difference

between the independent

and dependent variables?

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Independent Variable

The independent, or manipulated variable, is a

factor that’s intentionally varied by the experimenter.

Scott is going to use 25g., 50g., 100g., 250g., 500g. of sugar in

his experiment. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Dependent Variable

The dependent, or responding variable, is the factor that may change as a result of changes

made in the independent variable.

In this case, it would be the size of the loaf of bread.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Experiment

His teacher helps him

come up with a

procedure and list of

needed materials.

She discusses with

Scott how to

determine the control

group. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Control Group

In a scientific experiment, the

control is the group that serves

as the standard of comparison.

The control group may be a “no

treatment" or an “experimenter

selected” group. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Control Group

The control group is exposed to

the same conditions as the

experimental group, except for

the variable being tested.

All experiments should have a

control group. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Control Group

Because his grandmother

always used 50g. of sugar in

her recipe, Scott is going to use

that amount in his control

group.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Constants

Scott’s teacher reminds

him to keep all other

factors the same so

that any observed

changes in the bread

can be attributed to

the variation in the

amount of sugar. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Constants

The constants in an

experiment are all the

factors that the

experimenter attempts

to keep the same.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Can you think of some

constants for this

experiment?

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Constants They might include:

Other ingredients to the bread recipe, oven used,

rise time, brand of ingredients, cooking time,

type of pan used, air temperature and humidity

where the bread was rising, oven temperature,

age of the yeast… 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Experiment

Scott writes out his procedure for his

experiment along with a materials list in his

journal. He has both of these checked by his teacher where she

checks for any safety concerns.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Trials

Trials refer to replicate

groups that are exposed

to the same conditions

in an experiment.

Scott is going to test each

sugar variable 3 times.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Collect and Analyze Results

Scott comes up with a table he can use to record his data.

Scott gets all his materials together and carries out his

experiment. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3

Amt. of

Sugar (g.) 1 2 3 Average

Size (cm3)

25 768 744 761 758

50 1296 1188 1296 1260

100 1188 1080 1080 1116

250 672 576 588 612

500 432 504 360 432

Size of Bread Loaf (cm3)

Trials

Control group

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Collect and Analyze Results

Scott examines his

data and notices that

his control worked

the best in this

experiment, but not

significantly better

than 100g. of sugar. 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Conclusion

Scott rejects his

hypothesis, but

decides to re-test

using sugar

amounts between

50g. and 100g.

50g,60,70,80,90 9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Experiment

Once again, Scott

gathers his materials

and carries out his

experiment.

Here are the results.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Can you tell which group

did the best?

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3

Amt. of

Sugar (g.) 1 2 3 Average

Size (cm3)

50 1296 1440 1296 1344

60 1404 1296 1440 1380

70 1638 1638 1560 1612

80 1404 1296 1296 1332

90 1080 1200 972 1084

Size of Bread Loaf (cm3)

Trials

Control group

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Conclusion

Scott finds that 70g.

of sugar produces

the largest loaf.

His hypothesis is

accepted.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

Communicate the Results

Scott tells his

grandmother about

his findings and

prepares to present

his project in

Science class.

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM

9/9/2015 8:42:51 AM