Scientific Inquiry: Warm-Up #1
1. Take out a sheet of notebook paper
2. Put your name, date, and hour in the
top right hand corner
3. Put all notes and other materials
away!
4. This is a practice quiz – see how you
do from your experience in class
yesterday!
Define the term
“variable”
Variable
• things in an
experiment
that
CHANGE
Define an
“independent
variable”
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
Define a “dependent
variable”
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.
The height of
the plant.
Define a “constant”
Constant
1 hr
2 ml
2 hr
2 ml
4 hr
2 ml
6 hr
2 ml
8 hr
2 ml
• what stays the same (on
purpose) in an experiment
– potential variable that is
not changed
Define a “problem”
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?
Define a
“hypothesis”
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.
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?
Title
• 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!!!
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!