The Scientific
Method
♫A Way to Solve a
Problem♫
• Know how to use mathematical analysis,
scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as
appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers,
and develop solutions.
• Use the scientific method to solve a problem.
• Develop a hypothesis.
• Identify the control, independent variable, and
dependent variable in an experiment.
• Organize and interpret data and recognize
patterns or trends.
• Understand the difference between an
observation and an inference.
• Develop a conclusion based on the data obtained
during the experiment.
Vocabulary
• Conclusion: summary of results at the
end of an experiment
• Constants: factors that are kept the
same during an experiment
• Control: the experiment performed
without the variable for comparison
• Data: information recorded during an
experiment
• Dependent Variable: (Responding
Variable) the factor that changes and
you can not control during an
experiment (how you measure your
results)
Vocabulary
• Hypothesis: an educated guess to
answer a problem
• Independent Variable: (Manipulated
Variable) the factor that you control
and change during an experiment
• Inference: making a prediction based
on observations and data
• Observation: anything obtained using
your senses
• Scientific Method: a systematic (step
by step) approach to problem solving
• Variable: factor you are testing in an
experiment
Scientific Method
problem
• Systematic approach to ___________
solving
_______________
• It is the steps someone takes to
identify a question, develop a
hypothesis, design and carry out steps
or procedures to test the hypothesis,
and document observations and findings
to share with someone else.
The Scientific Method (Lyrical Life Science) audio clip
1. Problem (Question)
• Stated as a clear question
• What you want to find out
2. Research
• Gather information about the problem
• Use books, internet, past experiences
and experts in the field
3. Formulate a Hypothesis
• An educated guess to answer the
problem
• Based on research
• Use the correct format starting with
“I hypothesize”
4. Design an Experiment
• Step by step procedure to test the
hypothesis
• Needs a control group for comparison
and an experimental group to be
tested
5. Record Data
• Write down all observations and
measurements taken throughout the
experiment
6. Analyze Data
• Organize data into charts and graphs
• Look for patterns and trends
7. State a Conclusion
• Summarize the results
•Repeat the experiment for
accurate
__________________
results
Scientists share their
experiments and findings
with others.
• Because they share their
experiments and findings,
scientists can learn from each
other and often use someone
else’s experiences to help them
with what they are studying or
doing.
Hypothesis
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
hypothesize
Start with “I _______________”
Restate
______________
the problem
problem
Answer the _____________
why
Explain ______
you believe this is
the answer
I hypothesize if (restate the
question) then (your educated
guess), because (why this could
be the answer).
Practice Writing a Hypothesis
1.
What will happen if plants are given fertilizer?
I hypothesize if plants are given
_____________________________________________
fertilizer then they will grow taller
_____________________________________________
because fertilizer contains nutrients.
_____________________________________________
2. What will happen if a plant does not receive sunlight?
I hypothesize if plants do not receive
_____________________________________________
sunlight then they will die because
_____________________________________________
sunlight gives the plant energy needed.
_____________________________________________
Practice Writing a Hypothesis
3. What will happen if I put a glass over a lit candle?
I hypothesize if I put a glass over a
_____________________________________________
lit candle then the flame will go out
_____________________________________________
because fire needs oxygen.
_____________________________________________
4.
What will happen if you only eat fast fried food?
I hypothesize if you only eat fast
_____________________________________________
fried food then you will gain weight
_____________________________________________
because fried food has a lot of calories.
_____________________________________________
1. Independent Variable
manipulated
• Also called the __________________
variable
tested
• Factor being _________________
one per experiment,
• Can only have ______
otherwise you do not know which
factor caused your results
control
• Factor that you ________________
2. Dependent Variable
responding
• Also called the __________________
variable
• Depends on the independent variable
(factor you measure to determine the
affect of the independent variable)
can’t control
• Factor that you _______
Variables
Control
variable
1. Experiment run without the ____________
comparison
2. Needed for _____________________
Constants or Controls
same
1. Factors held the __________
during the
experiment
2. Example: If you were to see the affects
of sunlight on plants (diagram above), each
plant would:
same
• Be the _________
type
fertilizer
• Receive the same amount of ______________
soil
• Have the same type of _____________
water
• Receive the same amount of ______________
• Be kept at the same temperature
Facts, Theories, and Laws
truth
• Fact - basic _____________
• Theory - most logical explanation based on
observations
_____________________
of many
experiments, they can change as new
information is obtained
data
• Law - based on experimental ___________
that has been repeatedly tested and
accepted as true, can change
Smithers thinks that a special
juice will increase the
productivity of workers. He
creates two groups of 50
workers each and assigns each
group the same task (in this
case, they're supposed to staple
a set of papers). Group A is
given the special juice to drink
while they work. Group B is not
given the special juice. After an
hour, Smithers counts how many
stacks of papers each group has
made. Group A made 1,587
stacks, Group B made 2,113
stacks.
Identify the:
1. Control Group
Group B without the juice
2. Independent Variable
Special Juice
3. Dependent Variable
Productivity – number of
stapled papers
4. What should Smithers'
conclusion be?
The juice did not work it
actually slowed the
workers.
Homer notices that his shower
is covered in a strange green
slime. His friend Barney tells
him that coconut juice will get
rid of the green slime. Homer
decides to check this this out
by spraying half of the shower
with coconut juice. He sprays
the other half of the shower
with water. After 3 days of
"treatment" there is no change
in the appearance of the green
slime on either side of the
shower.
Identify the:
5. Control Group
Shower sprayed with water
6. Independent Variable
Coconut Juice
7. Dependent Variable
Amount of Green Slime
8. What should Homer’s
conclusion be?
Coconut juice doesn’t clean
green slime any better
than water.
Krusty was told that a certain
itching powder was the newest
best thing on the market, it
even claims to cause 50% longer
lasting itches. Interested in
this product, he buys the
itching powder and compares it
to his usual product. One test
subject (A) is sprinkled with the
original itching powder, and
another test subject (B) was
sprinkled with the Experimental
itching powder. Subject A
reported having itches for 30
minutes. Subject B reported to
have itches for 45 minutes.
Identify the:
9. Control Group
Subject A with original itching
powder
10. Independent Variable
New Itching Powder
11. Dependent Variable
Length of Itches
12. Explain whether the data
supports the advertisements
claims about its product.
Yes.
30 = 15
2
30 + 15 = 45 minutes
Flower Power
Sponge Bob loves to garden and wants to grow lots of pink flowers
for his pal Sandy. He bought a special Flower Power fertilizer to
see if will help plants produce more flowers. He plants two plants
of the same size in separate containers with the same amount of
potting soil. He places one plant in a sunny window and waters it
every day with fertilized water. He places the other plant on a
shelf in a closet and waters it with plain water every other day.
(1) What did Sponge Bob do wrong in this experiment? Explain.
Too many variables - Didn’t put both in the same location and didn’t
water them both at the same times.
(2) What should Sponge Bob do to test the effectiveness of Flower
Power fertilizer? Write an experiment. Include the following in your
experimental design:
a.) Problem:
Will Flower Power fertilizer cause plants to produce more flowers?
b.) Hypothesis (as an if then statement)
I hypothesize if plants are given Flower Power fertilizer then
they will produce more flowers because fertilizer contains
nutrients for the plant.
Flower Power
Sponge Bob loves to garden and wants to grow lots of pink flowers
for his pal Sandy. He bought a special Flower Power fertilizer to
see if will help plants produce more flowers. He plants two plants
of the same size in separate containers with the same amount of
potting soil. He places one plant in a sunny window and waters it
every day with fertilized water. He places the other plant on a
shelf in a closet and waters it with plain water every other day.
c.) Procedure (at least 5 good steps)
1.Get two of the same type of plants.
2.Place both plants on the same
windowsill.
3.Give Plant A 5 ml of water daily.
4.Give Plant B 5 ml of water with Flower
Power fertilizer daily.
5.Record the number of flowers on each
plant weekly.
Sponge Bob Clean Pants
Sponge Bob noticed that his favorite pants were not as clean as
they used to be. His friend Sandy told him that he should try using
Clean-O detergent, a new laundry soap she found at Sail-Mart.
Sponge Bob made sure to wash one pair of pants in plain water and
another pair in water with the Clean-O detergent. After washing
both pairs of pants a total of three times, the pants washed in
Clean-O detergent did not appear to be any cleaner than the pants
washed in plain water.
(3) What was the problem Sponge Bob wanted to investigate?
Does Clean-O detergent clean clothes better than water?
(4) What is the independent variable?
Clean-O Detergent
(5) What is the dependent variable?
How clean the pants are
(6) What should Sponge Bob’s conclusion be?
Clean-O detergent doesn’t clean any better than
water.
Super Snails
Gary is not the smartest snail in Bikini Bottom and believes he can
improve his brain power by eating Super Snail Snacks. In order to
test this hypothesis, he recruits Sponge Bob and several snail
friends to help him with the experiment. The snails ate one snack
with each meal every day for three weeks. Sponge Bob created a
test and gave it to the snails before they started eating the snacks
as well as after three weeks. Analyze the data in the chart and
determine whether or not the Super Snail Snacks create smarter
snails!
(7) Based on the data provided, do the Super
Snail Snacks work? Explain your answer.
No, because there wasn’t a big
improvement for all.
(8) What is the independent variable?
Super Snail Snacks
(9) What is the dependent variable?
Brain Power – Test Scores
Krusty Krab’s Breath Mints
Mr. Krabs created a secret ingredient for a breath mint that
he thinks will “cure” the bad breath people get from eating
crabby patties at the Krusty Krab. He asked 100 customers
with a history of bad breath to try his new breath mint. He
had 50 customers (Group A) eat a breath mint after they
finished eating a crabby patty. The other 50 (Group B) also
received a breath mint after they finished the sandwich,
however it was just a regular breath mint and did not have the
secret ingredient. Both groups were told that they were
getting the breath mint that would cure their bad breath. Two
hours after eating the crabby patties, thirty customers in
Group A and ten customers in Group B reported having better
breath than they normally had after eating crabby patties.
(10) Which people are in the control Group?
Group B with the regular breath mint
(11) What is the independent variable?
Secret Ingredient Breath Mint
(12) What is the dependent variable?
Smell of their breath
Krusty Krab’s Breath Mints
Mr. Krabs created a secret ingredient for a breath mint that
he thinks will “cure” the bad breath people get from eating
crabby patties at the Krusty Krab. He asked 100 customers
with a history of bad breath to try his new breath mint. He
had 50 customers (Group A) eat a breath mint after they
finished eating a crabby patty. The other 50 (Group B) also
received a breath mint after they finished the sandwich,
however it was just a regular breath mint and did not have the
secret ingredient. Both groups were told that they were
getting the breath mint that would cure their bad breath. Two
hours after eating the crabby patties, thirty customers in
Group A and ten customers in Group B reported having better
breath than they normally had after eating crabby patties.
(13) What should Mr. Krab’s conclusion be?
The secret ingredient breath mint cures bad
breath better than regular breath mints.
(14) Why do you think 10 people in Group B reported fresher breath?
They may have thought their breath was better
when it may not have been because they thought
they were also getting the secret ingredient mint.
Squidward’s Symphony
Squidward loves playing his clarinet and believes it attracts more
jellyfish than any other instrument he has played. In order to
test his hypothesis, Squidward played a song on his clarinet for a
total of 5 minutes and counted the number of jellyfish he saw in
his front yard. He played the song for a total of 3 times on his
clarinet and repeated the experiment using a flute and a guitar.
He also recorded the number of jellyfish he observed when he was
not playing an instrument. The results are shown in the chart.
(15) What is the independent variable?
Musical Instruments
(16) What is the dependent variable?
Number of Jellyfish
(17) What should Squiward’s conclusion be?
Avg. 3
12
7
12
Both the guitar and clarinet
attract the most jellyfish.
(18)Are the results reliable? Why or why not?
Yes because the experiment
was repeated a few times.
Super Bubbles
Patrick and Sponge Bob love to blow bubbles! Patrick found some
Super Bubble Soap at Sail-Mart. The ads claim that Super Bubble
Soap will produce bubbles that are twice as big as bubbles made
with regular bubble soap. Patrick and Sponge Bob made up two
samples of bubble solution. One sample was made with 5 oz. Of
Super Bubble Soap and 5 oz. Of water, while the other was made
with the same amount of water and 5 oz. Of regular bubble soap.
Patrick and Sponge Bob used their favorite bubble wands to blow
10 different bubbles and did their best to measure the diameter
of each one. The results are shown in the chart.
(19) What did the Super Bubble ads claim?
Super Bubble Soap will produce bubbles twice as
big as regular bubble soap
(20) What is the independent variable?
Super Bubble Soap
(21) What is the dependent variable?
Size of the Bubbles - Diameter of the Bubbles
(22) Look at the results in the chart.
a) Calculate the average diameter for each
bubble solution.
11.5
15.1
x2
Super Bubble= ___________cm
____
23.0
11.5
Regular Soap= ___________cm
b) What should their conclusion be?
Super Bubble Soap produces
bigger bubbles but not twice
as big as regular soap.
(23)Are the results reliable? Why or why not?
Yes because the experiment
was repeated a multiple
times.
6th Grade Review Material
• Volume
1. Amount of space an object takes up
2. Measured with a graduated cylinder or ruler
3. Units: liters, ml, or cm3
• Mass
1. Amount of matter in an object
2. Measured with a triple beam balance
3. Units: grams
• Density
1.
2.
3.
4.
Amount of mass per volume
Used to identify an unknown substance
Units: g/ml or g/cm3
Less dense objects float and more dense sink