Scientific Method
Introduction;
The Scientific Method is a step-by-step procedure used by scientist to investigate a
phenomenon. The steps you will use in this lab are as follows:
Observation - Using the five senses to observe anything in nature
Hypothesis - a statement that both explains an observation and can be tested
Experiment - test carried out on the hypothesis
Conclusion - restates your hypothesis, summarize your method, did you prove or
disprove your hypothesis and summarize your results
In this lab you will use a very simple material sponge animals to develop a hypothesis,
test your hypothesis, collect and analyze data and write a lab report. You will be given
two capsules that contain sponge animals. You will place them in water and watch them
grow. You will be given one of the following questions and develop an experiment to
answer that question. We will start with warm water so that the sponge animals will
grow faster
 Does the temperature of the water affect the rate of growth?
 Does stirring the water affect the rate of growth?
 Does the type of water, salt or tap, affect the rate of growth?
Your experiment:
Use the question given to you and develop a hypothesis. Your hypothesis needs to be in
a complete sentence and it needs to be testable. Identify what are the independent and
dependent variables and the control in your hypothesis.
Write a procedure on how you will test your hypothesis. It needs to be detailed enough to
allow someone else to be able to run the experiment without any explanation from you.
You needed to have a list of materials that you will use before you get started. You will
see the materials around the room. Have your procedure and list of material approved by
me before you start. How you need to write the lab report is found below. All areas need
to be completed in your lab report. One report per group. All group members’ names
must appear on the lab report
Gather the material needed and test your hypothesis.
Your lab report:
Your lab report will have the following information in the order you see below.
1) Title should be given in a brief, precise description of what your research is about.
2) Hypothesis should state in a few sentences what the main objectives of the
experiment were.
3) Material list should give a list of all the materials you used in the experiment.
4) Procedure section describes the step by step of the experiment. I should be able
to hand it to any one with some amount of intelligence and they should be able to
run the experiment.
5) Data table includes all numerical values you collect during the experiment with
units
6) Conclusion is the summation of the results of the experiment. Was your
hypothesis supported or not.