Before you begin:
Set up 6 flash cards with the
terms listed on the paper
provided. Tape these into your
notebook.
•Put as much info on the cards as you think is
necessary to understand the material
•Use words, pictures, and examples on your
flashcards.
Example of layering flashcards
Scientific
Method…
…It’s how we think about the world
around us…
It’s not just for
geeks!!
The Scientific Method is…


An organized approach to asking questions and making
discoveries.
The logical way to think about problems that scientists
encounter.
The Steps of Scientific Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
State the Problem as a Question
Form a Hypothesis as “If…then…because”
Make a procedure/Experiment
Collect data/Observations
Analyze the data
Conclusion/Share Results
1. Research/Observations:

Information gathered using the five senses
or tools. In other words, you
taste/hear/see/smell/touch something that
makes you curious
1. Question/Problem (ask a
question):

A question one might ask based on the
observations that are made.
3. Hypothesis



An educated, possible explanation of the problem
that we wish to test. (it doesn’t have to be correct!!)
Many hypotheses can be made – they predict the
outcome of an experiment.
Always written as “If…then…because…”
hypothesis.gif
4. Procedure


A step-by-step “recipe” that explains how to
complete the experiment.
Should be specific enough that anyone can repeat
it.
hypothesis.gif
5a. Experiment
An organized test of a hypothesis.
5b. Data
 The

results of experiments.
Data can be expressed as numbers or descriptions.
Example:
the elephant is 3
meters tall.
Example:
The slug has
a very dark
color.
Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data
6. Analyze Data



Determine what the data tells you.
Does the data answer the problem?
Is your hypothesis supported?
7. Conclusion
Stating a claim about what happened in the lab-the ANSWER to the PROBLEM—and backing it
up with evidence
Claim: We can conclude that plants that receive
sunlight will grow taller than those that
do not receive sunlight.
Evidence: The plants that were placed in
sunlight had an average growth of 3.5
cm, while the plants placed in the
dark had an average growth of 1.2
cm.
Interpretation: Go further statement. Show what
you now know/learned.
Some other scientific method terms…
Inference – a possible explanation based
on an observation.
ex) The eggs laid on the meat contain
immature, unborn maggots.
 Opinion – What someone thinks about
something. We try to keep this out of
science!
ex) The TV shows were horrible last night!

Some other scientific method terms…

Variable – factors that can be changed in an
experiment.
Independent Variable – what “I the scientist
CHANGE on purpose.”
Ex: amount of sunlight a plant receives
Dependent Variable – what is measured in the
experiment. “Data is gathered for the
dependent variable.”
Ex: height of plants grown in sunlight and in darkness
How can I tell which variable is the
independent/dependent variable?

Use this template: ___(the dependent variable)__
depends on ___(the independent variable)___. It will only
make sense one way.
Example: Covering or uncovering a jar with meat
inside depends on maggots appearing on meat.
**This doesn’t make sense!!**
Maggots appearing on meat depends on covering
or uncovering a jar with meat inside.
**This makes sense!!**
Some other scientific method terms…
Control group– The group to which we
compare our data. This group does NOT
have any changes in it.
Variable/experimental group- The group where
one thing is different from the control
group. Should be only ONE difference
compared to control group
Constant- What is kept the SAME in the
experiment. Only the Independent Variable
should change
Validity – What makes a good
experiment?
Question: What is the average vertical leap of a
life science student at MMS?
A good experiment should be….
 Easily repeatable.
 Large sample size (many tests & many
subjects)
 Controls as many variables as possible.
Ex: sex, age, footwear, athletic ability, recent
activity, etc. are as similar as possible
The END!!