 Make sure to change this on student note sheet as well
 Ask a Question
 Observations & Background Research
 Construct a Hypothesis
 Test Your Hypothesis (Experiment or Gather Data)
 Analyze Your Data & Draw a Conclusion
 Communicate Your Results

 Need better examples of use of scientific method.
Especially observations
 More examples of flawed experiments and why constants are needed (why they must be kept constant for valid experiment)
 Identify what went wrong or what happened in experiments
 Identify what happened in graphs
 Get a real case of the placebo effect happening

Today you are going to… listen as I explain the classroom rules & consequences & begin learning your names
So you can… understand what’s expected of you in this class.
You’ll know you’ve got it when you can
 Recite the rules & consequences

1.
List the 3 classroom rules in their entirety.

Get a sheet of notebook paper and format it as seen to the left of this screen.
1.
C.S. = COMPLETE SENTENCE
List the 3 classroom rules in their entirety.

Today you are going to… listen as I explain the course content, policies, & procedures receive (books) & notebooks review the class website
So you can… understand what’s expected of you in this class have the materials needed for the class
You’ll know you’ve got it when you can follow the procedures have a notebook & book can access the website

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2.
3.
Where is Mr. Shuster in the morning?
Where do you look to see what you missed while you were absent?
If you have an unexcused absence, you earn a
________ for all work done/due that day.

Monday 8/26
Introductions & Rules
Tuesday
Syllabus, Procedures, Notebooks, & Sci Method
Wednesday
Books, Mystery Bag, Sci Method Notes
Thursday
Lycopodium Demo, Sci Method Project, Sci. Meth Notes
Friday
Quiz,

Today you are going to… take notes on the scientific method & complete a mystery bag activity
So you can… understand the scientific method
You’ll know you’ve got it when you can list the steps & complete the accompanying worksheet.

 When scientists make observations about the natural world, they are often presented with a question or problem. To solve the problem scientists follow a series of steps called the:
Scientific Method!!
Scientific method – series of steps scientists use to investigate problems

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State the problem (Ask a question)
Make observations
Form a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis (experiment)
Draw conclusions
Communicate the results

1.
Write the 6 steps of the scientific method in order.

Today you are going to… see an awesome demo & take notes on the scientific method
So you can… understand the scientific method
You’ll know you’ve got it when you can list the steps & complete the accompanying worksheet.

 Usually in form of a question
Example – Why does the same kind of plant grow at different rates in different parts of the house?

 Observe – to use any of your senses to gather information.
 Examples
 This room is white.
 The air is warm.
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Acorns taste bitter.
Things look bent when they’re in water.
 Plants get different amounts of sunlight in different parts of the house.

 Hypothesis
– a tentative (possible) explanation or answer to the question, “educated guess”
 Must be testable

Often an “If…than” statement
 Example – If a plant gets more sunlight, than it will grow faster .

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Once it is established…it must be tested!
 How?
 Conducting experiments
AND/OR
 Gathering data
Example of an experiment – Take 2 of the same plant. Expose each to a different amount of sunlight and measure the height of each plant every day.

 Graphs & tables are often created to organize data
Example – chart the daily growth of each plant

What can you tell by analyzing this graph?

 Did the results support the hypothesis?
 If the hypothesis was NOT supported…the experiment may be repeated to check for errors.
Or
 Scientists may form a new hypothesis.
 Example – The plant that received more sunlight grew more quickly. The results of the experiment support the hypothesis!
 Either way, the experiment must be performed many times to be considered reliable.

 Share information with other scientists &people
 Published reports, journals, lectures, internet, etc.

Scientists “check” each other’s work and results
 Example – Publish your results in a biology or botany magazine
 How else can results be communicated?

1.
List the steps of the scientific method in order.
(Try from memory before double checking your notes.) 3 min

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3.
Ready your pencil…get one if you need one.
Separate yourself and fellow students if possible.
Take everything off of your desk except a pencil/pen and blank piece of paper.

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2.
Define hypothesis (c.s.)
W5SAYWoS

 Review bell work
 Collect hw
 Return quizzes & makeup quiz
 Notebooks
 Grades worksheet?
 Calculate grades
 Notes on parts of an experiment
 SpongeBob worksheet

 Review bell work
 Collect hw?
 Review home experiment
 Notes on parts of an experiment
 SpongeBob worksheet

 An experiment may include several things:
 Variables
 Control Group & Experimental Group
 Sample Size
 Placebo

 Variable
– something in an experiment that changes
 3 kinds of variables
 independent, dependent, & constant

 Independent variable – controlled by the scientist (cause)
 Should change the dependent variable
 What is the experimental group getting that the control isn’t?
 Dependent variable – result measured by the scientist (effect, hopefully)
 Should depend on the independent variable
 Example – Take 2 of the same plant. Expose each to a different amount of sunlight and measure the height of each plant every day.

 Constant variable – a condition that does not change in an experiment…the scientist keeps it the same
 Must be the same in order for the experiment to be valid (accurate)
 Plants example?

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2.
Zach is conducting an experiment to see peeing on a jellyfish sting will help it heal faster.
Identify the independent variable, dependent variable, and 2 constant variables that might be in his experiment.
W5SAYWoS

 Often times there are 2 groups in an experiment.
 Experimental group - exposed to independent variable
 Control group – not exposed to independent variable
 Everything else in the two groups is exactly the same!

 Sample Size
– how much/many do you test?
The bigger the group tested, the more reliable the results are.
(Testing a group of 1,000 will have more reliable results than testing a group of 100.)

Placebo – fake substance taken in place of independent variable
Placebo effect – when placebo has an effect on the dependent variable, psychological

 An experiment which bounces higher, a frozen tennis ball or a tennis ball at room temperature
 Hypothesis:
 Experimental Group:
 Control Group:
 Independent Variable:
 Dependent Variable:
 Constant Variables

 An experiment to see if a new type of gasoline will increase the fuel consumption (miles per gallon) of a car
 Hypothesis:
 Experimental Group:
 Control Group:
 Independent Variable:
 Dependent Variable:
 Constant Variables


1. Why is the scientific method “outstanding”?

2. What is the Alana’s hypothesis?

3. Alana’s hypothesis was incorrect…does this make her experiment worthless?
 4. Identify the independent variable and dependent variable in this experiment.
 5. What evidence was developed during this experiment?

 Quietly read the paper towel lab procedures.

 Quietly read the paper towel lab procedures.
 Staying on task
 Measuring at eye level
 Holding paper towel as instructed
 Accurately timing
 Cleaning up
 Dry cups out and set them near the sink on the side of the room
 Return materials (scissors, markers, cups)

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Dr. Murray wants to test a new medicine to see if it can heal sunburn. Imagine the experiment he would conduct and identify the
Experimental group
Control group
Independent variable
Dependent variable
2 constant variables

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Mia wants to see if sweet n low increases the likelihood of cancer. She orders 200 lab rats to test her experiment. Identify the
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Experimental group
Control group
What might the control group receive?
W5SAYWoS

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1.
Alida wants to see if a drug she’s created prevents cancer. She orders 200 lab rats to test her experiment. She gives the drug to all of the rats everyday. After 2 years, none of the rats get cancer.
What was Alida’s hypothesis. (If…than…)
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3.
Identify the independent variable and dependent variable.
What do you conclude from this experiment?

Yesterday’s hw?
1.
On graphs, the independent variable goes on the
_________ axis and the dependent variable goes on the ____________ axis.
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4.
A ___________________ graph is best for analyzing counted quantities.
A ___________________ graph is best for analyzing parts of a whole.
A ___________________ graph is best for analyzing trends.

th

Today you are going to… take notes on graphs take notes on scientific theories & laws
So you can… choose and create the correct graph in a given scenario explain & differentiate between a law & theory
You’ll know you’ve got it when you complete the graph creating worksheet answer the questions on scientific theories & laws

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Tuesday
Finish scientific method notes
SpongeBob wkst
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Wednesday
Check HW & review
Notes on graphs, laws, & theories
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Thursday
Notes on graphs, laws, & theories

Friday
Scientific notation notes

Monday
Scientific notation
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Tuesday
Graphs? or Review?

Wednesday
Test – top score in each class gets something special!!!

 Pie Graph
 Bar Graph
 Line Graph
 Look at both axes when reading graph
 Independent variable is on the axis
 Dependent variable is on the axis

 Percents – parts of a whole

 Used to compare quantities (amounts)
 Often counted

 Used to show trends





 an explanation for observations, events or facts observed in nature
 tells how or why something happens
 based on many experiments…a valid scientific theory has passed many tests!
 can change or be disproven at any time
 A theory CANNOT become a law!
 Example - Big Bang Theory


Big Bang Theory
 The Atomic Theory
 Cell Theory
 Germ Theory
 Theory of Evolution

 Generalizations about how natural world behaves
They simply state that something happens… they don’t say why or how!
 Can often be written as a math equation.
 May change as new data become available.
 Example - Law of gravity, laws of thermodynamics


Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion
 Universal Law of Gravitation

Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
 Laws of Thermodynamics

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How are they different?
How are they similar?
How is a hypothesis different from a theory?
Does the phrase “It’s only a theory.” apply to scientific theories? Why or why not?

 Earth's outer layer is made up of plates, which have moved throughout Earth's history. This explains the how and why behind mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

 the universe originated sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small volume of matter at extremely high density and temperature

 An objects acceleration is directly related to the force applied to it. (This means if it is pushed twice as hard, it will accelerate twice as much.)

A man wants to see if Rogaine will make his hair grow back (he is totally bald).
Every day he applies Rogaine to the right half of his head. On the left half he doesn’t apply anything. After one month he notices hair growing on the right half but none on the left. Write the 6 steps of the Scientific method and what he might have done for each step . Identify the independent and dependent variables, the control group, and the experimental group.

1. Ask a question –
________________________________________
2. Form a hypothesis –
______________________________________
3. Test the hypothesis –
______________________________________
4. Analyze the results -
______________________________________
5. Draw conclusions –
________________________________________
6. Communicate the results –
________________________________________

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6.
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2.
Ask a question – Will Rogaine make my hair grow?
Form a hypothesis – If I put Rogaine on my scalp, than my hair will grow back.
Test the hypothesis – Put Rogaine on half of scalp
Analyze the results – Monitor & measure hair growth
Draw conclusions – Rogaine works!
Communicate the results – He tells all his friends.

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Jane looks at the clock and realizes the time is not correct.
Jane realizes that the battery must have died.
Jane then wonders, “What brand of battery would last the longest in that clock?”
She thinks, “I think that the energizer battery would last the longest.”
Jane goes to local store and buy Duracell and Energizer batteries. She places the batteries in the same type of clock and lets the test begin. She checks the clocks every day to see if the batteries are still working.
After 3 months, the Duracell battery died. The Energizer battery took 5 months before it died.
Jane graphed her results and looked at what she found.
Finally, Jane says, “I was right! The Energizer battery did last the longest!”
Jane then go to tells her friends that Energizers batteries last longer.

 1. What is Kira’s hypothesis?
 2. What were the results of the experiment?
Independent Variable
–
Dependent Variable –

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

 Identify the following as true of a scientific theory, a scientific law, neither, or both.
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State what happens without saying why or how
May change as new info becomes available
Explains how or why something happens
Is an educated guess
May be expressed in mathematical equation
6. T/F After being supported by many experiments, a theory may become a law.

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Justin wants to design an experiment to see if drinking orange juice before a test would improve his test scores. Identify his independent and dependent variable.
Define placebo.
Define placebo effect.

 Define hypothesis
 Identify: hypothesis, independent n dependent variable, control & experimental group, conclusion
 List 6 steps of scientific method in order
 Tell difference between a law and a theory
 Define & give example of placebo effect

 As you watch the following experiment , identify the following.
 At least 3 pieces of information that suggest the woman is a witch
 The problem
 The hypothesis
 The experiment
 The conclusion
 What flaws did you see?