Scientific Method
Who uses it?
What is it?
Why should I care?
Everyone uses it everyday.
Yes …
Even YOU!
It is a way to solve problems. Do
you have any problems to solve?
Any
big or any
small
ones?
Any of these sound familiar?
Where did I leave my shoes?
Which of these two deodorants lasts
longer?
What should I have for lunch?
Which class do I go to next?
Where did I put my science homework?
Did I EVEN DO my science homework?
There are six steps to the
Scientific Method.
1. State the Problem
2. Gather Information
3. Form a Hypothesis
4. Plan an Experiment
5. Analyze Data
6. Draw Conclusions
By following these steps in order
you will learn about your
question.
Notice the IN ORDER
part. It is very
important!!!!
You can remember the steps of the
scientific method by using the following
mnemonic device:
SIX
GREAT
FARMERS
PLANT
ALL
DAY
State the Problem
(SIX)
*This is the question that you are trying to
answer or problem that you are trying to
solve.
*Try to narrow it down and be very
specific.
Gather Information
(GREAT)
Gather data about your question. You can use any
of the following sources:
books
magazines
internet
reports
experts
your past experiences
Form a Hypothesis
(FARMERS)
Well… What exactly is a
hypothesis anyway?
-an educated guess
-a prediction based on data
-what you think the answer to your question
is based on your gathered information
(Remember—your hypothesis should be
made before your experiment is conducted.)
Plan an Experiment
(PLANT)
This is broken into 2 parts:
materials & procedure
Materials - a list of equipment and supplies
that you will need to perform your
experiment.
Procedure - a list of instructions that you
need to follow for the experiment.
Analyze Data
(ALL)
Collection of information and data from the
experiment.
It may be charts, graphs, tables, or written
work.
This is WHAT HAPPENED while
performing the experiment!!
Draw Conclusions
(DAY)
What did you find the answer to the question was?
This is where scientists decide whether the original
hypothesis was correct.
--If the answer is “YES” then you are done.
--If the answer is “NO” then a new
hypothesis is made and you repeat the
experiment.
It is OK if it turns out that your hypothesis was not
correct. You learned something new!!!!!!!!
Report your results
One of the most important parts of the
scientific method is to report to others your
findings.
You will help others learn, too.
THE RATTLESNAKE
EXPERIMENT
Now we are going to look at an experiment that a
scientist who studies animal behaviors and
adaptations may conduct in a laboratory.
Let’s say a scientist observed that once a snake has
bitten its prey, it follows an imaginary trail to the
exact location of its prey.
Stating the Problem
What causes the invisible trail a
rattlesnake follows in tracking down
its bitten prey?
Gathering Information
A rattlesnakes eyes are only sensitive to visible
light.
A pair of organs located under the eyes detect
invisible light in the form of heat.
A rattler’s tongue “smells” certain odors in the
air.
The sight or smell of an unbitten animal does not
trigger the rattler’s tracking action.
Hypothesis
After the snake wounds its victim, the
snake follows the smell of its own venom
to locate the animal.
Experiment
Drag a dead mouse that has been struck and poisoned
by a rattlesnake along a curved path on the bottom of
an empty cage.
Place the snake in the cage.
The snake follows the exact trail that has been laid
out.
Control (the mouse)
Drag an unbitten dead mouse along the path.
The snake seems disinterested.
The variable in this experiment is whether the mouse
contains venom or not.
Recording and Analyzing Data
Do the
experiment
several times
(at least 3)
Record the
data
Conclusion
The scent of venom was
the only factor that could
cause a rattlesnake to follow
its bitten victim.