The Scientific Method

What is the scientific method?

• The scientific method is a series of steps that scientists use to answer questions about the world around them.

1. Make An Observation

• An observation is information collected by using your senses (sight, touch, smell, hear, but NOT taste)

• An inference is an opinion or conclusion based on your observations.

Observation vs. Inference

• Give one observation from the cartoon.

• Give one inference from the cartoon

Observation vs. Inference

• Give one observation from the cartoon.

• Give one inference from the cartoon

2. Ask a Question

• A problem is a question that scientists ask about the world around them.– Example: Does the height water is

dropped from dropper affect the distance the water spreads out?

• A variable is something that changes in a situation– Examples: height dropped from, water

spread

There are two types of variables

• An Independent variable is a variable you change on purpose to see what will happen.– Example: Independent variable: the

height I drop the water from• A dependent variable is a variable that

change because of what you did.– Example: Dependent variable: the

distance the water spreads out on the paper

3. Form an Hypothesis• An hypothesis is a statement based upon

your observations that predicts the answer to your original question.

• It contains both the independent and dependent variables.– Example: If I drop the water from a dropper

at a higher height, then the water will spread out farther.

4. Experiment• An experiment is a planned way to test

an hypothesis.• It contains two groups: an

experimental group and a constant group

• The experimental group is the one you change the independent variable

• The constant group stays the same• You can only change one variable at a

time

Materials Needed• Materials are whatever you will need to

complete your experiment– Example: Dropper, Colored Water, Table,

Ruler, Paper to Measure Water Spread, Paper with data table, Pencil, Graph Paper, Calculator, Team, Paper Towels (to clean up afterwards)

Procedure• A procedure is the step by step process you

will use to carry out the lab activity– Example:

1. Squeeze the dropper bulb and place the open end in the colored water.

2. Release the bulb to fill the dropper3. Select one person to drop the water.4. Have the person hold their right hand out with the

dropper at a height of 6 inches.5. While seated, squeeze out one drop of colored

water onto a piece of white paper on the table. 6. Measure the width of the distance the colored water

spread out…

5. Data Analysis• Data is information collected during an

experiment• This data is usually in chart form and

turned into graphs• Data analysis is when information from

an experiment is studied closely to learn if your original hypothesis was correct

Data Observations• Qualitative data lists what

our senses detected during the experiment

• Quantitative data lists numbers we collected during the experiment

• A chart is a simple listing of data obtained during an experiment

Day 1 Day 5 Day 10

Green Yellow Brown

At a Height of 6 Inches

At a Height of 12 Inches

3 cm 10 cm

5 cm 8 cm

Why do we use graphs?

• Graphs help us see patterns in quantitative data

• There are three basic kinds of graphs:– Bar Graphs– Pie Graphs– Line Graphs

Bar Graphs• Bar graphs are

used to compare many items at the same time

• When are students absent the most?

Pie Graphs• Pie graphs are

used to compare the parts of a whole

• What is most of his trash?

Line Graphs• Line graphs are

used to show a relationship between two variables.

• As time has passed, what has happened to the amount of whole milk?

6. Draw Conclusions & Share

• A conclusion tells what you learned from the experiment and if the data you collected supports your original hypothesis.

I learned

…