7th Grade Scientific method notes

The Scientific Method

The Awareness Test

http://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4

What is the Scientific Method?

• An organized plan for gathering, organizing and communicating data

• The basic steps that scientists follow in uncovering facts and solving scientific problems ( a plan for solving a problem).

• Six or Seven Steps - depends on source

What is the Scientific Method?

• Make an Observation

• Ask a Question

• Complete Background Research

• Develop a Hypothesis

• Test your Hypothesis

• Analyze the Data

• Conclusion (Report and Share)

Step 1: Observation

• Everything starts with an observation

• What you perceive with your senses

What can you observe about a piece of paper?

Step 2: Forming a Question

• Based on your observations

• Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation.

Can you form a question about paper folding?

• Usually a “How’ or “Why” question

Step 2: Forming a Question

How many times can you fold a piece of paper?

Step 3: Complete Background Research

• Collect knowledge needed to know about the subject of the experiment

• It will be used to form a hypothesis

Step 4: Develop a Hypothesis

• Hypothesis = an educated prediction to the answer of the stated problem

• Based on research and prior knowledge

Not a W.U.G. !

(Wild

Uneducated

Guess)

Step 4: Develop a Hypothesis

• A proposed answer to your question

• There is no right or wrong hypothesis

Using our question lets develop a hypothesis.

Format of Hypothesis

• Two accepted formats:“I think…because…”

Or“If…then…because…”

• Both formats include the all important “because statement” used to justify your prediction.

Step 5: Testing Your Hypothesis

• This is where you conduct an experiment (a situation specially set up to observe how something happens or to test your hypothesis)

• Develop a set of repeatable methods

• The goal is to test your hypothesis by collecting data

Step 5: Testing Your Hypothesis• Includes variables - a quantity that is

measured or changed during the experiment

Term Definition

Independent

Variable

What you are changing in the experiment

Dependent

Variable

The outcome caused by changing the independent variable, a measurement

Control Used for comparison in your experiment

Constant What stays the same from one experiment to the next

Step 5: Testing Your Hypothesis

What are our variables in the paper folding experiment?

independent variable

cause

dependent variable effect

control comparison

constant unchanging

Step 6: Collect and Analyze the Data

• Interpret the data you gathered from your experiment

• Observations, information and data are collected from the experiment

• Organize the data and perform calculations

Step 6: Collect and Analyze the Data

• Construct charts, graphs, averages, percentages, etc.

Dependent Variable

on the Y-axis

Independent Variableon the X-axis

How would you graph the

paper folding experiment?

Step 7: Conclusion

• Does your data support your hypothesis?

You just made a scientific discovery.

YES

Revise or make a new hypothesis and

test again.

NO

Step 7: Conclusion (Sharing)

• A summary of results, the answer to your question.

• What were the possible sources of error?

• Does your data (answer) support your hypothesis? Why or why not?

What conclusion can you make about paper folding?

What about a huge sheet of paper?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAEBbotuIE&feature=share&list=TLWRT4dnDchcU

Why use the Scientific Method?

• A logical way to problem solve - in all aspects of life.

• A way to share information that can be proved or disproved.

• A way to find new information