The Scientific Method

What scientists do and why they do it that way

Definition

 The way scientists use experiments to answer questions.

Memory cue

  Mnemonic sentence, each word reminds of one step “Quentin rides horses, elephants and camels.”

      Quentin Rides Horses Elephants And Camels

The 6 Steps

Question Research Hypothesis Experiment Analysis Conclusion

Your foldable

   Each flap will be one of the six steps.

Write the step and its word from our sentence at the bottom of the flap.

We will write information above the labels on each flap. Leave space!

Question Research Hypothesis Experiment Analysis Conclusion Quentin rides horses elephants and camels

Question

  The question should be something you can measure how, where, when, why, … Should be something you can measure how, where, when, why,… Question Research Quentin rides Hypothesis horses Experiment elephants Analysis Conclusion and camels

Research

 Collect information from books, magazines, internet, anywhere with reliable information Collect information from books, magazines, internet, anywhere with reliable information Research rides Hypothesis Experiment Analysis Conclusion horses elephants and camels

Hypothesis

   An educated guess supported by your research Includes your prediction, what conditions you set and a reason “I think __________ will happen if I do _________ because __________.” Question Experiment Analysis Conclusion Quentin Research rides An educated guess supported by your research Includes your prediction, what conditions you set and a reason “I think __________ will happen if I do _________ because __________.” Hypothesis horses elephants and camels

Experiment

   Can only change 1 thing Record data Need to run experiment at least 3 times Question Quentin Research rides Hypothesis horses Can only change 1 thing Record data Need to run experiment at least 3 times Experiment elephants Analysis Conclusion and camels

Analysis

  Use graphs, charts, tables to show your data and any patterns Include units, labels and titles Question Research Quentin rides Hypothesis horses Experiment elephants Use graphs, charts, tables to show your data and any patterns Include units, labels and titles Analysis and Conclusion camels

Conclusion

   Was your hypothesis right or not?

What data support that conclusion?

Suggest improvements to design of experiment Question Research Quentin rides Hypothesis horses Experiment elephants Analysis and Was your hypothesis right or not?

What data support that conclusion?

Suggest improvements to design of experiment Conclusion camels

What was our sentence?

Quentin rides horses, elephants and camels.

What are the steps of which it reminds us?

Question, Research, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analysis and Conclusion

Variables

Definition

 Variable means changeable.

   Math has letters for variables that stand for a number. The letter can change and represent a different number in another problem. V= l x w x h A variable speed fan can be set at different speeds.

A variable timer can be set to come on at different times or for different durations.

Types of variables

Independent  You choose  The only thing that you change in your experiment  The cause of all the results Dependent     Depends on the independent variable How the results change The effect Usually is what you measure Control group   The group you don’t change Used to compare groups to find out if the variable works better

Example of Variable Types

If you are experimenting to test two fertilizer brands, A and B, you would have at least 9 plants. Three would be in the group using fertilizer A (because you need to do it three times), three plants would be in the fertilizer B group, and three would not get any fertilizer. The independent variable is which fertilizer goes on the plants. You pick which plants get A, which get B and which get none.

The dependent variable is how well the plants grow. It depends on how well the fertilizer works.

The control group is the group that doesn’t get any fertilizer. You can compare these to groups A and B to see if the fertilizers helped at all or if the fertilizer was just a waste of money.

Remember only the fertilizer should be different. All the plants should get the same amount of light, water, soil,….