Unit 1: Nature of Science Review

Unit 1: Nature of Science Review

By S. Siegel

Unit 1: Nature of Science Review

September 15-16

​Variables

​The INDEPENDENT variable is the thing that a scientist changes on purpose to see how it affects something.

​Example: The amount of water.

​

​The DEPENDENT variable is the thing that is affected, it's what we measure or collect data on.

Example: The size of plant, number of leaves, dead or alive.

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between seasons and the amount of rainfall? The SEASONS are the what variable?

• independent

• dependent

• control

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between seasons and the amount of rainfall? The AMOUNT OF RAINFALL is what variable?

• independent

• dependent

• control

​Control Variable

​A control or constant variable is something or things that stay the same (do not change) in order to make sure that the experiment is fair.

​

​Example: When measuring growth of a plant under different lights, you keep the type of plant, soil, and water amount the same.

Multiple Choice

Diego is conducting an experiment to determine which type of food his dog likes best. Hey buys three different types of dog food and measures how much food his dog eats of each type. What is the CONTROL variable?

• the types of dog food

• how much the dog eats

• the amount of food given to the dog

Multiple Choice

Diego is conducting an experiment to determine which type of food his dog likes best. Hey buys three different types of dog food and measures how much food his dog eats of each type. What is the INDEPENDENT variable?

• the types of dog food

• how much the dog eats

• the amount of food given to the dog

Multiple Choice

Diego is conducting an experiment to determine which type of food his dog likes best. Hey buys three different types of dog food and measures how much food his dog eats of each type. What is the DEPENDENT variable?

• the types of dog food

• how much the dog eats

• the amount of food given to the dog

​Testable Questions

• Can be observed by doing an experiment

• You collect facts / data from this experiment

• The question must CHANGE something to see how it affects something else

• Must have an independent and dependent variable​

• ​Must have something to CHANGE and MEASURE

Open Ended

What 2 things must a question have to be TESTABLE?

Multiple Select

Pick the testable questions

• Is soccer more fun than baseball? 

• Does wing shape affect how far a paper airplane will fly?

• Does the amount of sunlight affect how tall a plant will grow? 

• Why does the Earth revolve around the sun?

​Observations and Inferences

​An observation is something you see happening. You don't have to guess about it. It is something that you know because you can see, feel, touch, taste or smell it. You observe that the tiger is orange

with black ​stripes.

​

​An inference is an educated guess about

what will or has happened. You can infer that this

tiger is going​ to eat you if you come closer, but

​you don't know for sure. It is a guess.

Multiple Select

Which of these statements are Inferences?

• There are 15 trees

• There was an earthquake

• The earthquake knocked the house down

• There are powerlines

​Qualitative

​Observations

​Qualitative observations describe the qualities of something. These are observations you make using your five senses such as touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing.

​

​Example: A qualitative observation is that Nezuko's eyes are pink.

​Quantitative

​Observations

​Quantitative observations describe the quantities or the amount of something. These are observations that involve numbers.

​

​Example: A quantitative observation is that Nezuko has one hair bow and two eyes.

Multiple Choice

There are 32 cars in the parking lot

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

Multiple Choice

There are blue chairs in the classroom

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

Multiple Choice

The classroom is very cold today

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

Multiple Choice

The classroom has one teacher desk

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

​CER

​​Claim: What I think the answer is.

​"My claim is..."

​

​Evidence: What I see in the problem that tells me this is the answer.

​"In the question, it says..."

​

​Reasoning: What the evidence means and how you know. DEFINE VOCAB HERE.

​"I know that ___ means..."

​Do Sketchers make you run faster than a Cheetah?

​On the next slide, you will write a CER about if Sketchers make you run faster than a cheetah.

​

​Remember that you must write in 3 complete sentences, and you must have a CLAIM, EVIDENCE from the commercial and REASONING behind why you know this.

Open Ended

Do Sketchers make you run faster than a Cheetah? Write a claim and justify your claim with evidence and reasoning. Write 3 COMPLETE sentences.

Claim: "I think___"

Evidence: "In the commercial ___"

Reasoning: "I know that ___"

Open Ended

Bryan is asked to write a quantitative observation about something in his home. Bryan's observation is "There are 14 birds in the tree." Write a claim about whether Bryan is correct. Justify your claim with evidence and reasoning. Write in 3 complete sentences.

Claim: "I think Bryan..."

Evidence: "In the question it says..."

Reasoning: "I know that quantitative means..."