The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method
Biology

The Scientific Method is...

​A process scientists use to carry out experiments.

It has a few basic steps. They can be done in any order!

Match

Let's try to identify some parts. Start with these! Match the definition to the right answer.

• Looking through books or websites for information.

• A list of things needed for the experiment.

• An educated guess as to what will happen.

Research

Materials

Hypothesis

• Research

• Materials

• Hypothesis

Match

Here's a few more to try! Match the definition to the right answer.

• Observations recorded and put into graphs or charts.

• Something changed in an experiment to see what will happen.

• Always asks a question.

Data

Variable

Problem

• Data

• Variable

• Problem

Let's look at a few more examples.

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We use the steps of the scientific method all the time!

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Jose saw bats catching insects after dark. He thought, "how do bats see the insects in the dark?"

• Question

• Hypothesis

• Experiment

• Data

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Bob read about growing plants in water. He wanted to know how plants could grow without soil.

• Question

• Hypothesis

• Research

• Data

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Kevin said, "If I grow five seedlings in red light, then I think they will grow faster than the seeds in white light."

• Question

• Hypothesis

• Experiment

• Data

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Alice soaked six different kinds of seeds in water for 24 hours. Then she planted the seeds in soil at a depth of I cm. She used the same

amount of water, light, and heat for each kind of seed.

• Experiment

• Hypothesis

• Conclusion

• Data

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Janae recorded her plant growth on a chart, and then graphed it.

• Experiment

• Hypothesis

• Conclusion

• Data

Multiple Choice

Identify the stage of the scientific method: Angela’s experiment proved that earthworms move away from light.

• Experiment

• Hypothesis

• Conclusion

• Data

Before we do, let's look at a hypothesis. In class, you will make a hypothesis using if/then/because to help you.

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Today, we will practice this.

Let's practice these...

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Your hypothesis is based on the variables of the experiment.

Multiple Choice

John thinks he will get a better test score if he gets more sleep. He goes to bed 1 hour early, and gets a B on his test. What's the independent variable?

• How much sleep John got.

• John's grade on the test.

Multiple Choice

Janet believes Bounty paper towels absorb more water, so she always buys them. What's the independent variable?

• The brand of paper towels Jason chose to buy.

• How much water the paper towels absorbed.

Multiple Choice

Terell sets up an experiment to grow plants. He changes the amount of water each day that three plants receive, and records their measurement over time. What's the dependent variable?

• The amount of water each plant gets.

• How tall the plants grow over time.

When we write our hypothesis, we use if/then/because...

If (what we change), then (what we think will happen), because (why you think so).

If we water 3 different plants with different amounts of water, then I think the plant with the most water will grow more, because plants need water for photosynthesis.