Scientific Inquiry

Scientific Method/ Scientific Inquiry

Grade 7^th

​Introduction

​Have you ever had a question about the world around you? Ever wondered why the sky is blue? Why the grass is green? Scientists ask questions all the time. Then, they follow steps to find the answer! This method for finding answers to science questions is called the Scientific Method.

Multiple Choice

Step by step process that scientists have developed to help them solve problems and test ideas.

• Scientific Method

• Conclusion

• Variable

• Hypothesis

Steps of Scientific Method​

• Make an observation​

• Ask a question​

• ​Form a hypothesis

• ​Test hypothesis (Doing experiment)

• Collect, Organise and Analyse Data

• ​Draw conclusion

• ​Communicate the result

Make an Observation

• Observation based on sense or tools

• We use our 5 senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hear)

Multiple Choice

Using your senses to gather information is called an _____?

• observation

• inference

• question

​Observation and Inference??

What is observation for this picture?

​

What is inference for this picture?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT an inference about the man in this picture:

• The man hates his purple shirt.

• The man has a purple shirt.

• The man is having a bad day.

• This man is upset because he's hungry

​Ask a Question/Problem

• ​Form questions from your problem. Think about what you want to find out. Your questions have to be measurable.

  For example:

• I wonder what will happen if the rocks get wet?

• I wonder why the block tower collapsed?

​Form a hypothesis

• ​A hypothesis is like an educated guess. What do you think the answer to your question is

• ​A hypothesis tries to predict or determine the outcome of your experiment even before the experiment is done

  ​A hypothesis is usually an "if...then" statement.

• ​For example, your hypothesis might be: "If there is less sunlight, then the grass turns brown." or "If the air is colder, then the grass turns brown."

Multiple Choice

What is a hypothesis?

• the thing changed on purpose in the experiment

• an explanation about what you observed

• using your 5 senses to gather data

• an educated guess about the outcome of an experiment

Multiple Choice

Which hypothesis is correctly written?

• I think I will do well on my test today, because I ate a good breakfast.

• If I eat a good breakfast, then I will do well on my test today.

• If I eat a good breakfast, then I will earn a passing grade on my test today.

• If I do well on my test today, I get to out to eat for breakfast.

Determine the independent and dependent variable

• ​Does changing the height of the ramp affect the speed of a car going down the ramp?

• ​If the temperature of the room is increased, then the bacteria will grow faster

• ​Farmer Amos wants to test a new fertilizer for his tomatoes to see if he can harvest more fruit

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a qualitative observation?

• The cat weighs 34 kg

• The clouds look grey and dark

• The girl can run 15 mph

• There are 50 states in the USA

Multiple Choice

Dependent variable means

• the scientist controls what to test

• educated guess

• ask a question

• what is being measured

Multiple Choice

Research question: does the distance a person kicks a soccer ball effect how well they will do on their math test.  What is the dependent variable?

• How far they kick the soccer ball

• who the person is

• how well they do on the math test

• Type of soccer ball.

Multiple Choice

What would the INDEPENDENT variable be in an experiment testing which types of paper airplane goes furthest?

• the paper used

• the type of paper airplane

• the distance of each plane's flight

• how hard the plane is thrown

Multiple Choice

If I ride my bike to school instead of walking, then I will get to school faster. What is the dependent variable?

• True

• How fast you get to school

• Riding a bike or walking

• False

​Conduct an experiment

• Your experiment tests whether your prediction is accurate and thus your hypothesis is supported or not. It is important for your experiment to be a fair test.

• You conduct a fair test by making sure that you change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same.

• You should also repeat your experiments several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.

Multiple Choice

Testing a hypothesis often involves a(n):

• answer

• experiment

• problem

• safety check

​Collect, Organise and Analyse Data

• ​Data is defined as: recorded observations or measurements, 2 type of data

• qualitative = description

• quantitative = number data

  Data is organized in tables, charts and graphs so that it can be more easily analyzed

From table to graph

​Draw Conclusion

​

• Scientists decide whether the results of the experiment support a hypothesis.

• When the hypothesis is not supported by the tests the scientist must find another explanation for what they have observed

​Communicate the Results

• ​Results must be communicated in the form of a written paper or presentation

• Communication helps other scientists performing the same experiments to see if the results of your experiment are the same as their results