Science Experiment Procedures

Scientific Method

Some of the most important discoveries have come about as a result of questioning why things are the way they are. That is how science begins. In order for scientists to investigate and answer questions about the world, they have to follow a series of steps called the scientific method. It's kind of like a road map that scientists use in order to understand how things work and why they work the way they do. There are six steps in the scientific method.

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What is the scientific method?

1.Observe- Pay close attention to your surroundings. What do you see,hear,smell,touch or taste?

2. Problem(research)- What do you want to find out?

3. Hypothesis- What are your thoughts? What is your prediction ? "I think...because..."

4. Experiment-What materials and procedures do you need to test your hypothesis?

5. Results(collect data)- What happened during the experiment?

6. Conclusion(analyze)-What did you learn from the experiment?

​​Steps to the Scientific Method

Multiple Choice

How many steps are there to the scientific method?

• 8

• 6

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

What is the series of steps scientists use called?

• collection method

• observation method

• scientific method

When using the scientific method, one of the first steps involves making observations,or gathering information on a topic of interest.

This step comes naturally to most people. It involves using the 5 senses to see, hear, taste,touch and smell what is going on around you.

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Step 1:

Step 2:

The next step is to come up with a problem, or a good question to be answered. Ask yourself questions about something that interests you and what you would like to learn more about. Does something seem strange to you? Do you want to find out how something works? Questions should be clear and testable, not opinions or questions that test more than one thing. An example of a good problem statement is " What effect will water have on a gummy bear?

Step 3:

The next stage of the scientific method involves forming a hypothesis , or a possible solution to the problem.This is when scientists use what they already know and have observed, to say what they believe the outcome of the experiment will be. It's like a guess they make based on their prior knowledge or facts they have observed or already know. The best part about a hypothesis is that it is simply a prediction of what you think is going to happen. If a scientists results do not match their hypothesis, this does not mean that the experiment was a failure. A hypothesis should begin with " I think.. because..."

Multiple Choice

What starts with " I think.....because....."

• hypothesis

• quote

• problem

​Step 4:

The most important and exciting step of the scientific method is conducting experiments. In this phase, scientists design and carry out tests, or trials,that will help them determine if their hypothesis is correct. This step also requires scientists to write down clear and short procedures, or steps to follow, and to keep a list of the materials used. Keeping such careful records will allow other scientists to repeat the experiment at a later date. Most experiments are repeated more than once to make sure that the results stay the same.

​Step 5:

As scientists work on their experiments,they constantly make observations and collect data. This part of the process is known as the results. It is important to keep careful records so that they can be shared with other scientists. Data can also be in the form of notes, tables, pictures, charts, and even graphs.

​Step 6:

The final step is the conclusion. This involves analyzing and summarizing the results. This is also where scientists reveal whether or not the data found supports their original hypothesis. If the results do not support their hypothesis, scientists do not go back and change their predictions. Instead they try to figure out what error they might have made with their hypothesis.

Multiple Choice

True or False:

It is NOT important to keep careful records .

• False

• True

​The scientific method is......

In the scientific method packet, turn to the page that says

" The scientific method is....."

Here you will independently summarize the information we just went over about the scientific method. You need to include what it is, the steps, and anything else you want to add.