Study Jams: Scientific Methods

Why don’t scientists stop with the first step in the Scientific Method, making observations?

• They don’t trust their own observations and want others’ opinions.

• They would rather run experiments than observe the world around them

• They want to test what they observe to make sure it is correct.

• They don’t think that observations are a very good place to start.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

What is a hypothesis?

• an experiment

• a conclusion

• a prediction

• a variable

How do scientists form a hypothesis?

• by drawing conclusions from their data

• by asking questions about their observations

• by designing experiments

• by writing down everything they see

Once they form a hypothesis, what do scientists do next?

• design experiments to test their hypothesis

• draw conclusions based on their predictions

• compare their hypotheses to other scientists’

• ask the question, “Why?”

What does it mean to control variables in an experiment?

• to use different colored objects for all of the parts of an experiment

• to take complete notes about everything you observe in the experiment

• to not touch anything once you set up the parts of an experiment

• to keep as many things the same as possible across the parts of an experiment

What do scientists do when they run an experiment?

• walk away from the experiment

• write down their observations

• change parts of the experiment

• develop a hypothesis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-1

Why do scientists write down every detail of an experiment?

• because they do not take any pictures

• so they can leave the experiment alone to run itself

• because they always change their hypothesis

• so they can do over the experiment to compare results