Scientific Method Vocabulary

Match the following

• Observation of WHAT does happen

• Inference

• Educated guess based on research

• Theory

• A guess or opinion made based on an observation

• Law

• Attempts to answer WHY something happens

• Hypothesis

• Information gathered through the senses

• Observation

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Reorder the following. Everything starts with asking a...

• experiment

• hypothesis / design

• analyze results

• research

• question / problem

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

This is the first step of the scientific process. It has to do with using your senses to gather information.

• Creating a hypothesis

• Making an observation

• Conducting an experiment

• Posing a question

List the steps of the scientific method

d

e

f

c

b

a

Results and Analysis

Hypothesis

Conclusion

Observation

Question

Experiment

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

The process of making an inference. An interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge.

• Experimenting

• Asking

• Guessing

• Inferring

A testable prediction that has been made based on an observation or question (or both).

• model

• theory

• hypothesis

• inference

The variable that changes as a result of the experiment; the outcome.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

The variable in an experiment that a scientist purposely changes; the cause

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable

A variable that is kept constant during a controlled experiment.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable

Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations. Once it's analyzed and organized, it becomes information.

• notes

• inferences

• research

• data

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5