Getting Started

1. Getting Started • Warm Up Handout • Notebook • Reserve the 1st few pages for your glossary • Start adding content page 4-ish

2. Take My Word For It • The Earth is the center of the universe. • The sun revolves around the Earth. • All matter is made up of 4 elements: fire, water, earth, & air. • Bowling balls fall faster than basketballs because they are heavier. • High-fructose corn syrup is a safe alternative to sugar. • So is saccharine, and Nutrasweet, and sucralose, and dextrose • Sadaam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. • GMO’s pose no threat to your health. • Jay-Z is in the Illuminati • CNN is fake news • What do all these have in common? • Highly debated statements that have been delivered to people as fact.

3. Discussion Questions • The world was once thought to be flat. Discuss with a partner the following questions and answer: • Why did people believe this? • Did everybody believe this? Why? • Is this behavior (see #2) good or bad? • for society? • for the person who doesn’t believe?

4. Short Answer • People often believe what they are told if the information comes from a person that is generally respected. • Science is a way that one can separate the “BS” opinions from reality.

5. Using A Scientific Approach The Learning Objectives are here to identify the main concepts you are to know by the end of this lesson. The Performance Objectives are here to identify the activity you will do to ensure you know it & I can be sure you are working towards reaching a “3” on the learning scale. You accomplish mastering the learning objectives by doing the performance objectives. • Learning Objectives: • Define & describe the steps in the scientific method. • Explain the groups and variables in a controlled experiment. • Compare and contrast scientific theories and scientific laws. • Define & explain the importance of models in science. • Performance Objective: • At the end of class you will have completed a flow chart outlining the scientific method. Your job is to know all the steps of the scientific method and be able to identify these in varying scenarios as well as be able to set up an experiment that utilizes all these steps.

6. Make a claim Your 1st “Handout” Fill it in as we go. You will have an opportunity to complete at the end of class.

7. Using A Scientific Approach These are the primary vocabulary words you will need to know to increase your chances of success. You will also have a vocabulary assignment with these words. • Vocabulary: • Scientific method • Observation • Hypothesis • Control group • Experimental group • Dependent variable • Independent variable • Scientific theory • Scientific law • Model

8. The Scientific Method • We have to have a way for our knowledge to evolve. • The scientific method allows us to do this. • Used correctly, the scientific method can help you solve problems of all sorts, from personal to physical.

9. Using A Scientific Approach • Empirical science is attributed to Aristotle, however Muslim scientists in the 10th – 14th centuries (most notably al-Haytham) were the first ones to use the basic approach to problem solving. For notes: Write down the underlined portion! • Scientific Method: • …is a step by step plan to solve a problem or answer a question. • an organized plan for gathering, organizing, and communicating information gained while answering a question. • The goal of scientific methodology is to solve a problem or to better understand an observed event. • The strength of the method is that, if done right, the “data-based” solution is highly credible as opposed to merely opinion.

10. Beginning a Scientific Investigation • The 1st Step… • Observation: is information that you obtain through your senses. • Observation is the act of noting or perceiving objects or events using the senses. • Observation takes interest and patience. • It takes care but a desire to know WHY? • Ultimately… (&hopefully) • Making observations leads to questions. What the…

11. Using A Scientific Approach • The 2nd Step… • Form a Hypothesis: • A hypothesisis a possible answer to a question that CAN BE SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED! • In other words, A hypothesis is a prediction that can be tested by observation or experimentation. • A hypothesis is NOT JUST AN EDUCATED GUESS! • It is useful to make create a hypothesis as an ‘if… then… because…’ statement.

12. Using A Scientific Approach • The 3rd Step… • Design & Conduct a Controlled Experiment: • A controlled experiment is one that is designed so that ONLY ONE variable is changed or tested at a time. • What is a variable? • It’s a factor or value that can change or has multiple values. • Experiments come in all shapes & sizes: • Trials, taste tests, competitions, simulations,

13. Using A Scientific Approach • Good Experiments have TWO Groups • Group #1 • Control Group: • This group has expected results • A.K.A. (also know as) predictable outcome *Control Group

14. Using A Scientific Approach • Group #2 • Experimental Group: • This group has the ONE and only ONE variable changed (related to the hypothesis) to cause a measurable change different from the control group. *Experimental Group

15. The Variables • In the experimental group, the thing that is being tested in an experiment is called the independent variable. • A.K.A. manipulated variable. • A special aspect of the scientific method is that one controlled experiment has only 1 independent variable. • Remember, the independent variable is the ONE thing being tested in an experiment.

16. Using A Scientific Approach • On experimentation variables… • Experiments have variables. • Independent Variables (aka manipulated variables) are changes that are directly caused by the experimenter (you.) • This is the thing that is stated in the hypothesis. • It will generate data = dependent variables. • Dependent Variables (aka responding variables) are changes that occur due to independent variables. • These are the values that can be measured!

17. Using A Scientific Approach • The 4th Step: • Data is created & analyzed to draw conclusions. • You will need to take a look at data to make a decision on what it tells you.

18. Data Gathering & Analysis • When you gather data it’s important to organize it in tables and charts • (to be seen and practiced later) • You are attempting to determine what difference between your two groups resulted from your INDEPENDENT VARIABLE. • Once organized, data is usually graphed to make the relationship between the independent and dependent variables more easily recognizable. • Observing the data when it is displayed in graphs is Analyzing the Data

19. Drawing Conclusions • When drawing a conclusion we must consider the hypothesis. • Sometimes conclusions are what you want. • If your conclusion supports the hypothesis then you have performed one good experiment. • …rinse & repeat for more support • Sometimes conclusions yield unexpected results. • That is okay… • If you conclusions do not support the hypothesis then you must revise your experiment and test a new variable.

20. What Could Happen: Option 1: the data does support the hypothesis.

21. Using A Scientific Approach • Usually one experiment isn’t enough to draw a definitive conclusion so multiple trials should be ran with the same experiment. • In our case we should run several trials, repeating the experiment exactly with different polls. • The data should be illustrated in a graph to help interpret the results.

22. Using A Scientific Approach • Let’s Practice in a Mock Scenario • One of my favorite food groups is chocolate. • This is my observation. • My question is… • What makes chocolate so good? • Based upon my knowledge of the ingredients in chocolate, I’m thinking it might be the sugar. • Though the answer is obvious, I’m going to put this to the test. • What are the first steps in the process of proving sugar is the secret ingredient that makes chocolate so good? • Follow along on your completed GO’s and fill in additional facts as necessary.

23. BREAK DOWN THE STEPS…

26. Examine the Hypothesis • Good hypotheses follow a particular format that starts with an “If…Then…Because” framework. • What are parts of a good hypothesis?… If I take sugar out of a chocolate recipe then the resulting candy will not be as good because sugar makes food taste sweet. Some thing that’s tested Compared to something that’s known The prediction The measurable outcome

28. What are the two groups in the experiment? Control Group Predictable standard = the group where you expect the results! Experimental Group Exactly the same as the control group except for one thing…the independent variable.

29. Using A Scientific Approach • The Payoff For Having 2 Groups • The essential part of good scientific investigation lies in the comparison between the 2 groups. • The differences between the two gives data that is used to defend claims. Experimental Results Expected Results Control Group Experimental Group Compare The difference between the two = evidence that is used to defend claims!

30. Which is the Control,Which is the Experimental? Kisses Batch #1, Normal Kisses Batch #2, No Sugar 1 minute with partner What is the Independent Variable?What will be the Dependent Variable? What difference do we hope to get?

31. You measure the dependent variables in the experiment.

32. Data • There are several aspect of data that must be taken into account: • It must be accurate & precise as possible. • There must be enough data. • “In Triplicate”: In our example, there will be 3 trials ran. • It must not be biased. • = shouldn’t be employed or paid by Hershey • It must be neat. • There are two main types of data • Quantitative = Numbers • Qualitative = Descriptions

33. Analysis involves looking at the trends in the data

34. Poll opinion # Votes Which chocolate is sweeter Chocolate A B A B A B Trial 1 2 3 Chocolate Taste TestsDecision: does our data support our hypothesis? • If I take sugar out of a chocolate recipe then the resulting candy will not be as good because sugar makes food taste sweet. A = Sugar B = No Sugar

35. Drawing conclusions deals with determining how the data addressed the hypothesis.

36. Drawing Conclusions • Once the data is graphed and you have analyzed the trends presented in the data, you draw a conclusion, or… • Make a statement that determines if the hypothesis is supported or not. • If supported, good to go! • If not, back to the drawing board. • In our case with the chocolate, the data says that sugar does make the chocolate better. • Does this mean that is the entire reason chocolate is good? • No! A common issue is that people will use this as proof of a concept, but fail to account for the other variables not tested…

37. What Could Happen: Option 1: the data doesn’t support the hypothesis.

38. What Could Happen: Option 1: the data does support the hypothesis.

39. After the Conclusion • The Last Step = options here. • After validating a hypothesis several times you can come to a conclusion. • This is also called “making a claim”. • In our case we could claim that sugar makes chocolate sweet. • But one study usually isn’t enough. • A good scientist will retest multiple times testing a variety of similar hypotheses.

40. Make A Claim

41. Developing a Theory: • After validating many similar hypotheses you then come up with a theory that explains the result of your experiments. • A scientific theory is a well tested explanation for a set of observations or experimental results.

42. Make a claim

43. Scientific Theories • One drawback to theories is that scientific theories are never completely proven. • Ex: The theory of relativity • Ex: The theory of evolution • Ex: The theory that chocolate is the best candy on Earth.

44. Using A Scientific Approach • Scientific laws • Scientific laws are discovered patterns in nature that don’t need to be proven. • summarizes an observed pattern found in nature without needing to explain it anymore (it’s a constant – like death and taxes). The explanation of such a pattern is provided by many scientific theories. • Law of Gravity - Newton • Law of Thermodynamics - Hess • Law of Electricity - Ohm • Conservation of mass - Lavoisier

45. CheckPoint Describe what the difference is between scientific hypotheses, theories, & laws. • Hypotheses are narrow • They are reasonable predictions to answer questions for observed singular events • Theories are broad, but related hypotheses. • A theory is a well tested explanation for patterns observed in nature based upon many related hypotheses. • Theory of evolution = change happens over time • A Law describes patterns in nature • A law doesn't need testing or validation anymore • The law of gravity.

46. ScientificModels • After you prove a law, make a claim, or develop a theory, you should make a model to represent the concept. • What is a Model? • Scientific models are physical or mental representation of an object or an event • What is the Purpose of a Scientific Model? • Models make it easier to understand things that are very complex, very large, very small or difficult to observe directly. • By illustrating the theory/law/phenomenon in 2- or 3-D

47. Make a claim Model

48. ScientificModels

49. Make a claim Overview Model

50. Practice Put the steps below in order… • 5. Observe • 8. Ask questions • 7. Background information • 2. Create hypothesis • 9. Design experiment • 4. Experiment • 6. Collect data • Analyze data • 3. Draw conclusions • 10. Make a claim • Analyze the data • Create a hypothesis • Draw conclusions • Perform the experiment • Observe the phenomenon. • Collect the data • Obtain background information. • Ask questions. • Design a controlled experiment. • Make a claim.