Scientific Experiment Steps & Methodology in Environmental Science Education

1. Chapter 2.2 Skills and Methods Environmental Science 2012

2. Objectives • Describe the steps involved in conducting a scientific experiment

3. Bell Ringer • List steps that you know that make up the scientific method:

4. The Scientific Method • The __________ method does not have to go in _______ • The exact steps of the scientific method may vary, but all good scientific investigations have _____________ _____________

5. Observing and Questioning • Observations • Can be made directly with the _________ or with the help of ___________

6. Observing and Questioning • Observations are followed by a question • The ____________ is based on something that was ____________________ • Example: you observe that people who work in a particular building often become sick and you ask why • What is the observation? • What is the question? • Can you think of a hypothesis?

7. Researching • An ______________ step in solving a scientific investigation is to find out what __________ have already ___________ about the topic • Others ______________ can save you steps or your ______________ may have already been proven or disproven • Do you think scientists repeat experiments on purpose?

8. Hypothesizing • The next step is to develop a hypothesis • Hypothesis: _________ for an ____________ • Example: • Observation: You notice that grass does not grow in certain parts of a lawn • Question: Why does grass not grow in this area? • Hypothesis: • ____________________________________________ • Only ______ hypothesis must be chosen to investigate in an experiment

9. Hypothesizing • Observation: You notice that grass does not grow in certain parts of a lawn • Question: Why does grass not grow in this area? • Hypothesis: The area is too shady. • Now we can make a prediction: • _____________: states what the results of the experiment will be if the hypothesis is ___________ • Prediction: • ____________________________________________

10. Designing an Experiment • ___________ are used to test ____________ • The experiment will either: • ______________ the hypothesis • Not support the hypothesis: can think of a new hypothesis and ____________

11. Variables • ____________: any factor that affects the outcome of an experiment • An experiment should only test ______ variable at a time • Why? • Example: grass example • If we test the variables of the amount of water and sunlight we will not know which variable is actually affecting the grass

12. Experimental and Control Groups • _____________: has all of the factors that were there when the original observations were made • ____________________: has all of the factors that were there when the original observations were made and an additional variable • Grass example: • Hypothesis: the grass died because there was no water • ____________________: same conditions as original observations • __________________________: same conditions as original observations and the addition of water

13. Experimental and Control Groups • Independent Variable: variable being _______ • ______________ • X-axis of graph • Dependent Variable: the variable being __________________ • _______________________ • Y-axis of graph

14. Collecting, Organizing, and Analyzing Data • Scientists collect _____ on the results of the _____________ and the steps they took to conduct the experiment • There are many ways to display data • __________ • __________

15. Collecting, Organizing, and Analyzing Data • Once data has been ______________, must decide what the results mean normally through a written ________________ that comments on the _______________________

16. Collecting, Organizing, and Analyzing Data • The last step is to _________ their scientific work with others • Scientist’s can communicate through: • _________________________ • Publish reports of conclusions in ___________________ • _________________________

17. The Scientific Method

18. Review • Come up with the following for the observation that flowers sitting in the bathroom are not growing. • Question: • Hypothesis: • Prediction: • Design of experiment: • Experimental group: • Control group: • Independent variable: • Dependent variable: