Screencasts found at: sciencepeek.com Part 1 - The Scientific Method 1. List the steps of the scientific method. 2. What is an observation? Give an example. Quantitative or Qualitative Data? 35 grams? Sour? Followed the line? 3. What is the purpose of research? 45 degrees? 4. What is a hypothesis? Give an example. 5. What is the purpose of stating a hypothesis as a null hypothesis? 6. What is meant by testable predictions? 7. Define and give examples for the following common elements of most experiments: a. Treatment: b. Experimental group: c. Control group: d. Variables: 1 of 6
8. What is an independent variable? Give an example. 9. What is a dependent variable? Give an example. 10. Data Tables are used to record data accurately during an investigation. Analyzing and interpreting (understanding) your data is easier when you have your data recorded in an organized way. Please label the following features of the data table below. The labels on the columns and rows are chosen to represent the design features of the investigation. Space for three plants at each N concentration The range of values for the independent variables are in this column 11. Practice identifying variables and creating a data table to the right for the following experiment. Be sure to include data and try to analyze it. You decide to compare the ph values of different household items to that of tap water. You test water, lemon juice, baking soda and orange juice. You do three trials for each substance. Next page. 2 of 6
Tap water ph for three trials: 7.1, 7.0, 7.2 Lemon juice: 2.4, 2.0, 2.2 Baking soda: 8.4, 8.3, 8.7 Orange juice: 3.5, 4.0, 3.4 What is the dependent variable? What is the independent variable? Part 2 - Writing Good Hypotheses 12. What is a hypothesis? 13. To be useful, hypotheses (plural) must do two things, they must: - - 14. Transform the following bad hypotheses to good hypotheses: a. Question: What effect does high temperature have on radish seed germination? (germination is when a seed begins to sprout) Bad Hypothesis: A temperature change will cause the radish seed germination to increase. Rewritten hypothesis: b. Question: What effect does studying while listening to music have on student test scores? Bad Hypothesis: Music effects test scores. Rewritten hypothesis: c. Question: What effect does the color of food have on the amount of food fish eat? Bad Hypothesis: If fish food is a color then it will be eaten by the fish. Rewritten hypothesis: 3 of 6
Part 3 - Displaying & Graphing Data Visual displays of data can help us understand and explain phenomena 15. Why do we use graphs? 16. List the 5 different types of graphs discussed in the video: 17. When do we use a line graph? a. How might we use a line graph in science (describe the worm example)? 4 of 6
18. When do we use a scatter plot? a. How might we use a scatter plot in science (fertilizer and plant growth)? b. On a scatter plot the independent variable is typically graphed on the axis while the dependent variable is graphed on the axis. 19. When do we use a bar graph? a. How might we use a bar graph in science (colors of light and photosynthesis)? 20. When do we use a histogram? a. How might we use a histogram in science (human height and frequency)? 21. When do we use a pie chart? 22. For the following questions use the graph that Mr. Anderson creates for temperature vs. ice cream sales. a. It is important to have a title for each of the axis. What should be included in parenthesis next to each titled axis? b. What should a good graph title contain? 5 of 6
c. What is the line of best fit? d. What rules should you follow when plotting your line of best fit? 23. When should you include the number zero in a graph? 24. Pause the video when Mr. Anderson asks you to find the errors in the graph, list four errors below. Coming Soon!! Part 4 - Analyzing and Interpreting Data Part 5 - Arguing From Evidence Part 6 - Types Of Social Behavior Part 7 - How Social Behavior Improves An Individual And Groups Chance Of Survival 6 of 6