Understanding the Scientific Method

Step 1: Research the product online. 

 Use the link: https://www.shamwow.com/ to start your research

Step 2: Brainstorm with your team about the product.

What are your initial thoughts?  Do you think the claim in valid?  What kind of experiment could you set up to prove or disprove this claim?  Use the Scientific Method Experiment Organizer to begin your process.

Step 3: Review the steps and vocabulary of the scientific method.

Start with these websites in order to review the steps and concepts of the scientific method.  This will help you being the process of devising an experiment.

http://www.brainpop.com/science/scientificinquiry/scientificmethod/

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml

http://www.biology4kids.com/extras/quiz_studyscimeth/index.html

: http://www.brainpop.com/science/scientificinquiry/scientificmethod/fyi/

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryterminology/a/What-Is-The-Difference-Between-Independent-And-Dependent-Variables.htm

 As you browse these sites, complete the vocabulary list.

 Step 4: Design an experiment.

As the scientific team from Consumer Reports, you will now devise your experiment.  Use steps 4 through 7 in the experiment organizer to guide you through this process.  Hint:  the experiment does not have to be very complex but must include an experimental group and a control group.

Step 5: Experiment approval

Review your experiment with your teacher.  Once you have received approval, set up your experiment, perform the experiment and record your results.

Step 6: Conclusion

What happened?  Did your results match your hypothesis?  Is the claim valid?  Complete the experiment organizer by recording your data/observations, and writing a conclusion.  Include a visual format of your data is the form of a graph.  Be prepared to discuss your experiment and results with the class.

Scientific Method Experiment Organizer

1. Research question:

2. Brainstorming thoughts and ideas:

3. Vocabulary

1. Procedure: _______________________________________________________________
2. Observation:______________________________________________________________
3. Inference:________________________________________________________________
4. Hypothesis:_______________________________________________________________
5. Experiment:_______________________________________________________________
6. Variable:_________________________________________________________________
7. Independent variable:_______________________________________________________
8. Dependent variable:________________________________________________________
9. Conclusion:_______________________________________________________________
10. Theory:__________________________________________________________________
11. Law:_____________________________________________________________________
12. A hypothesis should be in the following format:  _______, _____________

4. Hypothesis:

5. Materials needed:

6. Variables
1. Independent variable: ______________________________________________________
2. Dependent variable: _______________________________________________________
3. Factors that must remain constant (minimum of 2): _________________________________________________________________________

7. Procedure

8. Data/Observations

9. Conclusion