Lecture Notes 2Lecture Notes 2

Biology ABiology AEaton Rapids High SchoolEaton Rapids High School

K.CoppinsK.Coppins

I. What is the Scientific Method? A. ___________________________________A. ___________________________________

______________________________________ B. ___________________________________B. ___________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Organized approach for studying any topic of interest.Series of general steps followed by scientists as they work.

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method A. ____________________________A. ____________________________

1. Find something interesting to you.1. Find something interesting to you. 2. Observe it.2. Observe it. 3. Figure out what is interesting you so 3. Figure out what is interesting you so

much and decide that you want to learn much and decide that you want to learn more.more.

The Big Question

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method B. ____________________________B. ____________________________

1. What do you already know?1. What do you already know? 2. What do other people already know?2. What do other people already know? 3. What can you add to this knowledge?3. What can you add to this knowledge?

Research

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method C. ____________________________C. ____________________________

1. Come up with a _________________.1. Come up with a _________________.This is a statement of what you think is This is a statement of what you think is correct. You will try to find evidence to correct. You will try to find evidence to support this idea. A hypothesis may not support this idea. A hypothesis may not require experiments, but instead further require experiments, but instead further research into what is known.research into what is known.

Perform experimenthypothesis

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method C. Perform ExperimentsC. Perform Experiments

2. Parts of an experiment—an 2. Parts of an experiment—an experiment should be reproducible.experiment should be reproducible. a. _____________: What you need a. _____________: What you need

to perform the experiment.to perform the experiment. b. _____________: Detailed step-b. _____________: Detailed step-

by- step instructions, including all by- step instructions, including all measurements, that allow anyone measurements, that allow anyone to understand and exactly copy to understand and exactly copy you.you.

Procedure

Materials

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method C. Perform ExperimentsC. Perform Experiments

2. Parts of an experiment—an 2. Parts of an experiment—an experiment should be reproducible.experiment should be reproducible. c. __________: A standard for c. __________: A standard for

comparison. How do you know if comparison. How do you know if anything new happened without anything new happened without something to compare?something to compare?

d. ______________________: What you d. ______________________: What you are changing. All other aspects of the are changing. All other aspects of the experiment should be constant.experiment should be constant.

Independent Variable

Control

II. Steps of the Scientific MethodII. Steps of the Scientific Method D. ________________________D. ________________________

1. Data are facts, observations, and 1. Data are facts, observations, and measurements. measurements.

2. Anything that changes as a result of the 2. Anything that changes as a result of the independent variable is called a independent variable is called a dependent dependent variablevariable..

E. ________________________E. ________________________ 1. Does data support or refute hypothesis?1. Does data support or refute hypothesis? 2. Does this data suggest any trends?2. Does this data suggest any trends? 3. Does this answer The Big Question, or 3. Does this answer The Big Question, or

are more experiments required?are more experiments required?

Gather Data

Draw Conclusions

III. Trying it outIII. Trying it out A. ____________________A. ____________________ B. ____________________B. ____________________ C. ____________________C. ____________________

1. _____________________1. _____________________ 2. _____________________2. _____________________ 3. _____________________3. _____________________ 4. _____________________4. _____________________ 5. _____________________5. _____________________

The Big QuestionResearchPerform experimentHypothesis

MaterialsProcedureControlIndependent Variable

III. Trying it outIII. Trying it out D. ____________________D. ____________________

1. _________________________________1. _________________________________ 2. _______________________2. _______________________

E. _____________________E. _____________________ 1. _________________________________1. _________________________________

______________________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________2. _________________________________ 3. _________________________________3. _________________________________

Gather Data

Draw Conclusions

Make measurements/observationsRecord data

Does the data support or refute the hypothesis?Are there any obvious trends?Does it answer The Big Question?