September 2, 2014Agenda for today:1. Roll2. PowerPoint on Scientific Method

Chapter 1 Section 2 1. Video “The Scientific Method”

You need to have your Science Notebook out on your desk and opened to page 6.

Title: Notes for the Scientific Method

Essential Question: How does a scientist ask meaningful questions and conduct careful investigations in the scientific process?

Questions: 1. What is the Scientific Method?2. How do we apply the Scientific Method in Earth

Science investigations?3. Why is it important to communicate the results

of you experiment?

The Scientific Method in Earth Science

How can paleontologists know what a dinosaur lookedlike, how it behaved, and what it ate based only on itsfossilized bones?

There was eight bones that were discovered by hikers in New Mexico.They gave these bones to a scientist who studied them and used the Scientific Method.

Steps in the Scientific Method

Ask a Question

Form a Hypothesis

Make Observations

Test yourHypothesis

Analyze theResults

Draw ConclusionsDo they supportyour Hypothesis?

No

Yes

Communicate the Results

The Scientific Method is a series of steps that scientist use to answer questions and solve problems.

This is found on page 13 of your textbook

Dino Discovery - A case for the Scientific Method

The first thing Scientists do is make observations. Observation is the use of senses to gather information.

Ask a Question?

When scientists make observations, they often have questions they

would like answered.

The Scientists asked the question, “What type of dinosaur

did these bones come from?”

Partner Question:What does it mean to make observations?

Form a Hypothesis.

A hypothesis is a possible explanation or answer to the question.

The Scientist realized he had never before seen these type of bones. Basedon the information he already knew he hypothesized that these bones camefrom an unknown species of dinosaur.

Partner Question:What is a hypothesis?

Test the Hypothesis.

The scientist then needs to test the hypothesis by gathering data that can help determine if the hypothesis is valid or not.

They can perform a controlled experiment which is an experiment that test one factor at a time. They can change one factor (control experiment) and see the results on that one change.

This scientist took hundreds of measurements of the bones and documented their size and shape. He then compared them to other bones of dinosaurs already known. He then spoke with other paleontologists. His research tookmore than a year.

Partner Question:What does it mean to test a hypothesis?

Analyze the Results.

Once scientists finish their tests, they must analyze their results. They can create tables and graphs to organize their data.

When this scientist analyzed his results he found that these bones were very different from those of other known dinosaurs.

Partner Question:What is one way a scientist can analyze their results?

Draw Conclusions.

After careful analysis the scientists must draw a conclusion. They must decide if the conclusions support the hypothesis or not. If they do not support they must check for errors in their research or create a new question for a hypothesis.

This scientist concluded that eight of the bones were not from any known species and that he had indeed discovered a new species of dinosaur. He gave it a nameSeismosaurus hallorum or “earth shaker”.

Partner Question:What does it mean to draw a conclusion?

Communicate the Results

Upon completing an investigation scientists then communicate theirresults to share their findings with other scientists. They can publish their findings or put it on the internet. They can also give presentationsor seminars so other scientists can ask them questions.

This scientist communicated his results by holding a press conference in the museum that he worked. He then submitted a report to a scientificjournal and after two years of other scientists testing his data the journalpublished his findings.

Partner Question:What is one way to communicate results?

Case Closed?

This scientists work lead to other questions that other scientistswill form other question and test each hypothesis from each question.

Partner Question:Is this the end of the Scientific Process? Why?

Review Questions:

1. What is the Scientific Method? How do scientists use it?

2. After observing eight tailbones, Gillette hypothesized that they were from a newly discovered dinosaur species. What was his hypothesis based on?

3. Why do scientists communicate the results of their new investigations?

The Scientific MethodWhat did I know?1.2.3.What did I learn?1.2.3.What do I want to know more about?1.2.3.

Click here to start the video