What is science?

1. What is science? • With your group, create an illustration of something that represents science. • You may only use 3 colors, but the colors have to be meaningful! (Don’t choose red just because you like it!) • There must be 5 meaningful components to your illustration! • These posters will be displayed at open house!

2. The Scientific Method

3. How do scientists study life? • Follow steps of a scientific investigation (inquiry) a. Observe: make an observation of the world around you Scientists look critically & attempt to avoid all sources of bias in an observation.

4. 2 Types of Observations • Qualitative: an observation of a characteristic or quality • The plant is dark green. • Quantitative: a numerical observation • The flask contains 12.5 mL.

5. The sky is blue. • Qualitative • Quantitative Qualitative!

6. There are 4 clouds. • Qualitative • Quantitative Quantitative!

7. There are 3 hills. • Qualitative • Quantitative Quantitative!

8. The 1st hill is small. • Qualitative • Quantitative Qualitative!

9. The clouds are small. • Qualitative • Quantitative Qualitative!

10. There are 38 birds. • Qualitative • Quantitative Quantitative!

11. How do scientists study life? b. Ask a question: based on your observation, ask a question to investigate You want your question to be answerable!

12. How do scientists study life? c. Research: look in books, journals, internet, etc. to make additional observations & research about your question

13. How do scientists study life? d. Formulate a hypothesis: propose an answer or explanation to your question. The statement must be testable. At the end of the investigation, you will either accept or reject your hypothesis.

14. How do scientists study life? e. Perform a controlled experiment: develop & use the experimental design to test your hypothesis This is the actual hands-on part of the project. Here, you carry out your manipulation & compare the results with results from a control setting.

15. Variables • Factor being tested • Independent: variable being manipulated (in a graph, found on the x-axis) • Dependent: variable that responds (in a graph, found on the y-axis) • Control Group: the group where the independent variable is not applied; used for comparisons • Controlled Variables: variables that are held constant

16. Students at DHS wanted to test if paper weight affects the distance paper airplanes fly. The same type of paper airplanes were folded from three different weight papers. The planes were thrown in the mall area to measure the distance they would fly. What are the following variables? Weight of paper 1. Independent Variable? ___________________ 2. Dependent Variable? ____________________ Distance the plane flew

17. A group of students was asked to compare the taste of lemonade. One glass was from a pitcher made with one cup of sugar. The second glass was made from a pitcher with two cups of sugar. Both pitchers used the same amount of water, lemon juice, and ice. What are the following variables? Amount of Sugar 1. Independent Variable? ___________________ 2. Dependent Variable? ____________________ Taste

18. Squidward loves playing his clarinet and believes it attracts more jellyfish than any other instrument he has played. In order to test his hypothesis, Squidward played a song on 3 instruments for a total of 5 minutes and counted the number of jellyfish he saw in his front yard. He also recorded the number of jellyfish he observed when he was not playing an instrument. 1. What is the control group? _____________________________ 2. What is the independent variable? _______________________ 3. What is the dependent variable? ________________________ 3 trials with no music Instrument Number of jellyfish

19. How do scientists study life? f. Collect Data: perform analysis on the data using graphs & charts

20. How do scientists study life? g. Draw conclusions: state whether or not the evidence supports the hypothesis based on your data & analysis h. Report back to the community!