September 2, 2014

1. September 2, 2014 Agenda for today: • Roll • PowerPoint on Scientific Method Chapter 1 Section 2 • Video “The Scientific Method” You need to have your Science Notebook out on your desk and opened to page 6.

2. Title: Notes for the Scientific Method Essential Question: How does a scientist ask meaningful questions and conduct careful investigations in the scientific process? Questions: • What is the Scientific Method? • How do we apply the Scientific Method in Earth Science investigations? • Why is it important to communicate the results of you experiment?

3. The Scientific Method in Earth Science How can paleontologists know what a dinosaur looked like, how it behaved, and what it ate based only on its fossilized 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.

4. Steps in the Scientific Method The Scientific Method is a series of steps that scientist use to answer questions and solve problems. Ask a Question Make Observations Form a Hypothesis Analyze the Results Test your Hypothesis No Draw Conclusions Do they support your Hypothesis? Communicate the Results Yes This is found on page 13 of your textbook

5. 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?

6. 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. Based on the information he already knew he hypothesized that these bones came from an unknown species of dinosaur. Partner Question: What is a hypothesis?

7. 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 took more than a year. Partner Question: What does it mean to test a hypothesis?

8. 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?

9. 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 newquestion 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 name Seismosaurus hallorum or “earth shaker”. Partner Question: What does it mean to draw a conclusion?

10. Communicate the Results Upon completing an investigation scientists then communicate their results to share their findings with other scientists. They can publish their findings or put it on the internet. They can also give presentations or 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 scientific journal and after two years of other scientists testing his data the journal published his findings. Partner Question: What is one way to communicate results?

11. Case Closed? This scientists work lead to other questions that other scientists will form other question and test each hypothesis from each question. ? Partner Question: Is this the end of the Scientific Process? Why?

12. 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?

13. The Scientific Method What 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