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The Scientific Method is the one Step 3: Design the Experiment
you want to use when you’re Since there are several ways to
entering a Science Fair or need to test your hypothesis, you’ll want to
keep very careful track of your design an experiment that
experiment. Because this method specifically tests one variable at a
is so cumbersome and requires a time. Keep it simple and clear to
lot of documentation and tedious get the best results. Don’t change
record-keeping (most of which is the amount of yeast and salt… just
above and beyond what most the yeast. If you change more than
scientists need), it’s not generally one variable, you can’t be exactly
used in the scientific field sure which change gave you the
(excluding research labs). Here are result.
the main steps to doing the
Step 4: Test the Hypothesis This is
Scientific Method:
the fun part! Set up your
Step 1: Make observations. This is experiment and run through it a
where you think up your great idea few times before recording any
that you want to test. For data. This way, you work out any
example, you might be wondering bugs in your experiment and get
how to make a larger loaf of bread good quality numbers when you do
quickly, without adding a ton of your experiment.
ingredients. Or if chewing gum
Step 5: Accept/Refine Hypothesis
during test-taking yields higher
Before you wrap things up, take a
test scores. Any great idea that
quick look at your numbers. Does
doesn’t have an answer you can
your data fit your hypothesis? Did
look up in a book is one worth
you get an answer to your
testing. (What’s the life cycle of a
question? If not, then go back and
frog? is not a great question to
reform your hypothesis or redesign
ask, because it’s already been
your experiment. Keep working at
done and it’s easy to find the
this until you get an answer.
answer.)
Step 6: Results/Conclusion Can
Step 2: Formulate a Hypothesis
you write up what you found in one
This is where you take a guess at
sentence? That’s the main idea
what your outcome will be. When
here. Make it simple, clear, and
you formulate a hypothesis, make
concise. Your results are a
it a one-line statement that clearly
cleaned-up version of your data (in
says what you think will happen.
the form of a graph, chart, or
“Doubling the yeast will get a loaf
table) and your conclusion states
twice the size.”
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