NOTE TAKING

• All information on the slides are important, however you are only REQUIRED to write the items in ORANGE!

• Items that are in italics are things that you should DO in your textbook or in groups.

• PowerPoints will also be available online if you are absent one day or would like to use them as a study review.

Scientific ThinkingChapter 1

What is Science?

• It is a way of learning about the natural world.

• It is also all of the knowledge gained by exploring the natural world.

What 6 big skills do scientists use?

1. Observing

2. Inferring

3. Predicting

4. Classifying

5. Evaluating

6. Making Models

What does it mean to observe?What types of observations are there?

Observing means using one or more of your senses to gather information. It also includes using tools such as measuring devices, timers, microscopes, technology and more!

There are two types of observations:

•QuaNtitative (think NUMBER…how many?) is an observation that deals with numbers or amounts.

•QuaLitative (think LANGUAGE…details) deals with descriptions that can’t be expressed in numbers.

Thinking Like a Scientist: ObservingOn p. 5 of your text, complete Figure 1: Observing.Then, think of a question based on what you just learned and answer it.We will share in groups. You have 2 minutes.

Science and the Natural World

Inferring

• Is it a given truth or fact?

• Is it a guess?

Let’s do the inferring activity on page 6: Figure 2 together to see how well you know the difference between an observation and an inference.

When you explain or interpret the things you observe, or make assumptions about your observations based on reasoning from what you already know, you are inferring.

Predicting

• When we predict, we are actually using our past experiences and observations to help us make a statement or claim about what will happen.

• Predictions and inferences are closely related.

• Inferences attempt to explain what is happening or has happened, predictions explain what WILL happen.

Chimp Diet in May (p. 7)Like all animals, chimps prefer to eat certain foods when they are available. How would you design a bar graph to show this information?

Science and the Natural World

Classifying Activity

• When we classify, we are grouping together items that are alike in some way.

• In table groups, you will be given 10 minutes to group the items in the plastic bins.

• You must explain why items in a group are placed in that group.

• Early finishers complete p. 8 on classifying.

Thinking Like a Scientist: ClassifyingBy classifying the information related to a chimp’s resting, climbing, or feeding, a scientist can better understand chimp behavior. Use the chart and information on page 8 to classify the details from the field notes.

Science and the Natural World

Why are models helpful in science?

• They involve creating representations of complex objects or processes

• They help people study objects that they may not be able to observe directly such as the moon, the ocean’s floor, etc…

Making ModelsThis model shows Jomeo’s movements and behaviors during one day. Use the map on page 9 to answer the questions.

Science and the Natural World

•Refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence they gather.

•Sometimes this happens in labs, but other times it is in the field or in everyday life.

Scientific Inquiry

Developing a HypothesisOffer two hypotheses for why the student's digital music player stopped working.

Scientific Inquiry

What is the effect of a lack of sleep on weight gain by an individual?

Before we can perform an experiment designed to answer this question, we must determine the independent and dependent variable.

For an experiment to have valid results, there can be only one independent variable.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!

Independent Variable

• The independent variable is the variable that you, as the scientist, will vary to observe the effect

• The independent variable is sometimes called the manipulated variable because it is the variable the scientist manipulates.

Dependent Variable

• The dependent variable is the variable that you, as the scientist, will measure and record – it’s the data of the experiment

• The dependent variable is sometimes called the responding variable because it is the variable that responds to the independent (or manipulated) variable

What is the effect of a lack of sleep on weight gain of an individual?

Once you know the two things that are (or might be) changing, arrange them in a question like this:

In this experiment, does the lack of sleep depend on weight gain?

OR

Does weight gain depend on lack of sleep?

The variable that depends on the other is the dependent variable.

What is the effect of a lack of sleep on weight gain of an individual?

To determine the independent and dependent variable, identify the two things that will (might) change:

• lack of sleep

• weight of an individual

What is the effect of a lack of sleep on weight gain of an individual?

A lack of sleep depends on weight gain?

OR

weight gain depends on a lack of sleep?

Weight gain depends on the lack of sleep so weight gain is the dependent variable.

About This Process

It’s important to understand that you don’t yet have to know if weight gain depends on a lack of sleep – you just need to identify which variable you will be manipulating and which variable will respond to your manipulations.

Practice Identifying Variables

What effect does being raised on a fish farm have on a salmon’s length?

What two factors are being studied?

• salmon’s length

• raised on a fish farm

Practice Identifying Variables

What effect does being raised on a fish farm have on a salmon’s length?

Does being raised on a fish farm depend on the salmon’s length?

OR

Does the length of the salmon depend on being raised on a fish farm?

Practice Identifying Variables

The length of the salmon depends on being raised on a fish farm

Independent Variable?

Dependent Variable?

raised on fish farm

length of salmon

IV / DV Practice

On the following slides, write down the research question in your notes and then discuss with your partner what you believe the two factors that will (might) change are.

After you agree on the two factors, see if you can agree on which one is the independent variable and which one is the dependent variable.

Do tomato plants raised with music grow more tomatoes?

Two factors being studied?

• presence of music

• number of tomatoes grown

Do tomato plants raised with music grow more tomatoes?

Independent variable?

• presence of music

Dependent variable?

• number of tomatoes

Does regular exercise decrease the number of colds a person becomes infected with?

Two factors being studied?

• frequency of exercise

• number of infections with cold virus

Does regular exercise decrease the number of colds a person becomes infected with?

• exercise • number of colds over a specified time period

Independent variable? Dependent variable?

Do people that use cell phones while driving have more automobile accidents?

Two factors being studied?

• use of cell phones while driving

• number of automobile accidents involved in

Do people that use cell phones while driving have more automobile accidents?

• use of cell phones while driving

• number of auto accidents involved in

Independent variable? Dependent variable?

Writing a Hypothesis

• Once you know the independent and dependent variables, writing a hypothesis statement is easy!

• A hypothesis simply combines the independent and dependent variables into a prediction statement.

A hypothesis is:

• a possible answer to a scientific question

• testable

• supported or disproven through evidence

A hypothesis is NOT:

• a fact• a question• a statement that has words in it like

maybe probably might

Can disproven hypotheses be useful to scientists? Explain in your notebooks why or why not.

Control Group

The control is the group that DOES NOT get the independent variable.

Constants

• All the things you do to eliminate potential variables.

• Things you do to keep the control exactly like the test group.

Writing a Hypothesis

Research Question: What effect does salt have on the boiling point of water?

Independent Variable:

Dependent Variable:

adding salt

boiling point of water

Writing a Hypothesis

IV: adding salt to H2O DV: boiling temp

A good hypothesis statement is an “if” “then” statement.

If salt is added to water, then the boiling point of water will increase.

Writing a Hypothesis

If salt is added to water, then the boiling point of water will increase.

The independent variable is the “if” part of the hypothesis and the dependent variable is the “then” part.

What a Hypothesis Might Have

• A hypothesis might also have a “because” section that would sound like this:

• If salt is added to water, then the boiling point will increase because salt is an ionic compound and ionic compounds are known to elevate boiling points.

Hypothesis Practice

On the following slides, write down the research question in your notes and then discuss with your partner what you believe the independent variable and which one is the dependent variable.

Write the if / then hypothesis statement based upon the IV and the DV/

Hypothesis Practice

• What is the effect of wing size on the falling speed of a rotocopter?

• What are the two factors?wing sizefalling speed

• Which factor is the independent variable? Dependent variable?

ind v: wing size dep v: falling speed

Hypothesis Practice

• ind v: wing size dep v: falling speed

If the wing size is increased, then the falling speed of the rotocopter will decrease.

or

If the wing size is increased, then the falling speed of the rotocopter will decrease because increased wing size will result in increased air resistance.

Hypothesis Practice

• What effect does sandpaper have on a block of wood’s sliding velocity?

• Two factors?

sandpaper

sliding velocity

• Independent and Dependent Variable?

IV: sandpaper DV: sliding velocity

Hypothesis Practice

• IV: sandpaper DV: sliding velocity

• If a block of wood is pulled on a sandpaper surface instead of a wooden surface, then the sliding velocity will decrease.

• or• If a block of wood is pulled on a sandpaper

surface instead of a wooden surface, then the sliding velocity will decrease because the force of friction of the sandpaper will be greater.

A data table helps you organize the information you collect in an experiment. Graphing the data may reveal any patterns in your data.

On page 23, complete the Do the Math! activity

Collecting and Interpreting Data

Sometimes the same experiment can have very different data.

Drawing Conclusions

What will you take tomorrow?

• A quiz on sections 1.1 and 1.3. Study all notes and use your interactive text.

• THE FINE PRINT

• © Jan Parker, 2009 – for purchaser’s classroom use only; please do not distribute. If other teachers in your school like what they see, send them to my website http://www.thesciencevault.com or to my web store http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jan-Parker

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