EXPLANATIONSHYPOTHESES

1
EXPLANATIONS/HYPOTHESES

• PURPOSE
• Yesterday we spent time making observations. The
  purpose of this lesson is to show the transition
  from making observations to giving explanations.

2
OBJECTIVES

• To learn explanations or hypotheses tell why
  something happens
• To learn explanations must be testable
• To participate in a class explanation exercise
• To understand the difference between explanation
  and prediction

3
MAKING EXPLANATIONS

• When you observed the candle, did you find
  something you didnt understand or found
  interesting?
• Select one of these events and write it in your
  notebook
• This was the DISCREPANT EVENT because it didnt
  fit your expectations, and it was the starting
  point for your hypothesis.

4
EXAMPLE

• Discrepant event The candle wick glowed red at
  the top and was black at the bottom.
• Hypothesis I think the glow was caused by the
  chemical reaction that occurred while the wick
  burned. The bottom part was black because the
  material in the wick turned to carbon after it
  burned.

5
WRITING A HYPOTHESIS

• What is your hypothesis or why you think the
  discrepant event happened? Write this down in
  your notebook.

6

• LOOK AT THE HYPOTHESIS/EXPLANATION IN YOUR
  NOTEBOOK FOR YOUR DISCREPANT EVENT.
• MAKE ANY NECESSARY CHANGES.
• SHARE YOUR HYPOTHESIS WITH YOUR GROUP.