Advanced Plant and Soil Science

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Steps of the Scientific Method

• Advanced Plant and Soil Science

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Today you will

• Identify the steps in the scientific method
• Arrange a scenario experiment in the correct
  chronological order according to the scientific
  method
• Determine what each scenario step represents
• Create your own scenario experiment

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• The Scientific Method
• involves a series of steps that are used to
  investigate a natural occurrence.

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Scientific Method

• Problem/Question
• Observation/Research
• Hypothesis (w/3 Variables)
• Experiment (4 parts)
• Collect and Analyze Results (conduct trials)
• Conclusion
• Communicate the Results

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1. Problem/Question

• Develop a question or problem that can be solved
  through experimentation.

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Caution!

• Be careful how you use effect and affect.
• Effect is usually a noun and affect, a verb.
• The effect of sugar amounts on the rising of
  bread.
• How does sugar affect the rising of bread?

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2. Observation/Research

• Make observations and research your topic of
  interest.

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3. Formulate a Hypothesis

• Predict a possible answer to the problem or
  question.
• If., then..
• Example If soil temperatures rise, then plant
  growth will increase.

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3. Hypothesis

• The hypothesis is an educated guess about the
  relationship between the independent and
  dependent variables.

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Do you know the difference between the
independent and dependent variables?
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Independent Variable

• The independent, or manipulated variable, is a
  factor thats intentionally varied by the
  experimenter.

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Dependent Variable

• The dependent, or responding variable, is the
  factor that may change as a result of changes
  made in the independent variable.
• In this case, it would be the size of the loaf of
  bread.

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Controlled Variables

• The constants in an experiment are all the
  factors that the experimenter attempts to keep
  the same.

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4. Experiment

• a. Develop a procedure.
• b. Include a detailed materials list.
• c. Determine what will be the control group
• d. Conduct the experiment by following the
  proceduresThe outcome must be measurable
  (quantifiable).

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Control Group

• In a scientific experiment, the control is the
  group that serves as the standard of comparison.
• The control group may be a no treatment" or an
  experimenter selected group.

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Control Group

• The control group is exposed to the same
  conditions as the experimental group, except for
  the variable being tested.
• All experiments should have a control group.

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Trials

• Trials refer to replicate groups that are exposed
  to the same conditions in an experiment.

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5. Collect and Analyze Results

• Modify the procedure if needed.
• Confirm the results by retesting.
• Include tables, graphs, and photographs.

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6. Conclusion

• Include a statement that accepts or rejects the
  hypothesis.
• Make recommendations for further study and
  possible improvements to the procedure.

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7. Communicate the Results

• Be prepared to present the project to an
  audience.
• Expect questions from the audience.

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Scientific Method
What are the 7 steps?

• Problem/Question
• Observation/Research
• Hypothesis (w/3 Variables)
• Experiment (4 parts)
• Collect and Analyze Results (conduct trials)
• Conclusion
• Communicate the Results

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Get a partner!

• MOVE TO A DIFFERENT LAB TABLE SOMEWHERE IN THIS
  ROOM!

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Problem/Question

• John watches his grandmother bake bread. He ask
  his grandmother what makes the bread rise.
• She explains that yeast releases a gas as it
  feeds on sugar.

• John wonders if the amount of sugar used in the
  recipe will affect the size of the bread loaf?

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Observation/Research

• John researches the areas of baking and learns
  about fermentation so he can come up with an
  educated way to test his question. He keeps all
  of his information on this topic in a journal.

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Formulate a Hypothesis

• After talking with his teacher and conducting
  further research, he predicts that If more
  sugar is added, then the bread will rise higher.

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Independent Variable

• John is going to use variables of 25g., 50g.,
  100g., 250g., 500g. of sugar in his experiment.

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Dependent Variable

• The bread may grow variably larger or smaller as
  a result of using different amounts of sugar.

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Controlled Variables

• Johns teacher reminds him to keep all other
  factors (size of pan, other ingredients,
  temperature) the same so that any observed
  changes in the bread can be attributed to the
  variation in the amount of sugar.

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Experiment

• John talks with his teacher and she helps him
  come up with a procedure and list of needed
  materials. John writes out his procedure for his
  experiment along with a materials list in his
  journal.

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Control Group

• Because his grandmother always used 50g. of
  sugar in her recipe, John is going to use that
  amount in one of the groups of tested breads. He
  includes this in his experiment plan.

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Conduct Experiment

• John gets all his materials together and then
  follows his procedures to bake several different
  recipes for the bread.

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Trials

• John is going to test each sugar variable 3 times.

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Collect and Analyze Results

• John comes up with a table he can use to record
  his data.
• John examines his data and notices that his
  control worked the best in this experiment, but
  not significantly better than 100g. of sugar.

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Conclusion

• John rejects his prediction, but decides to, next
  time, re-test using sugar amounts between 50g.
  and 100g.

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Communicate the Results

• John tells his grandmother about his findings and
  prepares to present his project in Science class.

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1. Get a piece of colored paper!2. Go back to
your seat!
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The Scientific Method Song.

• http//youtu.be/eA86dYxrg4Q

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Using the 7 steps in the Scientific Method,
Create your own CREATIVE scenario experiment!
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Scientific Method
What are the 7 steps?

• Problem/Question
• Observation/Research
• Hypothesis (w/3 Variables)
• Experiment (4 parts)
• Collect and Analyze Results (conduct trials)
• Conclusion
• Communicate the Results

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Today you

• Identified the steps in the scientific method
• Arranged a scenario experiment in the correct
  chronological order according to the scientific
  method
• Determined what each scenario step represents
• Created your own scenario experiment

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• Next slides printables

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• John watches his grandmother bake bread. He ask
  his grandmother what makes the bread rise.
• She explains that yeast releases a gas as it
  feeds on sugar.

• John wonders if the amount of sugar used in the
  recipe will affect the size of the bread loaf?

45

• John researches the areas of baking and learns
  about fermentation so he can come up with an
  educated way to test his question. He keeps all
  of his information on this topic in a journal.

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• After talking with his teacher and conducting
  further research, he predicts that If more
  sugar is added, then the bread will rise higher.

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• John is going to use variables of 25g., 50g.,
  100g., 250g., 500g. of sugar in his experiment.

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• The bread may grow variably larger or smaller as
  a result of using different amounts of sugar.

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• Johns teacher reminds him to keep all other
  factors (size of pan, other ingredients,
  temperature) the same so that any observed
  changes in the bread can be attributed to the
  variation in the amount of sugar.

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• John talks with his teacher and she helps him
  come up with a procedure and list of needed
  materials. John writes out his procedure for his
  experiment along with a materials list in his
  journal.

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• Because his grandmother always used 50g. of
  sugar in her recipe, John is going to use that
  amount in one of the groups of tested breads. He
  includes this in his experiment plan.

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• John gets all his materials together and then
  follows his procedures to bake several different
  recipes for the bread.

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• John is going to test each sugar variable 3 times.

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• John comes up with a table he can use to record
  his data.
• John examines his data and notices that his
  control worked the best in this experiment, but
  not significantly better than 100g. of sugar.

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• John rejects his prediction, but decides to, next
  time, re-test using sugar amounts between 50g.
  and 100g.

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• John tells his grandmother about his findings and
  prepares to present his project in Science class.