Watershed Connections
Lesson 1
What is Scientific Inquiry?
scientificamerican.com
What is the scientific method?
= a standardized way of asking and answering questions using research or experiments
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every scientist must follow these rules
Why use the scientific method?
Allows scientists to compare their results from similar studies
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location
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organism
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chemicals
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other variables
What are the steps of the scientific method?
1. Ask a question.
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Based on an observation.
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Who, what, why, when?
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Must be testable or able to be measured
What are the steps of the scientific method?
1. Ask a question.
Which is a testable question?
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Which vegetables grow best in sandy soil?
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Will I harvest more tomatoes from a plant grown in sandy soil or clay soil?
What are the steps of the scientific method?
2. Develop a hypothesis.
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= a prediction based on observations
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Write using an ‘If, then’ statement
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Example: If I plant tomato seeds in both sandy soil
and clay soil, then I will get more tomatoes from the
plant in clay soil.
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Must focus on only one variable!
What are the steps of the scientific method?
3. Test your hypothesis with an experiment.
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Design an experiment to test your variable.
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Use a control‐ one group that is not changed.
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For better results, run your experiment multiple times.
What are the steps of the scientific method?
3. Test your hypothesis with an experiment.
How many variables in our experiment?
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If I plant tomato seeds in both sandy soil and clay soil, then I will get more tomatoes from the plant in clay soil.
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How can we test this?
What are the steps of the scientific method?
4. Collect and analyze your data.
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Record your data in a data table.
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Create graphs to look for trends in your data.
Variable
Number of tomatoes
Sandy soil
23
Clay soil
11
What are the steps of the scientific method?
5. Draw conclusions from your data.
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Decide if your results either support or do not support your data.

If I plant tomato seeds in sandy and clay soils, then I will get more tomatoes from the plant in clay soil.
What are the steps of the scientific method?
5. Draw conclusions from your data.
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Hypotheses can not be ‘wrong’.
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If not, give reasons to explain this.
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How could you improve your experiment?
Sponge Bob Experiments
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Work through the three questions with your partner. 
10‐15 minutes
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Share with class.