What is the
Scientific
Method?
Scientific
Science = something we use
during science class or
something that a scientist
would use.
Method
Method = a way of doing
something, or the steps
you take to complete a
task.
Scientific Method
The steps that
scientists use
to solve a
problem or
conduct an
investigation!
What are the steps of
the scientific method?
1. Background Information
2. Problem
3. Hypothesis
4. Materials
5. Procedure
6. Data
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
Let’s talk
about them
one at a time!
Background Information
 Background information is information
that you research before you conduct
your investigation.
 It might be information you already
know!
 This information helps you clearly
understand your topic before you begin
conducting experiments.
 This might include safety information!
If you were doing an experiment
with M&M’s, would you have
any Background information?
Sure you would!
1. What colors do they come in?
2. What types of M&M’s are
there?
What else can you come up with
about M&M’s?
You see, you are
already very
smart!
Problem
A problem is the
question you (the
scientist) plan to answer
by conducting the
scientific investigation.
Think of this problem about
Open House?
Problem: What will happen if your
parents come to open house?
A Problem is always stated as a question.
It is the question that you want to solve
or answer during your scientific
investigation.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is an educated
guess or explanation that
answers the question in the
problem. This is what you
THINK the answer might be.
A hypothesis should be
written as an IF/THEN
statement!
 Cause and effect
 When one thing happens it causes
another thing to happen.
 Example: If I run in the hall, Then I
will get hurt.
Let’s Practice!
Look at the overhead and
read the stories,
What are some possible
hypotheses?
Try to list at least 10 for each!
Let’s Practice with Data!
Look at the DATA on the overhead and write a
complete hypothesis for each!
1. If the amount of salt added to water is
increased, Then the temperature at
which boiling starts will increase
 The amount of salt can be changed, so it
is the “if” statement. It causes the
temperature to change, so the
temperature change is the “then”
statement.
Let’s Practice with Data!
2. If the number of turns of wire is
increased, Then the number of paper
clips picked up will increase.
 The number of turns of wire causes the
number of paper clips picked up to
increase, so the turns of wire is the if
statement and the paper clips picked up
is the then statement. The ammeter
reading did not change, we call this a
constant, it is not included in the
hypothesis.
Let’s Practice with Data!
3. If different size pieces of sugar are put
in hot water, then the smaller size pieces
will dissolve faster.
 The size of the sugar controls the time it
takes to dissolve. So the size of the
sugar is the cause or “if statement and
the time to dissolve is the effect or the
“then statement.
Let’s Practice for
Homework!
 Write a hypothesis to the following problems:
1. What will happen if I don’t wear safety
goggles in the lab?
2. What will happen if I don’t complete my
homework?
3. How many drops of water can a penny
hold?
4. If we fill a baby food jar with water, then
how many drops of water will it take to cause
the jar to overflow?
Materials
This is the list of
supplies and
equipment that you
will need to prove
whether
or not your
hypothesis
is correct.
Rules for listing
materials
1. Be descriptive! (tell me the size,
shape, color etc.)
2. Be precise! (Say 50ml of water and not
a little bit of water)
3. Don’t forget what you will need to
clean up!
4. If you need a liquid, you’ll need
something to hold the liquid in.
Procedure
The list of steps that you will
follow to prove whether or not
your hypothesis was accepted or
rejected.
These will be numbered steps, in
exactly the order that you will
follow them.
List each step separately and be as
descriptive as possible.
Data
Data can be
displayed in charts
or graphs!
Discussion
These are the questions that you
have thought of during the
experiment!
Things that you wonder about!
AND NOW….
THE BIGGIE….
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Conclusion is the answer to the problem,
that you discovered during your scientific
investigation.
The Conclusion has 5 parts…
1. The hypothesis was accepted/rejected.
2. It Stated…
3. To test the hypothesis…
4. During the test it was observed…
5. Therefore…
Let’s Practice
Write a conclusion for one of
the hypotheses that you
made in the previous
section. You can make up
the details of the lab, just
use correct format.
If the number of turns of
wire is increased,
Then the number
of paper clips
picked up will increase.
Paper Clip Lab
The Hypothesis is accepted. It stated, If the
number of turns of wire is increased,
Then the number of paper clips picked
up will increase. To test the hypothesis,
wire was wrapped around a nail 5, 10
and 15 times, the end of wire was
connected to a battery and we
attempted to pick up paper clips with
the nail.
Paper Clip Lab
During the test it was observed, that the more
times we wrapped the wire around the nail,
the more paper clips it picked up. When the
wire was wrapped around the nail 5 times,
the nail picked up 4 paper clips. When the
wire was wrapped around the nail 10 times,
the nail picked up 8 paper clips. When the
wire was wrapped around the nail 15 times,
the nail picked up 12 paper clips.
Paper Clip Lab
Therefore the conclusion is the same as the
hypothesis, which stated If the number of
turns of wire is increased, Then the
number of paper clips picked up will
increase.
You should practice
writing more
conclusions, we will be
writing a lot of
conclusions through out
the school year.
Great Job!
Now let’s review. On your own paper write
down just the answers to the following
questions.
1. List the 8 steps of the scientific method in
order.
2. Which step of the scientific method is the
questions that arise during the lab
experiment?
3. Which step of the scientific method comes
before procedure?
Now let’s say the 8 steps of the
scientific method all together!
1. Background Information
2. Problem
3. Hypothesis
4. Materials
5. Procedure
6. Data
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
Congratulations!
You are almost
ready for the
scientific method
test!