Experimental design

WHAT IS SCIENCE?

Science is a particular way of

understanding the natural world.

LEARNING TARGET

I will be able to describe the steps of
the scientific method.

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?

1.) ASK A QUESTION, POSE A PROBLEM, OR MAKE AN

OBSERVATION

2.) DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS

If

then

because

Your prediction here

Your test here

Your reasoning here

Independent variable

Dependent variable

3.) CREATE AN EXPERIMENT

4.) COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA

5.) DRAW CONCLUSIONS AND

SHARE RESULTS

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN?

I CAN IDENTIFY THE INDEPENDENT & DEPENDENT
VARIABLES, CONSTANTS, AND CONTROLLED GROUP

IN AN EXPERIMENT.

1.

I am confident and get answers right most of the
time

2.

I am somewhat confident, but still may get one
wrong occasionally.

3.

I kind of get it, but could really use some more help
and practice.

4.

I really am struggling with these concepts.

KEN WANTS TO FIND OUT IF PLANTS GROW TALLER
WITH CAFFEINE. HE TAKES SOME RADISH SEEDS AND
PLANTS THEM IN IDENTICAL POTS, WITH IDENTICAL
AMOUNTS OF SOIL AND PLACES THEM IN THE SAME
WINDOW. TO ONE GROUP HE ADDS 100 ML OF WATER
A DAY. TO THE OTHER GROUP, HE ADDS 100 ML OF A
SOLUTION OF COFFEE AND WATER.

WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE?

1.

The amount of soil

2.

The height of the plants

3.

The type of liquid

4.

The type of seed

KEN WANTS TO FIND OUT IF PLANTS GROW TALLER
WITH CAFFEINE. HE TAKES SOME RADISH SEEDS AND
PLANTS THEM IN IDENTICAL POTS, WITH IDENTICAL
AMOUNTS OF SOIL AND PLACES THEM IN THE SAME
WINDOW. TO ONE GROUP HE ADDS 100 ML OF WATER
A DAY. TO THE OTHER GROUP, HE ADDS 100 ML OF A
SOLUTION OF COFFEE AND WATER.

WHAT IS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE?

1.

The amount of soil

2.

The height of the plants

3.

The type of liquid

4.

The type of seed

KEN WANTS TO FIND OUT IF PLANTS GROW TALLER
WITH CAFFEINE. HE TAKES SOME RADISH SEEDS AND
PLANTS THEM IN IDENTICAL POTS, WITH IDENTICAL
AMOUNTS OF SOIL AND PLACES THEM IN THE SAME
WINDOW. TO ONE GROUP HE ADDS 100 ML OF WATER
A DAY. TO THE OTHER GROUP, HE ADDS 100 ML OF A
SOLUTION OF COFFEE AND WATER.

WHAT IS THE CONTROL GROUP?

1.

The plants given the water

2.

The height of the plants

3.

The type of liquid

4.

The amount of water

ALLIE IS WATCHING FISH BREATHING RATES AT
DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES OF WATER. SHE NOTICES
THAT THE FISH (ALL OF WHICH ARE GOLDFISH) BREATHE
MUCH FASTER IN WARM WATER THAN IN COLD WATER.
IF SHE WANTED TO GRAPH HER INFORMATION OF
TEMPERATURE AND NUMBER OF FISH BREATHS,

WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE?

1.

The amount of water

2.

The temperature of the water

3.

The number of fish breaths

4.

The type of fish

ALLIE IS WATCHING FISH BREATHING RATES AT
DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES OF WATER. SHE NOTICES
THAT THE FISH (ALL OF WHICH ARE GOLDFISH) BREATHE
MUCH FASTER IN WARM WATER THAN IN COLD WATER.
IF SHE WANTED TO GRAPH HER INFORMATION OF
TEMPERATURE AND NUMBER OF FISH BREATHS,

WHAT IS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE?

1.

The amount of water

2.

The temperature of the water

3.

The number of fish breaths

4.

The type of fish

IN ALLIE’S EXPERIMENT, WHAT WOULD BE GRAPHED

ON THE X-AXIS?

1.

The amount of water

2.

The temperature of the water

3.

The number of fish breaths

4.

The type of fish