Ms. Howard

Scientific Method Notes

Notes for quiz next week in addition to your 8 vocab words:

Scientific Method

Purpose (Problem):

• Asking a question
• What do you want to find out?

• Research and collect background information

Hypothesis:

• Must be testable
• Possible explanation for a set of observations or an answer to a scientific question
• Usually an “If..., then…” statement
• Be specific and use complete sentences

Experiment (Test hypothesis):

• What steps will you follow to find an answer
• Manipulated (Independent) Variable
  • Thing that is changed by the scientist during the test
• Responding (Dependant) Variable
  • What you measure or observe to get test results
• Controlled experiment
  • Keep all variables the same except the manipulated variable
• Control
  • What you compare the manipulated variable to

Observation (Analysis):

• Summarize collected data
  • Data is measurements and other observations
  • Observations are info collected by the person performing the test using their five senses.
  • Always use a table, chart, graph or picture

Conclusion (Results):

• Sums up what you learned from the experiment
• Tells whether the hypothesis was correct or incorrect
• Uses complete sentences

Lab Report Rubric

Lab Report Rubric attached. Download lab_report_rubric.doc

Questions for conclusion paragraphs:

Paragraph One: Was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? What observations did you make that helped you to know that it was correct or incorrect?

Paragraph Two: How do scientists make observations? Why do we make observations? Were the observations in this lab quantitative or qualitative? Explain

Vocab List on VIP 2

Eight terms to list on VIP 2:

Environment, ecosystem, species, community, habitat, abiotic, biotic, population.

Include word, definition, a colored picture to represent the term and a sentence (eight words minimum).

This should be spread four words to a page. Due Wednesday.

Mid-week Musings...

First three days have been great. Thanks for bringing in notebooks and comp. books to get us off to a running start.

Don't forget: Shields should be completed and glued into notebook. If you forgot what goes in each box: 1. environmental concern
2. something you're good at
3. favorite animal or pet
4. a hobby
5. a career you're interested in
6. a place you'd love to visit.

Full name in the banner at the bottom.

Welcome to a New Year!

I hope everyone had a restful summer and enjoyed the time off.
Just a couple of things to get us started:
Supplies needed for science:

1. Everyone MUST have a spiral notebook (one subject, 70 pages. 4 of these will be needed for the year. We'll start a new one each nine weeks.) This should be brought to class DAILY. **$0.60 for six this week at Office Depot near Publix at Shallowford and Sandy Plains**
2. Everyone MUST have a composition book. These are not spiral bound- usually have a black and white cover- but any cover is fine). This will stay in class. **$0.99 at Office Depot this week**
3. Everyone MUST have one two-pocket folder to keep returned tests, etc... in. This will stay in class. **$0.05 at Office Depot this week**
4. Everyone should bring in two glue sticks. These will stay in class to attach papers into your spiral as needed. **4-pack for $0.50 at Office Depot this week**
   

We'll begin to use these later in the first week of school SO everyone who brings them in (ALL ITEMS) and shows them to me by class on Wednesday will receive a BONUS COUPON worth ten points which can be applied to one assignment of your choice (tests excluded). You must turn in the coupon with the assignment for credit. Bonus coupons will be distributed only until Wednesday, August 15, 2007. Can be used any time during the year.

IN NEED OF: EMPTY, RINSED TWO LITER SOFTDRINK BOTTLES. Please bring those in as soon as possible. We need about thirty. Bring one, two, or more if you have them.