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Inquiry and Problem Solving Processes and Skills

Inquiry and Problem Solving Processes and Skills. Scientific Method Lab Equipment, procedures, and safety. Why do we study Science? . Investigate and understand the world Explain events in the natural world Use the explanations to make useful predictions. The Methods of Biology.

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Inquiry and Problem Solving Processes and Skills

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  1. Inquiry and Problem Solving Processes and Skills Scientific Method Lab Equipment, procedures, and safety

  2. Why do we study Science? • Investigate and understand the world • Explain events in the natural world • Use the explanations to make useful predictions

  3. The Methods of Biology • Scientific Method – common steps that scientists use to gather information and answer questions.

  4. Scientific Method 1. Problem – observation or question State the problem – What do you want to find out? Research the problem – What do we already know about it?

  5. Scientific Method 2. Hypothesis – testable statement that answers the question Also called an “educated guess” based on experiences

  6. Scientific Method 3. Design the Experiment – Develop a plan to test the hypothesis by determining: dependent and independent variables constants (or controls) type(s) of data to gather

  7. Scientific Method 4. Conduct the experiment Set up Perform Record data Perform calculations and/or organize data into charts, graphs, or diagrams

  8. Scientific Method 5. Conclusion – reports results Based on the data, was the hypothesis correct? If data was not correct, can you develop a new hypothesis to test?

  9. Scientific Method 6. Theory – accepted idea that is true based on the evidence from repeated experiments that supports it

  10. Match the steps to the question. Each step may be used more than once or not at all. 1. What is the first step of the scientific method. 2. After stating the problem, what is the next step? 3. Deciding what kind of data to gather takes place during which step? 4. Which step comes after conducting the experiment? 5. When are variables and controls determined? 6. Which step gives a possible explanation to a problem that can then be tested? 7. If an idea can be proven over and over again, it can proceed to which step? 8. Data is gathered during which step? 9. During which step is the hypothesis proved or disproved? • A. conclusion • B. forming a hypothesis • C. theory • D. conducting an experiment • E. designing the experiment • F. stating the problem

  11. Performing Scientific Experiments • Collect the Data When a biologist conducts an experiment, he or she investigates a phenomenon in a controlled setting to test a hypothesis. Biologists use controlled experiments to obtain data – Quantitative or Qualitative – that support or do not support a hypothesis

  12. Performing Scientific Experiments Quantitative Data – numbers or amounts Measured data – length, mass, pH, temperature Qualitative data – descriptive data Color, odor, taste, feel

  13. Variables • A control group is used for comparison. • Every experiment needs a test group and a control group. • The experimental group gets the treatment of the experiment. • Nothing is done to the control group. • Constants are kept the same for BOTH groups.

  14. Variables • The independent variable is the treatment and is tried on the test group. • The dependent variable would be counted or measured after the treatment is given. • Dependent variable depends on independent variable. What depends on what?

  15. Conducting an Experiment Freddy wants to determine which fertilizer A, B, or C, will cause tomato plants to grow the fastest. His hypothesis is that the tomato plants fertilized with C will grow the fastest because it has the most phosphorus.

  16. Plant growth What kind of data should Freddy collect in his experiment?

  17. Measure and record height • What will he measure to determine growth?

  18. Freddy decides to measure in inches every two days for three weeks. Now that he knows he’s going to measure height, he needs to answer the following questions in order to design his experiment. What will be his control group? How many experimental groups will he have? How many plants should he put in each group?

  19. Group that gets same amount of light and water but NO fertilizer Control group?

  20. Groups that get the different types of fertilizer – A, B, C Experimental groups?

  21. Freddy decides to plant 5 tomato plants in each group for a total of 20 plants

  22. Soil, sunlight, amount of water, number of plants What are important constants in Freddy’s experiment?

  23. Plant height depends on the fertilizer Can you determine the independent and dependent variables in Freddy’s experiment? Remember what depends on what?

  24. Saving Sam Activity • Sam is stuck on a boat, and how he got there is not important, but Sam can't swim and the boat is capsized. To get to shore, Sam needs to retrieve a life jacket from underneath the boat so that he can float to shore. You and your partner's job is to save Sam but retrieving the life jacket from under the boat and putting it on Sam. Unfortunately, the only tools you can use to accomplish this task are paperclips. You cannot touch Sam, the boat, or the life preserver with your bare hands. • Use the Scientific Method to Save Sam!!

  25. Saving Sam • Analyze and Conclude the experiment: • Discuss (tell me what you think) about the difficulty of the task, what other strategies you and your partner worked on before your succeeded, and what you think the critical steps were for solving the problem • Although this is working backwards, and not how scientists normally work, please develop a hypothesis for this lab. (remember that a hypothesis is an ‘if-then’ statement: If I do this, then this will happen)

  26. Saving Sam – Scientific Method • Problem: How can you and your partner save Sam using only paper clips? You may not touch Sam, the boat, or the live preserver directly with your hands. • Materials: Gummy worm, Gummy “Life Saver” preserver, plastic cup and a paper clip per person • Procedures: • Work with your partner(s) & “Save Sam” • Follow the rules: Remember NO HANDS • Develop a data section that includes diagrams of how you saved Sam and a detailed protocol describing the diagrams

  27. Conducting an Experiment Activity • Each group will have a scenario. Given each scenario, design an experiment to answer the experimental question. Identify a control group, dependent and independent variables and possible outcomes or what type of data would be gathered. You will not actually be performing these experiments. Turn in your design on paper – each group has one paper.

  28. Graphing

  29. Pie Graph • Pie graphs are used to show percentages, compare parts of the whole.

  30. Bar Graph • Bar graphs are used when one of the variables is not a number.

  31. Line Graph • Line graphs are used when both variables are numbers.

  32. Dependent and Independent Variables on Graphs

  33. Trends in Line Graphs • You can normally look at the data on a graph and determine the trend. • There are 5 types of trends: • Upward • Downward • Peaking • Unstable • Unchanging Data

  34. Upward Trend • The dependent element increases as the independent element increases.

  35. Downward Trend • The dependent element decreases as the independent element increases.

  36. Peaking Trend • The dependent element increases to a point and then begins to decrease as the independent element increases.

  37. Unstable Trend • The dependent element increases and decreases several times as the independent element increases.

  38. Unchanging Data Trend • The dependent element does not change (stays constant) as the independent element increases.

  39. Lab Equipment

  40. Beaker • Used to hold measure and transport liquids • Measures volume

  41. Bunsen Burner • To heat substances

  42. Cover Slip • To flatten the object being viewed and to keep the lens clean

  43. Dissecting Tools: • Dissecting pins: to stabilize the organism • Dissecting scissors: to cut the organism • Dissecting tray: To hold the organism

  44. Medicine Dropper: • Transports or measures out small amounts of a liquid

  45. Forceps: • Similar to tweezers; used to grab small objects

  46. Funnel: • Used when pouring things from one container to another to avoid spills

  47. Graduated Cylinder: • Designed to make accurate volume measurements which are always read from the bottom of the curve (meniscus) • The smaller the cylinder, the more precise measurement • Get eye level to read

  48. Hand Lens • Magnifies small objects up to 10 times

  49. Microscope • Used to view very small objects at a magnification of 40 to 100 times

  50. Petri Dish • Flat disk with a cover used primarily to grow bacteria

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