Becoming a Scientist Learning to solve questions using the scientific method

1. Becoming a Scientist Learning to solve questions using the scientific method

2. The Scientific Method seeks to explain our everyday observations • When we Discover something new… • Become curious and develop questions… • Hypothesize a likely answer... • Design an experiment and collect data…. • And make conclusions

3. When we discover something new we often ask questions to learn more

4. For example, we may learn that in prehistoric times lived a ferocious cat known as Sabre-Tooth

5. AND!! We might ask, “How did Sabre-Tooth use its 8-inch teeth?”

6. The internet and library are great resources for answering these kinds of questions.

7. But!! Perhaps no one knows how Sabre-Tooths used their teeth?

8. Scientists make hypothesis and design experiments to discover new information And we can too!

9. Stop!!! Before beginning a new experiment it is wise to find out what is already known You don’t want to “reinvent the wheel” For K-12, teachers may choose to inform students about this background knowledge..

10. Background research helps to createa better hypothesis For example, we can learn about how Sabre-Tooth’s relatives hunt today Lions jump on to elephant’s back Cheetahs pounce on Gazelle

11. AND!!! We may discover similar animals lived during the era of Sabre-Tooth The Wooly Mammoth Mammuthusprimigenius Prehistoric Elk Megalocerus The more background that we learn the better we can predict the outcome. We also create opportunities to engage student interests!!

12. Components of a good Hypothesis 1. An educated prediction based on observation 2. Prediction can be tested • Data is feasible to obtain 3. Prediction is Specific • Hypotheses are not vague

13. An example hypothesis for Sabre-Tooths • The teeth of Sabre-Tooth were • too long and delicate to break the bones of • Wolly mammoth or Prehistoric Elk Identify the test subject, what we will test, and what we will test it on.

14. Designing a model to test the hypothesis • We obviously don’t have sabre-toothed teeth or mammoth bones for our research, butwe can build a model.

15. Scientists use model systems for many types of research and we can apply the same principles

16. Designing an experiment for K-12 Scientists 1. Make a Materials List For example, We Need…. 1. A modeled Sabre-tooth 2. A modeled mammoth and deer bone 3. A negative and positive control 4. A way to repeat the experiment

17. Designing an experiment for K-12 Scientists 2. Be Creative, Be Simple Simple models using wood and large screws or Paper Mache could be used to recreate Sabre-Tooth teeth. These teeth were 8 inches long and sharp!!

18. Designing an experiment for K-12 Scientists 2. Be Creative, Be Simple Find bones from Petsmart, or make them from paper mache. Have students brainstorm ways to test their hypothesis

19. Designing an experiment for K-12 Scientists 2. Be Creative, Be Simple Negative Control Wood with no teeth Positive Control Hyena teeth model (known for crushing bones) Controls are needed to show the experiment worked correctly!

20. Collecting Data in an Experiment3. Tables are useful for keeping track of data

21. Performing the Experiment4. Have fun • Have the students devise a consistent method to crush/break the bones using their model • Record data in tables and lab notebooks

22. Making Conclusions5. Interpeting the data • Analyze controls • Positive control should break the bones. • If it doesn’t perhaps model is too weak • Negative control should not break the bones • If it does perhaps model is too strong • Analyze experimental group Sabre-tooth broke bones, broke bones sometimes, or did not break bones.

23. From the conclusion make observations6. Ask new question The end.. Or, perhaps just the beginning…