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I hope you are excited to become the scientist!
- As part of the 8th-grade honors science curriculum, you will utilize The Scientific Method to design and conduct an experiment to test your hypothesis.
- As part of the 8th-grade honors science curriculum, you will utilize The Scientific Method to design and conduct an experiment to test your hypothesis.
What is the Scientific Method?
Watch: The Steps of the Scientific Method for Kids - Science for Children: FreeSchool
*Based on scientific observations, YOU will develop a RESEARCH QUESTION.
- Since it is an 8th-Grade HONORS class, you will need a reason WHY this research is important to the scientific community or to society as a whole!
- Since it is an 8th-Grade HONORS class, you will need a reason WHY this research is important to the scientific community or to society as a whole!
*You will Conduct BACKGROUND RESEARCH
- You must explore background information as well as what previous researchers have already done.
- You must explore background information as well as what previous researchers have already done.
*YOU will STATE your HYPOTHESIS.
What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a tentative, testable answer to a scientific question.
A hypothesis is a tentative, testable answer to a scientific question.
Watch: Hypothesis Song ("Love Yourself") - by Ben Leddy
Watch: How to Write a Hypothesis
Explore: Writing a Hypothesis for Your Science Fair Project
(and refer back to the checklist when you formulate YOUR OWN hypothesis)
What must your hypothesis include?
One independent variable that you can purposely manipulate
and a dependent variable that will change in response to what you do.
These changes MUST BE MEASURABLE!
All other variables must be controlled.
Watch: Scientific Variables
Read: Variables in Your Science Fair Project
Practice along with Dependent and Independent Variables
Watch: INTERACTIVE: Part 1: Identify the Independent and Dependent Variables with the MythBusters!
*What should you do first?
Begin to gather and explore multiple ideas in order to find one of interest.
Begin to gather and explore multiple ideas in order to find one of interest.
- Develop Research Question(s)
- Conduct Basic Research
- Based on your research, state your Hypothesis
Remember it MUST be a predictive, testable statement that makes a claim about how two factors relate.
-Choosing a topic of study can take quite some time.
-Choosing a topic of study can take quite some time.
-It is VERY possible that your first few ideas will not be approved.
-It is VERY possible that your first few ideas will not be approved.
*Once your hypothesis is approved you will ELABORATE ON YOUR RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND CONDUCT AN EXPERIMENT TO TEST YOUR HYPOTHESIS.
- Modeling a process is not an acceptable project
- NO product testing is permitted
- IF you are going to conduct a study, be sure it is a controlled experiment with dozens of participants, as well as multiple trials, so that it will yield sufficient data to be analyzed
- Engineering projects are an acceptable alternative. This type of project involves developing a design to meet a specific need and then constructing a model or prototype capable of testing the feasibility and application of that design.
*PROJECT TIMELINE
*PROJECT TIMELINE
- Project Proposal (September)
- Research (October)
- Experimental Design (October/November)
- Perform Experiment (Experiments begin independently immediately upon approval of the experimental design)
- Data Collection (log in your journal and submit weekly)
- Data Analysis/Results
- Charts/Graphs
- Summarize your data
- Discussion/Conclusions
- Digital Poster (WTSD will print)
- Class Presentations
- Science Symposium (Late May/Early June)
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