DO NOW: Make an observation and an inference about each picture.

Tuesday 9/10

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Review:

What are the 2 types of observations?

Qualitative (descriptions with adjectives) Quantitative (number, can be counted or measured)

What is the difference between an observation and an inference?

Observation is made using our senses and is a fact. An inference is a logical guess based on observations and background knowledge we have.

QUALITATIVE

The grass in front of the elephants in yellow.

QUANTITATIVE
INFERENCE

There are two elephants.

The elephants are playing with each other.

QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE INFERENCE

The people are smiling

There are four people.

The people are studying together.

QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

The sky is blue.

There is one boat on the river.

INFERENCE

It is the Colorado River.

QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE INFERENCE

There is a blue and a red car.

There are two tires.

The blue car crashed into the red car.

Learning Goal

Formulate scientific questions and hypothesis for scientific inquiry.

Success Criteria

Determine whether a scientific question is observable and testable. Write IF and THEN hypothesis given scientific questions. Identify the cause and effect in hypothesis.

Scientists ..

make a lot of observations. make a lot of inferences. ask a lot of questions. investigate a lot of things.

Which statement represents which picture and why?

Inquiry

Process of asking questions and investigating something.

Scientists make observations and inferences and then they ask questions and investigate to try to understand the world around us.

What is a good scientific question?

A scientific question needs to be:

Observable
Testable

Example: Does studying improve quiz scores? Non-Example: Why is soccer the best sport?

Is this a scientific question?

Observable Testable

What is the effect of cigarette smoke on lungs? Why is blue the best color in the world? Did the grass turn brown because it needs fertilizer? Can eating too much candy make you gain weight? Why is basketball a boring sport?

YES NO YES YES NO

After a Question you Form a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a possible answer to your scientific question An educated guess or prediction that can be tested.
Example: IF students study more, THEN quiz scores will improve.

IF __________________, THEN _____________________.

This is what you do or change in the experiment.

This is the result.

CAUSE

EFFECT

Question: Does listening to classical music improve memory? Hypothesis: IF kids listen to Mozart for 30 minutes per day for a week, THEN they will be able to memorize more vocabulary. Question: Does exercise help prevent heart attacks? Hypothesis: I run 5 miles every day for a year IF __________________________________________ the risk to have a heart attack decreases by 50%. _____, THEN

Exit Discussion
1) A scientific hypothesis has to be a. provable b. theoretical c. testable d. quantifiable

2) Science is a form of inquiry because it tries to understand the world by a. collecting data. b. forming conclusions. c. asking questions. d. designing experiments.