Scientific Method

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

The Scientific Method Process

Scientists use a specific process called the scientific method, which has six key steps, to help them answer questions.

Break them down.

1. Ask a Question.
   Start with a question you want to answer. For example, "What happens if I water my plant every day?" or "How can I make a penny shiny without using soap?"

2. Research Your Topic.
   Find out what others have learned about your question. You can look up books, videos, or talk to experts.

3. State Your Hypothesis.
   This is your guess about what will happen. It's like saying, "I think watering my plant daily will make it grow better!"

4. Test Your hypothesis.
   Now, you'll test your hypothesis. You must decide what materials you need and how to test your question.

5. Analyze Your Data.
   As you experiment, note what you see happening. There are two types of data you'll record.

Qualitative data describes what you see. For example, "The plant leaves look bigger."

Quantitative data describes amounts or measurements, like "The plant grew 5 centimeters."

After the experiment, decide if your hypothesis was correct. Did watering the plant every day help it grow better?

6. Report Your Results.
   Tell others what you learned! You can write a report or make a presentation to share your discoveries.

Now it's time for you to practice!

Watch the video below on the scientific method and take notes using the Graphic Organizer—Notes in the right-hand sidebar. As you watch, ask yourself these questions.

• What are the steps of the scientific method?
• What types of data were used (qualitative vs. quantitative)?
• What is the difference between an independent and dependent variable?
• What are experimental and control groups?

By using the scientific method, you can discover amazing things and answer questions in your everyday life.

Head to the Got It? section to continue investigating the scientific method.