Scientific Method 4th Grade

What is science?

What is a scientist?

Knowledge about or study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation

Scientists use their senses when solving science problems. They use their eyes to spot details. They use their noses to detect if something is stinky. They use their hearing, touch, and even sense of taste.

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2585-working-as-a-scientist

Professor Craig Rodger, head of the Space Physics group at the University of Otago, identifies the two main highlights that keep him enthused and passionate about his work

A Day in the Life of a Lab Scientist

A Day in the Life of a Sports Scientist

To be a scientist, you must be... Curious and ask a lot of questions Creative and think up new ways to do things Willing to listen to the ideas of others but reach your own conclusions Open to change what you think when your investigation results surprise you Willing to question what other people tell you

How do scientists do what they do?

Observe: Look closely at something. What do you see, hear, smell, and feel? Question: Ask why, what, or how?

Hypothesis: Propose an answer Experiment: Test a question

Conclusion: Look at results Report: Tell what you learned

Observations:

What do you see?

I see…

What do you feel?

I feel…

What are the materials available?

I have ________ materials available.

Question: Will this ball bounce higher on the tile floor or the carpet floor?

Hypothesis: What do you think is going to happen? Example: I think the ball will bounce higher on the tile. I think the ball will bounce higher on the carpet. I think the ball will bounce the same on the tile and carpet.

Experiment:

Ms. G will bounce the ball 3 times on each surface.

Round 1: Round 2: Round 3:

Tile: Carpet:

Conclusion? What happened? What are our results?

Constant:

Variable:

Keep everything the same

Pick one thing to change (vary)

How I dropped the ball

The surfaces I dropped the ball on