What the scientific method is and how we use it everyday.

2. The Five Steps
1. Define the problem
2. Form a hypothesis
3. Test the hypothesis
4. Analyze and draw conclusions
5. Report observations

3. Step 1: Define the problem
• What is the problem?
• The problem is the question. It is the
question that we want to know the answer
to.

4. Some example problems:
• How does sunlight affect plant growth?

5. Some example problems:
• What will happen if I don’t eat lunch?

6. Step 1: Define the problem
• Open your books to page 7.
• Now, think of two problems you want to
answer using the scientific method.

7. Step 2: Form a hypothesis
• What is a hypothesis?
• A hypothesis is a
prediction. It’s what we
think will happen.

8. Example hypothesis
• How does sunlight affect the growth of a plant?
• My hypothesis is that the plant will grow
very tall.

9. Example hypothesis
• What will happen if I don’t eat lunch?
• My hypothesis is that I will go crazy!

10. Step 2: Form a hypothesis
• Now look at your problems
on page 7.
• With your partner, discuss
your hypothesis of what will
happen.

11. Step 2: Form a hypothesis
• Great, now let’s read page
8 together.

12. Next time…
• We will continue on to
3. Test the hypothesis
4. Analyze and draw conclusions
5. Report observations

13. The Five Steps: Who can fill in the
blanks?
1. Define the ________________
2. Form a _____________________
3. Test the ________________________
4. Analyze and draw
____________________
5. Report ________________

14. Step 3: Test the hypothesis
• We can also say this is the time to….

15. Step 3: EXPERIMENT!

16. Step 3: Test the
hypothesis/experiment
• During the experiment we take notes to understand
what happens during the experiment.
• The notes help us find the reasons the experiment
happened.

17. Step 4: Analyze and draw conclusions
• Now, it’s time to look at the facts.
• Here’s my experiment:

18. Experiment
1. Problem: What will happen if I don’t eat lunch?
2. Hypothesis: I think I will go crazy.
3. Test: I did not eat lunch. And this is what happened:

20. Experiment
1. Problem: What will happen if I don’t eat lunch?
2. Hypothesis: I think I will go crazy.
3. Test: I did not eat lunch.
4. Analyze and draw conclusions: I am very angry
and I should eat lunch.
5. Report observations: The teacher should ALWAYS eat
lunch.

21. Turn to page 12
1. Get into your small groups.
2. Read the problems.
3. Read the observations.
4. Work together to develop a hypothesis that explains what is
happening.
5. Then think of how you might experiment.