This document outlines the steps for conducting an experiment using thinking maps, including: framing a problem/question, researching background information, developing a hypothesis and cause/effect map, outlining an experimental procedure and variables, collecting and recording data, analyzing results, and drawing a conclusion. The example experiment tests how different variables affect alien shapes.

1. Name: ______________________________________ Date: ________________________
EXPERIMENTATION USING THINKING MAPS.
FLOW MAP
PROBLEM/ RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS PROCEDURE CONCLUSION
QUESTION &
EXPERIMENT
What are Stated as Find out Use a cause About Use a tree Collect data Was the
you a informati and effect problem. map before and hypothesis right
wanting question. on about map to If/ then writing measureme or wrong. Why?
to find your determine. Testable your nts during What was
out topic of Ind. & procedure experiment. learned? How
about? interest. dep to organize Create can the
variables variables. tables, information you
graphs and learn be used?
CAUSE AND EFFECT MAP
POSSIBLE VARIABLE CAUSES POSSIBLE VARIABLE EFFECTS
Cause 1 Effect 1
PROBLEM/Q
UESTION
Cause 2 Effect 2
Cause 3 Effect 3
MAKING A HYPOTHESIS
IF…. THEN
(Independent variable) (Dependent variable)

2. 2. Form a hypothesis: Choose one cause (from the left side of your cause/effect map) and one effect
(from the right side of your cause/effect map) to develop a hypothesis. Turn it into your educated
guess:
If ___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________then__________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The “cause” you chose is your independent variable—the one thing you chose to change
The “effect” you chose is your dependent variable—the variable you plan on observing & measuring
You may only change 1 thing in an experiment. The other possible variables you listed on the cause
side must stay constant!
TREE MAP
EXPERIMENT ON
WHAT AFFECTS ALIEN SHAPES?
EXPERIMENT 1 EXPERIMENT 2 EXPERIMENT 3
Cause 1: Cause 1: Cause 1:
Cause 2: Cause 2: Cause 2:
Cause 3: Cause 3: Cause 3:
*Data: * * *
Measured/
Observed
Change any data you collect into charts/ graphs/ tables
Analysis:
How could this information be used in the future? _______________________________
What changes might you make to this experiment? _____________________________
Conclusion:
Was your hypothesis right? ________________________________________________
What were your findings? _________________________________________________