The document outlines the five steps of the scientific method: 1) Define the problem, 2) Form a hypothesis, 3) Test the hypothesis through experimentation, 4) Analyze the results and draw conclusions, and 5) Report observations. It uses examples of student experiments, like investigating how sunlight affects plant growth or what happens if someone doesn't eat lunch, to explain each step. The scientific method provides a framework for asking questions, making predictions, and testing explanations through systematic observation and experimentation.

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.