AMAZING WORLD OF SCIENCE WITH MR. GREEN
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  • IBDP Environmental Systems and Societies
    • ESS Topics >
      • Statistical Anaylsis
      • ESS Topic 1 Foundations of ESS >
        • ESS Topic 1.1: Environmental Value Systems
        • ESS Topic 1.2: Systems and Models
        • ESS Topic 1.3: Energy and Equilibria
        • ESS Topic 1.4: Sustainability
        • ESS Topic 1.5: Humans and Pollution
      • ESS Topic 2 Ecosystems and Ecology >
        • ESS Topic 2.1: Species and Population
        • ESS Topic 2.2: Communities and Ecosystems
        • ESS Topic 2.3: Flows of Energy and Matter
        • ESS Topic 2.4: Biomes, Zonation and Succession
        • ESS Topic 2.5: Investigating Ecosystems
      • ESS Topic 3: Biodiversity and Conservation >
        • ESS Topic 3.1: Introduction to Biodiversity
        • ESS Topic 3.2: Origins of Biodiversity
        • ESS Topic 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity
        • ESS Topic 3.4: Conservation of Biodiversity
      • ESS Topic 4: Water and Aquatic Food Production Systems and Society >
        • ESS Topic 4.1: Introduction to Water Systems
        • ESS Topic 4.2: Access to Fresh Water
        • ESS Topic 4.3: Aquatic Food Production Systems
        • ESS Topic 4.4: Water Pollution
      • ESS Topic 5:Soil Systems and Terrestrial Food Production Systems and Society >
        • ESS Topic 5.1: Introduction to Soil Systems
        • ESS Topic 5.2: Terrestrial Food Production Systems and Food Choices
        • ESS Topic 5.3: Soil Degradation and Conservation
      • ESS Topic 6: Atmospheric Systems and Society >
        • ESS Topic 6.1: Introduction to the Atmosphere
        • ESS Topic 6.2: Stratospheric Ozone
        • ESS Topic 6.3: Photochemical Smog
        • ESS Topic 6.4: Acid Deposition
      • ESS Topic 7: Climate Change and Energy Production >
        • ESS Topic 7.1: Energy Source and Security
        • ESS Topic 7.2: Climate change – Causes and Impacts
        • ESS Topic 7.3: Climate change – Mitigation and Adaptation
      • ESS Topic 8: Human System and Resource Use >
        • ESS Topic 8.1: Human Populations Dynamics
        • ESS Topic 8.2: Resource Use in Society
        • ESS Topic 8.3 Solid Domestic Waste
        • ESS Topic 8.4 Human Population Carrying Capacity
    • ESS Internal Assessments >
      • ESS IA Context
      • ESS IA Planning >
        • Surveys
        • Secondary Data - Data Bases
      • ESS IA Results, Analysis & Conclusions
      • ESS IA Discussion and Evaluation
      • ESS IA Application
      • ESS IA Communication
      • ESS Personal Skills in IA
    • ESS Extended Essay
    • IB Command Terms
    • Official IB ESS Glossary
    • IB ESS Revision
    • Group 4 Project
  • IBDP Biology
    • IB Biology SL Topics >
      • Statistical Anaylsis
      • Topic 1: Cell Biology >
        • Topic 1.1 Introduction to Cells
        • Topic 1.2 Ultra-Structure of Cells
        • Topic 1.3 Membrane Structure
        • Topic 1.4 Membrane Transport
        • Topic 1.5 Origin of Cells
        • Topic 1.6: Cell Division
      • Topic 2: Molecular Biology >
        • Topic 2.1:Molecules to Metabolism
        • Topic 2.2 Water
        • Topic 2.3: Carbohydrates and Lipids
        • Topic 2.4: Proteins
        • Topic 2.5: Enzymes
        • Topic 2.6: Structure of DNA and RNA
        • Topic 2.7: DNA Replication, Transcription and Translation
        • Topic 2.8 Cellular Respiration
        • Topic 2.9: Photosynthesis
      • Topic 3: Genetics >
        • Topic 3.1: Genes
        • Topic 3.2: Chromosomes
        • Topic 3.3: Meiosis
        • Topic 3.4: Inheritance
        • Topic 3.5: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
      • Topic 4: Ecology >
        • 4.1 Species, Communities and Ecosystems
        • 4.2 Energy Flow
        • 4.3 Carbon Cycle
        • 4.4 Climate Change
      • Topic 5: Evolution and Biodiversity >
        • Topic 5.1 Evidence for Evolution
        • Topic 5.2 Natural Selection
        • Topic 5.3: Classification of Biodiversity
        • Topic 5.4: Cladistics
      • Topic 6: Human Physiology >
        • Topic 6.1: Digestion and Absorption
        • Topic 6.2: The Blood System
        • Topic 6.3: Defense Against Infectious Disease
        • Topic 6.4: Gas Exchange
        • Topic 6.5: Neurones and Synapses
        • Topic 6.6: Hormones, Homeostasis and Reproduction
    • IB Biology HL Topics >
      • Topic 7: Nucleic Acids >
        • Topic 7.1 DNA Structure and Replication
        • Topic 7.2 Transcription and Gene Expression
        • Topic 7.3 Translation
      • Topic 8: Metabolism, Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis >
        • Topic 8.1 Metabolism
        • Topic 8.2 Cell Respiration
        • Topic 8.3 Photosynthesis
      • Topic 9: Plant Biology >
        • Topic 9.1 Transport in the Xylem of Plants
        • Topic 9.2 Transport in the Phloem of Plants
        • Topic 9.3 Growth in Plants
        • Topic 9.4: Reproduction in Plants
      • Topic 10: Genetics and Evolution >
        • Topic 10.1: Meiosis
        • Topic 10.2: Inheritance
        • Topic 10.3: Gene Pools and Speciation
      • Topic 11: Animal Physiology >
        • Topic 11.1 Antibody Production and Vaccination
        • Topic 11.2: Movement
        • Topic 11.3: The Kidney and Osmoregulation
        • Topic 11.4: Sexual Reproduction
    • Options >
      • Option D: Human Physiology >
        • D1: Human Nutrition (Core)
        • D2: Digestion (Core)
        • D3: Function of the Liver (Core)
        • D4: Function of the Heart (Core)
        • D5: Hormones and Metabolism (HL)
        • D6: Transport of Respiratory Gases (HL)
    • IB Biology Internal Assessment >
      • Internal Assessment Personal Engagement
      • Internal Assessment Exploration
      • Internal Assessment - Analysis
      • Internal Assessment Evaluation
      • Internal Assessment - Communications
    • IB Biology Revision
    • Group 4 Project
  • Grade 10 MYP Biology
    • Grade 10 Topic 1: Blood and Circulation
  • Grade 9 MYP Biology
    • Grade 9 Topic 1: Life Processes
    • GR9 Topic 2: Cells
    • GR 9 Topic 3: Macro Molecules
    • GR9 Topic 4 Cellular Movement
    • GR 9 Topic 5: Transport In Plant
    • GR 9 Topic 6 Enzymes
    • GR 9 Topic 7 Microscopy
  • MYP Laboratory Guidance
  • Guide To Exam Success
    • What Are You Eating
    • Get Organized
    • Day Before the Exam
    • When You Sit Down For The Exam
    • Taking The Exam
  • Scientific Dictionary
  • Scientific Method
  • About Me

scientific method

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Science is a systematic and logical approach to discovering how things in the universe work. It is also the body of knowledge accumulated through the discoveries about all the things in the universe. The scientific method is the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavor to construct an accurate (that is, reliable, consistent and non-arbitrary) representation of the world.
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Recognizing that personal and cultural beliefs influence both our perceptions and our interpretations of natural phenomena, we aim through the use of standard procedures and criteria to minimize those influences when developing a theory.

Steps of the Scientific Method

  1. Purpose/Question- What do you want to learn? An example would be, "What doorknob in school has the most germs ?" or "Do girls have faster reflexes than boys?" or "Does the color of a light bulb affect the growth of grass seeds?"
  2. Research- Find out as much as you can. Look for information in books, on the internet, and by talking with teachers to get the most information you can before you start experimenting.
  3. Hypothesis- After doing your research, try to predict the answer to the problem. Another term for hypothesis is 'cause and effect.' Be sure your hypothesis is testable and includes the independent and dependent variable.  Also back up your hypothesis with scientific explanation. This is usually stated like " If I...(do something) then...(this will occur)" An example would be, "If I grow grass seeds under yellow light bulbs, then they will grow faster than plants growing under red light bulbs".
  4. Variables: The things that are changing in an experiment. A variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types. An experiment usually has three kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled.
  5. Experiment- The fun part! Design a test or procedure to find out if your hypothesis is correct. In our example, you would set up grass seeds under a green light bulb and seeds under a red light and observe each for a couple of weeks. You would also set up grass seeds under regular white light so that you can compare it with the others. If you are doing this for a science fair, you will probably have to write down exactly what you did for your experiment step by step.
  6. Analysis- Record what happened during the experiment. Also known as 'data'.
  7. Conclusion- Review the data and check to see if your hypothesis was correct. If the grass under the green light bulb grew faster, then you proved your hypothesis, if not, your hypothesis was wrong. It is not "bad" if your hypothesis was wrong, because you still discovered something!
A few other terms you may need to know:
  • Independent Variable
    This is the part of your experiment that you will test (vary) to answer your hypothesis. In the example above, the independent variable would be the different colors of the light bulbs.
  • Dependent Variable
    This is what occurs in response to the changing independent variable. In our example the Dependent Variable is how much the grass seeds grow.
  • Control Variable
         Controlled variables are quantities that a scientist wants to remain constant, and she must observe them as                carefully as the dependent variables. 
  • Control
    The control should be the part of the experiment where you do not include the Independent Variable. In our example, grass seed that is growing under the white (uncolored) bulb would be your control. The control lets you compare your results in the experiment.
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Class Material:

Steps of the Scientific Method Worksheet
Scientific Method Cloze Worksheet
Scientific Method Crossword
Independent Investigation Guidelines
Sponge Bob Square Pants Scientific Method Variables Activity
Bikini Botton Scientific Method Experiments
Graphing Exercise Worksheet

Hypothesis
Designing an Experiment
Bar Graphs
Double Bar Graphs
Line Graph
Double Line Graphs
Looking At Data

Scientific Method Practice Worksheet

Useful Links

Science Buddies
How Stuff Works
Biology4Kids
Car and Vehicle Science Projects 
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Video Clips
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