/Hypothesis+Experimental%20Design%20Workshop%20Template by Tamarack Media

2011-12 EnvironMentors Forming a Hypothesis/Experimental Design Workshop Template For Chapters

ENVIRON M E N TORS FORM ING A HYPOTHESIS/EXPER I M E N TAL DESIGN WORKSHOP AGENDA Logistics Date, Time, Location, Duration Materials

Objectives

1. Sign-in Sheet 2. Student-Mentor Manual (for reference) 3. Forming a Hypothesis/Experimental Design PowerPoint 4. Workshop Survey As a result of this training, students will:

1. Students will be able to identify dependent and independent variables and form a testable hypothesis to answer their research question

2. Students will develop an experimental procedure list that clearly indicates the methods and materials they will use to conduct their research (observations they need to make, variables, study site, method/sampling techniques, materials) Agenda (1 hour)

Student Sign in Mix, Mingle, and Munch! Welcome/Roll Call (5 minutes) Introduction to Forming a Hypothesis and Experimental Design (5 minutes) Introduction to expectations in this step of project development including resources and worksheets: - Variable Tip Sheet - Hypothesis Worksheet - Developing an Experimental Procedure - Creating a Materials List - Experimental Methods & Materials List Worksheet Forming a Hypothesis and Experimental Design PowerPoint (20 minutes) What are independent and dependent variables and what variables do you â&#x20AC;&#x153;controlâ&#x20AC;?? What must be included in your experimental methods? What must be included in your materials list? Individual Student Work Time (25 minutes) Workshop Survey (5 minutes) Handout workshop survey

EnvironMentors Forming a Hypothesis/Experimental Design Workshop Sign-In Sheet

FIRST NAME 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

LAST NAME

EMAIL ADDRESS

Variables Tip Sheet In a scientific experiment, you are measuring how changing one factor in a system affects another factor. These factors are called variables, and an experiment generally has three types: independent, dependent and controlled. Tip: Good variables are usually those that you can measure with a number (e.g., concentrations of pollutants, time of day, temperature) or observe objectively (e.g., colors, growth). The independent variable is the one that you, as the scientist, change or manipulate. Your experiment should have only one independent variable. For your EnvironMentors project, possible independent variables could be time (e.g., testing the amount of pesticides in the water at the same site on different days) or location (e.g., measuring noise pollution at different locations at the same time of day). Time and location are just two examples of independent variables. You and your mentor should work together to determine the best independent variable for your project. The dependent variable changesin a consistent manner in response to changesyou make in the independent variable. In the examples above which used time and location as the independent variables, the dependent variables would be the amount of pesticides in the water, and the amount of noise pollution, respectively. Whereasthere should only be one independent variable, the number of dependent variables can vary. For instance, if you were investigating water quality at the same site on different days, your independent variable would be time, and each different pesticide concentration you measure in the water would be a different dependent variable. The controlled variables are those that you try to keep constant throughout your experiment. Theseare all variables that might affect your dependent variable. If you were measuring the concentrations of pesticides in water on different days, you would want to make sure that things like the weather and outside temperature remain relatively constant. You should keep track of your controlled variables as carefully as your other variables. Remember that it is important to try to keep your controlled variables as constant as possible. For instance, if you measured the noise pollution at two different traffic intersections in your city (independent variable = location; dependent variable = noise pollution) but made your measurements at different times of day, you wouldn’t be able to tell if changesin the amount of noise pollution were due to the different location or the different time of day. Most experiments will have more than one controlled variable. Talk to your mentor and make a list of all the variables you think might affect your dependent variable, and the best way to make sure you keep those variables constant. Example: You want to investigate the effects of acid rain on plant growth. The pH of water is the independent variable that you want to investigate further. Your dependent variables that may change with pH related to plant growth might include plant height, plant stalk thickness, and number of flowers formed. You’ll test different plants with solutions of different pH – some similar to “natural” rainwater, 5.6, and some more acidic and basic. Since you want to be sure that any differences you see in your plants are due to the pH of the water you use, you want to keep any other variables the same, or controlled, such as number of hours of sunlight, fertilizer in soil, and quantity of water used on each plan. You must also compare an experimental group to a control group. The control group is the set of experimental trials where the independent variable is set at its natural state. An experimental group is the set of experimental trials where you change the independent variable.

Example: In your experiment investigating the effects of acid rain on plant growth, you might grow different plants and water them with water at different pH values. The plants watered with water with a pH naturalâ&#x20AC;? rain value of 5.6 would be your control group and the plants watered with water with more acidic or basic pH values would be your experimental groups. In some projects, it might not be possible to measure a control group. Be sure to discussthis with your mentor and/or chapter coordinator.

Hypothesis Worksheet With the guidance of your mentor, chapter coordinator, and/or teacher, use this form to record your hypothesis. Remember that a good hypothesis will:



Be based on information you learned during your background research,



Include your independent and dependent variables,



Be worded in a way that can be tested by experiment.

Research Question: Re-state the question you developed in Section 4. __________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

Hypothesis: Record your educated guessabout the answer to your research question. _____________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Variables (refer to page 71 for more information regarding variables)

Independent (the variable you will control): _______________________________________________________ Dependent (the variable that will change in response to changesin the independent variable): ______________ _______________________________________________________________________________________ Controlled (the variables you will hold constant): ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor’s Initials: __________ Chapter Coordinator’s Initials: __________

You have completed Step 3 of the Scientific Method: Form a Hypothesis.

Developing an Experimental Procedure After identifying your variables, the next step is to design a procedure for how you will manipulate your independent variable, and how you will measure the resulting changesin your dependent variable(s). Each time you perform your experiment it is called a trial. Remember that for your EnvironMentors project, you will need to conduct at least three trials of data collection. Three trials are necessary to collect sufficient data

to answer your research question. Conducting more than three trials is strongly recommended as additional trials will produce additional data and therefore reduce the margin of error. Tips for Developing an Experimental Procedure  In order to make sure that the changesyou observe in your dependent variable are due to changesin your independent variable, you should make sure that your controlled variables remain constant.

 You must also compare an experimental group to a control group. Know the difference between controlled variables and your control group.

 Develop an experimental procedure by writing a step-by-step list of how you will conduct your experiment. Be as detailed as possible. When writing your procedure, pretend that another scientist will be repeating your experiment. They should be able to perform your experiment exactly as you did by following your step- by- step procedure.

 Your experimental procedure should detail how you plan to execute Effective Data Sampling. Experiment Design and Effective Data Sampling Several attributes characterize effective sampling: accuracy, consistency, and persistence. You will see these tips again in the next section Data Collection & Analysis. Accuracy is the foundation of all scientific observation. Care in taking the measurements is the first step. The equipment used and efforts to keep it in good condition are very important. Strive for perfection in recording data entries and tests. Consistency means doing the experiment the same way every time. This lets you compare your data against others doing the same tests. Consistency is also important over time. You want to watch changesand trends in your data; the data that you have taken in the past must be directly comparable to the data you have taken today. Persistence means regular and frequent observations, allowing a greater understanding of what is happening at a measurement site. Also, regular observations are easier to interpret and can be used with greater confidence, especially when unusual phenomena are being measured.

Creating a Materials List What type of supplies and equipment will you need to complete your EnvironMentors project? By making a complete list ahead of time, you can make sure that you have everything on hand when you need it. Some items may take time to obtain, so making a materials list in advance is key!

As with your Experimental Procedure, your Materials List include the specific amounts of each item you’ll need (500 g of soil, rather than just listing soil). Ask yourself two questions when developing your materials list: Have you listed all necessary materials? Have you described the materials in sufficient detail?

 Tip: At a simplified level, you can think of your Materials as the ingredients list of a recipe. A recipe that lists only flour, sugar and eggswould be uselesswithout specified quantities. Your materials list needs to be as detailed and specific as a cooking recipe ingredients list. Science Buddies.org provides an example of a “good” and a “bad” materials list  A Good Materials List Is Very Specific

X A Bad Materials List

500 ml of de-ionized water

Water

Stopwatch with 0.1 sec accuracy

Clock

AA alkaline battery

Battery

If you and your mentor have any problems obtaining the materials and equipment you need for your experiment, be sure to talk to your chapter coordinator.

Experimental Methods & Materials List Worksheet With the guidance of your mentor, chapter coordinator, and/or teacher, use this worksheet to fully develop your experimental procedure and materials list. Identify your variables and the specific quantity (weight, time, etc.) you will measure, and describe how you will make your measurements.

Independent Variable ________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Dependent Variable(s) _______________________________________________________________

Controlled Variables _________________________________________________________________

Experimental and Control Data Sets You must have at least 3 experimental data sets and 1 control data set. If a

control data set is not possible for your project, consult your chapter coordinator. ______ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Study Site(s) Your study site(s) should be an area you can visit regularly and consistently. _________

Materials List Include everything you will need to carry out your procedure, and be sure to list amounts. Put a

star next to items you think might be difficult to obtain so you and your mentor can get assistance from your chapter coordinator. _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Experimental Procedure Write step-by-step instructions for how you will perform your experiment. Be a specific

as possible. _______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Mentorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Initials: __________ Chapter Coordinatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Initials: __________

You have completed Step 4 of the Scientific Method: Design an Experiment. In the next section, you will carry out the experiment you just planned.

EnvironMentors Forming a Hypothesis/Experimental Design Workshop Evaluation

∗

Date: Pleasecircle the number of your response:

1. I found the workshop to be: 1 2 Very Helpful Helpful

3 Okay

4 Not Very Helpful

2. I found the way the coordinator presented the information to be: 1 2 3 4 Very Clear Clear Okay Somewhat Confusing

3. I found the material to be: 1 2 Very Helpful Helpful

4. I found the activities to be: 1 2 Very Interesting Somewhat Interesting

5. I found the content of the training to be: 1 2 Very Useful Somewhat Useful

5 Not Helpful at All

5 Very Confusing

3 Okay

4 Not Very Helpful

5 Not Helpful at All

3 Okay

4 Not Very Interesting

5 Boring

3 Okay

4 Not Very Useful

5 Not Useful at All

6. Additional Comments __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

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Activity adapted from Training New Mentees: A manual for preparing youth in mentoring programs (2003). Published by National Mentoring Center. Full resource can be found at: http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/244