Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Steps of the Scientific Method for kids

Steps of the Scientific Method

Biologists make observations and carry out experiments to help them learn about living organisms. This is the scientific method. The scientific method begins with observation and curiosity – asking questions.


Observations can be made anywhere. For example, as you run around playing a game you might notice that you breathe more quickly and that your heart beats faster. You may ask, “how much faster is my heart beating? How long does it take to slow down again? Why am I breathing faster?”. Biology is about finding answers to such questions.

Biologists often use past experiences, ideas and further observations to suggest an explanation or hypothesis to predict what will happen next. For example, “I breathe faster to get more oxygen into my body.” is a hypothesis. “The harder I exercise, the faster I should breathe.” is a prediction based on that hypothesis.

Biologists conduct experiments to test
whether or not the prediction is accurate.

If the experimental results match the prediction, they accept the hypothesis. If not, they reject the hypothesis and start all over again with a new hypothesis.

So, the scientific method is consist of several steps:
  1. Ask questions.
  2. Form a hypothesis.
  3. Test your hypothesis, record the data, and make conclusions.
You may make a new scientific discovery.

Source: Biology Matter

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