How to Solve a Problem in Science

sometimes called a "method"

FirstFind something that interests

you and ASK A QUESTION about it.

Then research it. If you can't "google" the answer, then you have yourself a good

question!

SecondPROPOSE A WAY TO

ANSWER YOUR QUESTION

In other words : come up with a guess about how you

can solve it - but a guess you can actually test.

This is called a hypothesis.

THIRD - See if your guess works - Do it.Here is the trick - WRITE IT DOWN as you go - this is your EXPERIMENT . It is just a journal of

what you did!

•Along the way through your experiment, you may run into new questions.

•Write them down for later. Stay focused on the one you are on now.

•Stay organized - write neatly on whole sheets of paper (not post-its, napkins, the back of your hand, table tops, other notes)

•Write down what you found out using tables and numbers (called "raw" data)

•Use charts, graphs, pictures, too. The reason for this is to help visual learners to understand what you did. (Think about a textbook - don't you like pictures better than words???)

•Then, at the end of your experiment..........

Fourth

FIFTH AND FINALLY.......

• This is point of the conclusion.

•Conclusions are what you are after, so you must WRITE paragraph.

• An easy formula will help you with it.

DID YOU ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

Write 5 sentences in ONE paragraph. (do not number the sentences)

1.What question did you ask?2.What event prompted you to ask it?3.What is the answer to your question?4.Support this with the data you collected (briefly summarize it).5.If you could do another, related experiment, what would it be, and why?

•What other questions did this experiment raise

Conclusions