Warm-Up – 1.2

Look at the picture to the right and answer the following questions:

1. What features can you identify in the photograph?

2. Where do you think this photograph came from?

3. If you were an Earth scientist, how could you use this photograph in your work?

Reminders

Quiz #1: Friday, August 28› Covers information from 1.1 – 1.3

2nd and 3rd – Honors Project #1 (Solving a Global Crisis) DUE NEXT THURSDAY, SEPT. 3

Quiz #2: NEXT TUESDAY, Sept. 1› Covers information from 1.4 – 1.5

Unit Test #1: NEXT WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2

1.2 – Ob

servations an

d

Inferen

ces

Daily G

oalA

genda

Determine independent & dependent variables in an experiment.

1. Warm-Up

2. Observation vs. Inference Notes

3. Optical Illusions

4. Variables Notes

5. Simpsons Practice

6. Exit Ticket

Observation

Definition: describing something you are studying, using only facts that you can see, touch, hear or smell. An observation is not an opinion.

Inference

Inference: using your observations to make a guess about an object or an outcome.

Think you’ve got it?!

We can OBSERVE that the turtle is on the stump.

We can OBSERVE that the stump is too high for the turtle to climb on.

We can INFER that someone put the turtle on the stump.

Guided Practice

Fill in each blank with either INFER or OBSERVE

1. We can _____ that someone is smiling.

2. We can _____ that they are happy.

3. We can _____ that a student is writing downtheir homework.

4. We can _____ that they are a successful student.

Guided Practice

1. We can OBSERVE that someone is smiling.

2. We can INFER that they are happy.

3. We can OBSERVE that a student is writing down their homework.

4. We can INFER that they are a successful student.

Independent Practice

IDENTIFY TWO OBSERVATIONS AND ONE INFERENCE FOR EACH PICTURE!

Optical Illusions

Independent and Dependent Variables:

Independent Variable: The variable that you CHANGE

Dependent Variable: The variable that you observe and MEASURE the RESULT of Change

Example – Fertilizer and Plant Growth

Observation: A gardener wants to test if the fertilizer, “Easy Grow” will cause more growth (measured by length of stem) on his red roses rather than normal soil.

1. What is the independent variable?

2. What is the dependent variable?

Example – Fertilizer and Plant Growth

Observation: A gardener wants to test if the fertilizer, “Easy Grow” will cause more growth (measured by length of stem) on his red roses rather than normal soil.

1. Independent Variable: Type of soil [Fertilizer (Grow Easy) or normal soil]

2. Dependent Variable: Length of red rose stems

Experimental Group and Control Group

Experimental group: the subject(s) being tested

Control group: the subject(s) who do not receive experimental treatment and are used as a comparison

Placebo

“Sugar pill” that has no effect Participants’ condition improves thinking they

are receiving the drug

Example – Fertilizer and Plant Growth

Observation: A gardener wants to test if the fertilizer, “Easy Grow” will cause more growth (measured by length of stem) on his red roses rather than normal soil.

1. What is the experimental group?

2. What is the dependent variable?

Example – Fertilizer and Plant Growth

Observation: A gardener wants to test if the fertilizer, “Easy Grow” will cause more growth (measured by length of stem) on his red roses rather than normal soil.

1. What is the experimental group? Red roses grown in fertilizer

2. What is the dependent variable? Red roses grown in normal soil

Example 2

Question: Is there a relationship between the number of hours spent studying and the score a student gets on the weekly quiz?

Define:1. Independent Variable

2. Dependent Variable

3. Experimental Group

4. Control Group

Example 2

1. Independent Variable: Number of hours spent studying

2. Dependent Variable: Score on the weekly quiz

3. Experimental Group: Students studying more (or less) hours than normal

4. Control Group: Students studying their normal amount of hours

Guided Practice

A psychologist is studying the effects of steroids on the aggressive behavior of female rats. 24 female rats receive daily injections of a placebo (sugar pill that has no effect), while 24 others receive daily injections of the steroid. Round-the-clock videotapes of the rats allow all aggressive encounters to be counted and timed.

Guided Practice

A psychologist is studying the effects of steroids on the aggressive behavior of female rats. 24 female rats receive daily injections of a placebo (sugar pill that has no effect), while 24 others receive daily injections of the steroid. Round-the-clock videotapes of the rats allow all aggressive encounters to be counted and timed.

Independent Variable: steroid usage in rats Dependent Variable: aggressive behavior Experimental Group: the rats who received the real steroid

treatment Control Group: the rats who received the placebo treatment

Simpsons Practice

Exit Ticket

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