The body of knowlege in the area of science has been created over time by using a process known as the Scientific Method.
Areas of focus will include:
Asking scientific questions
Students will be asked ot for the "How will________effect _____?" format
Forming hypothesis
Students will be asked to follow the " If ________then_____________because _______" format
Doing variable scans
Students will be asked to find varaibles which could be tested with regard to a wade variety of phenomenon.
Selecting a single variable to test
Studnets will be instructed to select a singel variable to be examined in a given experiment such that changes made in the experiment can be directly ling to changes in the data gathered in the experiment.
Controlling all other variables
Students will learn to make experiments "fair" by contolling all variables which are not the subject of investigation.
Experimental design
Students will be asked ot create and write their own labs.
Lab skills
Over the course of the year students will learn proper technique relating to lab completion and proper data collection.
Data collection
Students will be require to create their own data tables complete with Titles, Headings etc.
Data analysis
In addition to learning how to interprete the results of a lab, students will learn how to properly graph the data and interprete the graph itself.
Conclusions
After the analysis phase, students will be asked to create a conclusion for their labs where by they will be asked to support their findings with their data and explain the relationship between the manipulated variable (independent) and the responding variable (dependent).
Error analysis
Last but not least, students will be asked to examine their lab performance to determine in any errrors may have caused faulty data and therefore a faty conclusion.