7

SCIENCE
Quarter 1 – Module 1
Week 1, Scientific Investigation
Grade 7 Science
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Scientific Investigation
Second Edition, Revised 2021

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SCIENCE
Quarter 1- Module 1
Scientific Investigation

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 What I Need to Know

One of the main differences between human and other animal species is our ability to
find questions and solutions to difficult problems that are present in our environment.
Similarly, it is also a contributing factor to our evolution and survival through time. However,
how do we solve problems?

In this module, varied learning experiences shall be introduced to help you

understand scientific methods and equip you with skills and knowlegde for you to be
successful throughout the topic. This involves acquiring scientific knowlegde using scientific
methods and processes.The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the
course.

The module is divided into three lessons, namely:

Lesson 1 - Formualting Research Question & Hypothesis

Lesson 2 - Planning Investigation & Experimentation
Lesson 3 - Data Analysis & Drawing Conclusions

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Formulate a research question;

2. Formulate a hypothesis;
3. Design a procedure to test the hypothesis;
4. Collect data and present them in appropriate format; and
5. Analyze data and draw conclusions/generalizations.

The module covers the Introduction/Learning Objectives, Pre-Assessment,

Lesson Proper, Generalization, Application, Post Assessment.

Quarter: First Quarter

Content Standard: The learners demonstrate understanding
of scientific ways of acquiring knowledge
and solving problems.
Performance Standard: The learners should be able to
perform in groups in guided
investigations involving community
based problems using locally
available materials.
Competency: The learners should be able to describe the
components of a scientific investigation.
Duration: 1 Week
Topic: Components of a Scientific Investigation

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 Pre-Assessment

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What is the first step in the scientific method?

A. asking a question C. gathering information
B. forming a hypothesis D. organizing data
2. Which of the following statements would be TRUE of the scientific method?
A. People structure their lives on the principle of scientific method.
B. Scientists report the experimental results, but not the experimental design.
C. The scientific method is a continuous process by which people learn about his world.
D. When the results of the experiment do not fit the hypothesis, a scientist may discard
the results and stop the experiment.
3. When scientists wish to communicate the results of their research, they are most likely to
do which of the following?
A. Call a press conference.
B. Immediately repeat the research.
C. Sell their findings to other researchers.
D. Write a concise report with complete results and proofs to the experiments performed
and formulate conclusions.
4. Suppose your mother sent you to the market to buy fruits and vegetables. How would you
choose good quality fruits and vegetables?
A. Ask the vendor to choose it for you.
B. Just get any kind and pay right away.
C. Examine the fruit if it is free from insect bites and the smell of insecticide.
D. Tell your mother that you do not know how to buy good quality fruits and vegetables.
5. How is a hypothesis tested ?
A. by conducting an experiment and looking for results
B. by comparing observations in nature with predictions
C. by using the hypothesis to make predictions about a system
D. all of the above
6. During an experiment about a coin and feather that were dropped at the same time, it
was found that coin reached the ground first. One student said: “Maybe, the coin is
heavier than the feather.” What do you call this kind of statement?
A. a problem B. a conclusion C. a hypothesis D. an interpretation
For items 7-9: A group of students was asked to investigate how fast sugar dissolves in
cold and in hot water?
7. If this is going to be a fair test, what variables should they control?
A. Amount of water and sugar in each cup, method of stirring, time when the solid is
added to water, how long each solution is stirred.
B. Amount of water and sugar in each cup, method of stirring, how long each solution
stirred.
C. Amount of sugar in each cup; method of stirring, time when the solid is added to water,
how long each solution stirred.
D. Amount of water in each cup, method of stirring, time when the solid is added to water,
how long each solution is stirred.
8. What is the dependent variable (what is being measured)?
I. The temperature of water.
II. The amount of sugar.
III. The length of time that sugar completely dissolves in hot water.
IV. The length of time that sugar completely dissolves in cold water.

A. I only B. II only C. II and III D. III and IV

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9. What is the independent variable in the investigation?
A. I only B. II and III C. I, II and III D. II, III and IV
For items 10-14: You want to prove that trees lower the air temperature under the leaves
because of the shade. You stand under the tree, hold out an air
thermometer under the shade for a few minutes, and record the air
temperature. You then move to an area where there are no trees and
record the air temperature.
10. What is the experimental setup?
A. air temperature C. Thermometer under the tree shade
B. shade offered by the trees D. Thermometer in the open (no shade)
11. What is the control setup?
A. air temperature C. Thermometer under the tree shade
B. shade offered by the trees D. Thermometer in the open (no shade)
12. What is the independent variable?
A. air temperature C. amount of water
B. amount of soil D. shade offered by the trees
13. What is the dependent variable?
A. amount of soil C. amount of fertilizer
B. air temperature D. shade offered by the trees
14. What factors will you keep constant?
I. time of day
II. use of the same thermometer
III. length of time the thermometer exposed
IV. location where there are and no trees

A. I & II C. I, II & III

B. II & III D. I, II, III & IV
15. Why is Scientific Method an important process in doing experiments?
A. It takes more work but it’s worth it.
B. It helps the experiment to take longer and be better.
C. It ensures that the results can be trusted and repeated.
D. It ensures that the people doing the experiments are scientific.

Lesson Formulating Research

Question and Hypothesis
1

Scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore

observations and answer questions. This scientific method requires observations of nature to
formulate and test hypotheses through experimentation. The record data from the
experiment will determine the correctness of your hypothesis. Further observation and
experimentation are needed if the hypothesis is incorrect.

6
 The illustration below shows the basic procedures of scientific method. As you go on
further with the lesson, you will be able to understand each step clearly as you do the given
activities in each lesson.

Ask a Question

Do Background
Research

Construct a
Hypothesis =========
=
=
Test with an
Experimental
Experiment data
becomes
background
Procedure research for
Working? new/future
project. Ask
new
question,
form new
No Yes hypothesis,
experiment
again!

Analyze Data and

Draw Conclusions
= =
=
Results Align with Results Align Partially or = = =
Hypothesis Not at All with Hypothesis

Communicate Results

NOTE: When scientists follow the scientific method, they do not necessarily in the exact
same order above. Each scientist has a unique style of doing things. The important thing
is that despite such differences, they should arrive at the same conclusion for the same
hypothesis. Differences in results may arise because of other factors that have to be
further investigated. It is necessary that scientist share their findings with the world.

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 What’s New

STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

STEP 1 - ASK A QUESTION

The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you
observe: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?
Once you have a chosen topic of interest, you will need to create a related scientific
question. Without a good question, your whole scientific investigation will be much harder, if
not impossible! It is important to select a question that is going to be interesting to work on
and that is specific enough to allow you to find the answer with a simple experiment.

Directions: Read and analyze the experimental scenario carefully. Write the letter of the
correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.
Johnny divided 30 unripe bananas evenly among six paper bags and sealed the bags.
He poked 20 small holes in three of the bags and left the other three without holes. He
kept the bags at room temperature for three days. Then, Johnny opened the bags and
counted the number of brown spots on bananas from bags with holes to the average
number of brown spots on bananas from bags without holes.
1. Which experimental question that best describes Johnny’s experiment?
A. Do bananas develop more brown spots when they are kept at room temperature
compared to in a cold refrigerator?
B. Do bananas develop more brown spots if they are kept in bags with holes
compared to bags without holes.

The Grade 7 students in a physics class inflated 40 identical balloons to the same size.
The Grade 7students placed half of the balloons in freezer at -20 0C and left half of the
balloons at room temperature, which was 20 0C. Three hours later, the students
measured the sizes of the balloons. They compared the sizes of balloons kept in
freezers.

2. Which experimental question that best describes the experiment of Grade 7

students?
A. Do balloons kept in freezers have more mass than balloons kept at room
temperature?
B. Do balloons get smaller when they kept in freezers or at room temperature?

Donna poured 120mL of water into each of six glasses. Donna dissolved one tablespoon
of salt in each of three glasses, and did not add salt to the other three. Then, Donna
placed an egg in one glass and observed if the egg floated. She removed the egg and
dried it. She repeated the process with the other five glasses, recording each time if the
egg floated. Donna repeated this test with two more eggs and counted the number of
times the eggs floated in fresh water compared to salty water.

3. Which experimental question that best describes Donna’s experiment?

A. Are eggs more likely to float in fresh water or salty water?
B. Does the amount of water in a glass affect whether eggs sink or float in the water?

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 What is It

CREATING SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS

Developing questions is a skill that requires practice, just like hitting a baseball. Over
time you will master this skill. Later on you will be able to recognize all three types of
scientific question and then use this knowledge to help solve just about any problem.
Let’s take a look at four basic guidelines for writing scientific questions.
1. A good scientific question is one that can have an answer and be tested.
“Why is that a rock? is not as good as a question as “What are rocks made of?”
2. A good scientific question can be tested by some experiment or measurement that
you can do.
“Where does the Sun come from?” is not as good as, “How will human skin,
covered with SPF 30 suntan lotion, react to solar radiation compared to skin not
covered with suntan lotion?”
3. A good scientific question builds on what you already know.
“Will fertilizer make grass grow greener?” is not good as, “What types of fertilizer
will make grass grow greener and not cause harm to the environment?”
4. A good scientific question, when answered, leads to other good questions.
“What is HIV? does not lead to as many other questions as, “How does the HIV
virus cause the human immune system to malfunction?

STEP 2 – DO BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Background research is necessary so that you will know how to design and
understand your experiment. It helps you understand the theory behind your experiment.
You do library and Internet research so that you can make prediction of what will occur in
your experiment, and then whether that prediction is right or wrong, you will have the
knowledge to understand what caused the behavior you observed. The more you know
about a subject, the easier it will be to conduct your investigation.

STEP 3 – CONSTRUCT A HYPOTHESIS

After having thoroughly researched your question, you should have some educated
guess about how things. This educated guess about the answer to your question is called
the hypothesis.
The hypothesis must be worded so that it can be tested
in your experiment. Do this by expressing the hypothesis using
your independent variable (the variable you change during your
experiment) and your dependent variable (the variable you
observe-changes in the dependent variable depend on
changes in the independent variable).
In fact many hypotheses are stated exactly like this: “If a particular independent
variable is changed, then there is also a change in a certain dependent variable.”

“If I open the faucet (faucet opening size is the independent variable),
then it will increase the flow of water (flow of water is the dependent variable).”

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 “Raising the temperature of a cup of water (temperature is the independent
variable) will increase the amount of sugar that dissolves (the amount of
sugar is the dependent variable).”

“If a plant receives fertilizer (having fertilizer is the independent variable),

then it will grow to be bigger than a plant that does not receive fertilizer
(plant size is the dependent variable).”

“If I put fenders on a bicycle (having fenders is the independent variable),

then they will keep the rider dry when riding through puddles
(the dependent variable is how much water splashes on the rider).”

Notice that in each of the examples it will be easy to measure the independent
variables. This is another important characteristic of a good hypothesis. If we can readily
measures the variables in the hypothesis, then we say that the hypothesis is testable.

Not every question can be answered by the scientific method. The hypothesis is the
key. If you can state your question as a testable hypothesis, then you can use the scientific
method to obtain an answer.

What’s More

Activity 1
HOW MANY DROPS?

Objectives: 1. Predict and compare results in an activity.

2. Identify experimental factors or variables.
Materials:
1 piece twenty-five centavo coin, 1 piece one-peso coin, Water
1 piece five-peso coin, Medicine dropper or small stick

Procedure:
1. Using the materials, perform the acitivity and write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.
Table On The Number of Water Drops a Coin Can Hold
Number of Water Drops

Type of Coin Prediction Actual

.25-centavo coin
1.00-peso coin
5.00-peso coin
2. Predict how many drops of water each type of coin can hold and write your predictions on
the table.
3. Choose one type of coin. You may use a medicine dropper or a small stick and actually
drop water on the chosen coin.
4. Count accurately the actual number of droplets on the coin. Note:Do not count the droplets
which caused the mound (small rounded mass ) to break.

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5. Record your actual result on the table and on your answer sheet.
6. Answer the questions below using the data you gathered during the investigation.
Guide Questions:
a. Give at least three causes for the differences in your predictions.
b. Compare your actual result with your prediction. Are they the same?
c. Give at least 5 reasons or factors why there are differences in the number of water
drops in each type of coin.
d. What do you call the factors you identify which caused the differences in the number of
water droplets in the coin?
7. Choose only one variable from your answers in Question C which caused the differences
in the number of water droplets on the coin.
8. Write your chosen factor or variable on your answer sheet.

YOU WILL NEED THIS CHOSEN VARIABLE IN YOUR ACTIVITY 2.

What I Have Learned

A. Directions: Write a HYPOTHESIS of the following research questions and identify the
dependent and independent variable on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What effect does high temperature have on radish germination?

HYPOTHESIS:_______________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE:______________________
DEPENDENT VARIABLE: _______________________

2. What effect does light have on plant growth?

HYPOTHESIS:_______________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: _____________________
DEPENDENT VARIABLE: _______________________

B. Directions: Write a scientific QUESTION of the following hypotheses and identify the
dependent and independent variable on a separate sheet of paper.

3. If acid rain is in water, then fish population will increase.

____________________________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: ______________________
DEPENDENT VARIABLE: ________________________

4. If calcium is given then bone strength will increase.

____________________________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: ______________________
DEPENDENT VARIABLE: ________________________

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 What I Can Do

Activity 2
IS IT TRUE?

Objective: State hypothesis clearly and correctly.

Materials: Results from Activty 1-HOW MANY DROPS?

Procedure:
1. Perform the activity and write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
2. Copy your chosen factor or variable from Activity 1 (HOW MANY DROPS?)
3. Make 3 observations supporting that your chosen factor has something to do with the
number of water droplets a coin can hold.
4. From your variable, make a statement in the form of a hypothesis that your chosen factor
has an effect on the number of water droplets a certain type of coin can hold.
HYPOTHESIS: _____________________________________________________________

YOU WILL COPY THIS HYPOTHESIS IN YOUR ACTIVITY 3.

Lesson Planning the Investigation

2 and Experimentation

What’s In

After identifying and formulating the problem, you have to think carefully about
the plan of the research that would test your hypothesis. In this process, you
should consider the options you have about different ways in which the research
topic can be investigated, that is a research design.
You should try to choose a design that will give most definitive answers about
the research topic. But you have to weigh this against the possibility of doing the study.
You have to consider, among other things, your own capabilities, the availability of
material or subjects for the research, and the availability of resources.
After deciding on a research design that is appropriate
to deal with the research topic and that is achievable, you have to look
again at the broad research topic, define and refine it.
For many studies, this will involve generating a research hypothesis
that can be tested through experimentation.

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 Experimentation is the step in the scientific method that helps people decide
between two or more competing explanations – or hypotheses. These hypotheses
suggest reasons to explain a phenomenon, or predict the results of an actio.

What’s New

STEP 4 – TEST YOUR HYPOTHESIS BY DOING AN EXPERIMENT

Your experiment tests whether your prediction is accurate and thus your hypothesis is
supported or not. It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. You conduct a fair test
by making sure that you change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions
the same.
You should also repeat your experiments several times to make sure that the first
results weren’t just an accident.

Directions: Read the experimental scenario below and select the part that describes testing
the hypothesis. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Peter worked for a laundry service that washed tablecloths for restaurants. Peter’s
manager wanted to know if they were using more bleach than was needed to remove
stains from the tablecloths. Peter usually washed each load of tablecloths with one cup
of bleach. He thought that he could reduce the amount of bleach, but he expected that
decreasing it by more than 25 percent would make the bleach less effective. So, he
counted the tablecloths with stains left after washing five loads of tablecloths with one
cup of bleach, five loads with ¾ of a cup of bleach, and five loads with ½ of a cup of
bleach. Then, he checked the percentage of tablecloths in each group that had stains
left to see if loads with less bleach had fewer stains removed.

2. Ms. Novy explained to her science class that objects fall at the same speed even if
they have different masses. The class wanted to explore that idea by dropping objects
with different masses. The students dropped seven balls, apples scarves, and pieces of
paper out of their classroom window and recorded how long it took each object to reach
the ground. The students found that the balls and apples plunged to the ground at
similar speeds, but the scarves and paper got caught in the wind and drifted to the
ground at slower speeds. The students concluded that objects of different masses don’t
always fall at the same speed. They thought that shape affects how quickly an object
falls, and that objects of the same shape will fall to the ground at the same speed even if
they have different masses.

3. Camille was playing an apple bobbing game at a party. During the game, she began
to wonder if a fruit’s size is related to whether it floats or sinks. She speculated that
smaller fruits would float but larger fruits would sink. So, Camille gathered five limes, five
mangoes and five pumpkins, placed the fruits in the large tub of water, and recorded
whether they floated or sank after five minutes. She found that the mangoes sank, while
the limes and pumpkins floated. Since both the smallest and the largest fruits floated,
she deduced that size alone does not determine if fruit floats. But, since the pumpkins
weighed more than the mangoes, Camille also didn’t think that heavier fruits would
always sink. Camille told her friend about her observations. Her friend suggested that
density might determine if fruits floated, so more dense fruits would sink, and less dense
fruits would float.
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 What is It

A hypothesis is a possible explanation. To decide if there is support for the explanation, you
need to test the hypothesis. There are different ways that you can test your hypothesis: you can make a
series of observations, or you can design and carry out an experiment. Sometimes, you can use multiple
methods to test the same hypothesis. The method or methods that you use depend on your initial
question and on your hypothesis.

HOW ARE HYPOTHESES TESTED?

When possible, scientists test their hypotheses using controlled experiments. A
controlled experiment is a scientific test done under controlled conditions, meaning that
just one (or a few) factors are changed at a time, while all others are kept constant. We’ll
look closely at controlled experiments in the next section.
In some cases, there is no good way to test a hypothesis using a controlled
experiment (for practical or ethical reasons). In that case, a scientist may test a hypothesis
by making predictions about patterns that should be seen in nature if the hypothesis is
correct. Then, she or he can collect data to see if the pattern is actually there.

CONTROLLED EXPERIMENTS
What are the key ingredients of a controlled experiment? To illustrate, let’s consider a
simple (even silly) example.
Suppose I decide to grow bean sprouts in my kitchen, near the window. I put bean
seeds in a pot with soil, set them on the windowsill, and wait for them to sprout. However,
after several weeks, I have no sprouts. Why not? Well… It turns out I forgot to water the
seeds. So, I hypothesize that they didn’t sprout due to lack of water.
To test my hypothesis, I do a controlled experiment. In this experiment. I set up two
identical pots. Both contain ten bean seeds planted in the same type of soil, and both are
placed in the same window. In fact, there is only one thing that I do differently to the two
pots:
1. One Pot of seeds get watered every afternoon.
2. The other pot of seeds doesn’t get any water at all.
After a week, nine out of ten seeds in the watered pot have sprouted, while none of
the seeds in the dry pot have sprouted. It looks like the “seeds need water” hypothesis is
probably correct!

Let’s see how this simple example illustrates the parts of a controlled experiment.dfgn

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 CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS
There are two groups in the experiment, and they are identical except that one
receives a treatment (water) while the other does not. The group that receives the treatment
in an experiment ( here, the watered pot) is called the experimental group, while the group
that does not receive the treatment (here, the dry pot) is called control group. The control
provides a baseline that lets us see if the treament has an effect.

INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES

The factor that is different between the control and experimental groups (in this case,
the amount of water) is known as the independent variable. This variable is independent
because it does not depend on what happens in the experiment. Instead, it is something that
the experimenter applies or chooses him/herself.
In contrast, the dependent variable in an experiment is the response that’s
measured to see if the treatment had an effect. In this case, the fraction of bean seeds that
sprouted is the dependent variable. The dependent variable (fraction of seeds sprouting)
depends on the independent variable (the amount of water), and not vice versa.
Experimental data (singular: datum) are observations made during the experiment. In
this case, the data we collected were the number of bean sprouts in each pot after a week.

VARIABILITY AND REPETITION

Out of the ten watered bean seeds, only nine came up. What happened to the tenth
seed? That seed may have been dead, unhealthy, or just slow to sprout. Especially in
biology (which studies complex, living things), there is often variation the material used for an
experiment – here, the bean seeds – that the experimenter cannot see.
Because of this poptential for variation, biology experiments need to have a large
sample size and ideally, be repeated several times. Sample size refers to the number of
individual items tested in an experiment – in this case, 10 bean seeds per group. Having
more samples and repeating the experiment more times makes it less likely that we will
reach a wrong conclusion because of random variation.
Biologists and other scientists also use statistical tests to help them distinguish real
differences from differences due to random variation (e.g., when comparing experimental
and control groups).

NOTE: Not all scientific studies are experimental. You need not introduce
variables and controls. Such studies merely require observation, monitoring,
data gathering, and recording behavior or trends. Water chemists and ecologists
regularly monitor the changes in water quality of a body of water. Myrmecologist
study the behavior and life cycle of ants without necessarily having a control.

What’s More

Activity 3
IF IT’S TRUE?

Objectives: 1. Design an activity to test hypothesis; and

2. Control experimental factors or variables.

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Materials: Results from Activity 2 ( IS IT TRUE?)

Procedure:
1. Perform the activity and write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
2. Copy your hypothesis from Activity 2 (IS IT TRUE?).
3. Make a design or an activity to prove your hypothesis. Follow the format in the next page.
a. Problem or Objective-State the problem or objective of the activity based upon your
hypothesis.
b. Materials-Enumerate the materials that you are going to use in this activity.
c. Procedure
➢ Enumerate the steps that you are going to do in order to test your hypothesis
➢ Determine the control and experimental variables in your setup
➢ Make sure that in testing your hypothesis, you do not make changes in your
control variable, but the experimental variables may be changed or altered
d. Results and Observations-Tabulate your results for easier interpretation
e. Conclusion-Arrive at a conclusion as to whether your hypothesis will be accepted or not
based upon the results of this activity

Problem/Question:

Hypothesis:

Experiment:

Materials:

Procedures:

Results and Observations:

Conclusion:

What I Have Learned

Directions: Complete each sentence by supplying word or group of words found in the box.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

controlled experiment dependent control group

experimental group independent

1. A ____________________ is a scientific test that is directly manipulated by a

scientist, in order to test a single variable at a time.
2. The group that receives the treatment in an experiment is called the
____________________________, while the group that does not receive the
treatment is called __________________________.

16
 3. The __________________is the factor or condition that is measured in an
experiment, while the ______________________ is the variable the experimenter
changes or controls and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent
variable.

What I Can Do

Directions: Read the experimental scenario and use the listed words in the box to complete
the sentence. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

EXPERIMENT SCENARIO: You learned from school that darker colors absorb more light
energy than lighter colors. Thus, dark-colored objects become hotter when exposed to
sunlight. To prove this, you want to determine if the temperature of a dark-colored soda drink
will be higher than that of a light-colored soda drink. You expose both glasses under the sun
for 30 minutes and measure the temperature of each liquid using a thermometer. You
observe that the temperature of the dark-colored soda drink is higher than that of the light-
colored drink. You repeat the same experiments but this time in a dark room. You observe
that the temperatures of the liquids are the same.

control setup experimental setup constant

dependent independent
1. The _______________ is the soda drinks exposed in a dark room.
2. The _______________ variable is the temperature of the soda drinks.
3. The ______________________ is the soda drinks exposed to sunlight.
4. The _______________variables are the sunlight and color of the soda drink.
5. The ___________ factors are the volume of soda drink, size and kind of glass, and time of
taking the temperature.

Data Analysis and

Lesson
3 Drawing Conclusion

What’s New

STEP 5 – ANALYZE YOUR DATA AND DRAW A CONCLUSION

Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them
to see if they have support your hypothesis or not.
Scientists often find their predictions were not accurate and their hypothesis was not
supported, and in such cases they will communicate the results of their experiment and then
go back and construct a new hypothesis and prediction based on the information they

17
learned during their experiment. This starts much of the process of the scientific method over
again. Even if they find that their hypothesis was supported, they may want to test it again in
a new way.

A. Directions: Read the experimental scenario below and select the part that describes
analyze the data. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The members of Cebu City Environmental Club read an article about the acidity of
water in lakes and streams. The authors of the article found that streams are often less
acidic than lakes. Cebu City had several streams and lakes, and the club members were
curious if the acidity of their streams differed from the acidity of their lakes. So, the
members measured the acidity of water samples collected from all the streams and
lakes in the city. The members then made a graph to compare the acidity of the lakes to
that of streams, and they found that the streams were less acidic on average. The
members published a description of their study and the graph in the city’s bulletin. They
decide they would repeat the measurements every year to see if water acidity changed
over time.

B. Directions: Read the experimental scenario below and select the part that describes
drawing a conclusion. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
2. Julia’s dog, Beauty, loved to play fetch. When Julia threw balls for Beauty, she
noticed that different types of balls traveled different distances. Julia wanted to know if
the distance a ball traveled was related to its mass. She predicted that lighter balls
would travel farther. So, Julia bought seven rubber balls that were the same sizes but
had different masses. She used a ball launcher to launch each ball three times, using
the same force with all the balls, and then she examined her results. She deduced that
there was a relationship between ball mass and distance traveled: the lighter a ball was,
the farther it traveled. She shared a description of her tests and a graph of her results
with her friends at the dog park.

STEP 6 – COMMUNICATE YOUR RESULTS

Once the data have been obtained and analyzed and the conclusion has been drawn,
the next step is to share the results. This stage is important in perpetuating the body of
knowledge gained in conducting the scientific method.

C. Directions: Read the experimental scenario below and select the part that describes
communicating the findings. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

3. Inayawan’s Sanitary landfill was almost full. To cut down on garbage, the city council
decided to give residents compost bins for their food scraps. That way, the composted
food would decompose, or break down into soil, and there would be less garbage going
What is It
to the landfill. One city council member, Jerry, knew that worms help decomposition, so
he thought the food would decompose faster if they added worms to the bins. He set up
twenty different compost bins, half with worms and half without, and then measured the
percentage of food left in each bin after one month. Councilor Jerry found that the bins
with worms had less undecomposed food left, so he concluded that worms helped
decompose the food scraps faster. He informed the other city council members of the
results and conclusions. The city council decided to give out worms with the compost
bins.

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 What is It

Take some time to carefully review all of data you have collected from your
experiment. Try to look at the results of your experiment with a critical eye. Ask yourself
these questions:
➢ Is it complete, or did you forget something?
➢ Do you need to collect more data?
➢ Did you make any mistakes?
Calculate an average for the different trials of your experiment, if appropriate.
Make sure to clearly label all tables and graphs. And, include the units of
measurements (volts, inches, grams, etc.).
Place your independent variable on the x-axis of your graph and the dependent
variable on the y-axis.

WRITING EXPERIMENT CONCLUSIONS

Since you’ve been following the scientific method throughout your investigation, you
want to write an organized conclusion that summarizes your experimental findings in a clear
and complete way. You write the conclusion after you finish the experiment and graph the
data.
The conclusion gives a snapshot of what you accomplished so it can contains
summary information about the experiment as well as the conclusions. Here are the
important points that a well-written conclusions includes:
1. Restatement of the hypothesis. This sentence reminds your audience what you set
out to accomplish.
2. Short summary of the experiment. The summary includes just one or two sentences
that explain how the experiment was conducted.
3. What the data shows. State what the data showed in one or two sentences.
4. Your conclusion. Clearly state how the data supports or doesn’t support the
hypothesis. Be accurate; an experiment that does not support its hypothesis is just as
valuable as one that does.
5. Changes to the experiment. Write a sentence that indicates how the experiment
could improved.
6. What’s next? Give an idea of what question you’d like to explore next on this topic.
This idea is related to the experiment you just did.

EXAMPLE CONCLUSION:
My hypothesis was that coleus plants that were given fertilizer would grow taller than
plants without fertilizer. I used two sets of coleus plants kept under the same conditions
except for the amount of fertilizer. The coleus plants given one teaspoon of 10-10-10 fertilizer
grew on average 2 ½ inches taller than plants without fertilizer. If I were to conduct this
experiment again I would add another group of plants and give them 2 teaspoons of fertilizer
to see if these plants would grow even taller. Because of the results of this experiment, I
wonder if adding fertilizer would cause plants to produce more flowers as well as grow taller.

REPORTING OF FINDINGS
To complete your investigation, you will communicate your results to others in a final
report. Professional scientists do almost exactly the same thing by publishing their final
report in a scientific journal or by presenting their results on a poster or during a talk at a
scientific meeting. In a science fair, judges are interested in your findings regardless of
whether or not they support your original hypothesis.

19
 What’s More

Activity 4
THEREFORE…

Objective: State generalization or conclusion correctly based upon one’s

hypothesis.
Materials: Results from Activity 3 ( IF ITS TRUE?)

Procedure:
1. Perform the activity and write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
2. Copy your tested hypothesis and determine whether it is Acceptable or Not Acceptable.

3. Based on your answer in Question Number 2, state your generalization.

GENERALIZATION: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

A generalization should be expressed in the form of quantitative relationship between

the variables involved.

4. Answer the following guide questions.

Guide Questions:
a. Does your generalization answer your hypothesis?_________
b. If your answer is NO, refer to your previous activity’s answers and check the way you
stated your generalization.
c. If your answer is YES, is it supported by your data?_________
d. How do you restate your generalization if it is not supported by your data?

Examples of some generalizations expressed in quantitative relationships:

1. The thinner the paper, the more water it can absorb.
2. The higher the distance from the ground an object is, the faster is its rate of fall.
3. The finer the wire mesh is the rougher the piece of paper produced.

5. Restate your generalization.

GENERALIZATION: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned

Directions: Read the results of an experiment and use the listed words in the box to
complete the sentence. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS: According to my experiments, the Evergizer maintained its

voltage for approximately a three percent longer period of time than Evercell in a low current
drain device. For a medium drain device, the Evergizer maintained its voltage for
approximately 10 percent longer than Evercell. For a high drain device, the Evergizer
maintained its voltage for approximately 29 percent longer than Evercell. Basically, the
Evergizer performs with increasing superiority, the higher the current drain of the device.

The heavy-duty non-alkaline batteries do not maintain their voltage as long as either alkaline
battery at any level of current drain.

correct Evercell battery Evergizer battery further hypothesis

support

CONCLUSION:

1. My________________ was that Evergizer would last the longest in all the devices
tested. My results did/did not ____________________my hypothesis.
2. My hypothesis was ________________, for my results prove that heavy-duty alkaline
batteries do not maintain their voltage as long as either alkaline battery at any level of
current drain.
3. The dependent variable, _____________________, maintained its voltage for
approximately a three percent longer period of time (the independent variable) than
____________________.
4. To ______________________ my study, I might involve testing batteries at different
temperatures to simulate actual usage in very cold or very hot conditions.

What I Can Do

Here you shall be engaged in uderstanding scientific knowledge which includes the
processing and making meanings out of the information. You need to reflect, revisit, revise
and rethink your ideas; express you understandings and engage in meaningful self-
evaluation; and undergo in-depth exploration of scientific methods using multiple sources of
information and various modalities of manifestations of learning.

1. Write an essay on how scientific methods helped you in solving a particular

problem that you encountered in your life.

2. What would you like to be in the future? How would your understanding of
scientific methods help you in your future career?

21
 3. Name three basic problems in your locality. Think of possible solutions to these
problems applying your knowledge in scientific method.

Problems of Procedures in Solving the Problem

Locality
1.

2.

3.

Post Assessment

Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is NOT a step in the scientific method?

A. Asking a question C. Draw conclusions
B. Consulting a literature D. Formulating hypothesis
2. Which of the steps in the scientific method would a scientist use for seeing, hearing,
feeling, smelling, and tasting?
A. conclusion C. generalization
B. experiment D. hypothesis
3. Which question would be the BEST high level scientific question?
A. How many giraffes live in Africa?
B. Who made the first microscope?
C. How long ago did dinosaurs live on the Earth?
D. Does the amount of salt in water affect the temperature at which it boils?
4. A scientist hypothesizes that the temperature at which a chicken egg is incubated will
determine whether the chicken will be male or female. What is the independent variable?
A. gender of chicken C. male chicken
B. incubator D. temperature
5. Which of the following is the BEST example of a hypothesis?
A. Do hamsters live longer than birds?
B. I think dogs make better pets for everyone.
C. Cars and trucks usually use the same amount of gasoline.
D. Brand B lightbulb will burn longer in a lamp than Brand X lightbulb.

22
6. Which of the following is the correct order of steps in the scientific method?
A. Developing a research question, forming a hypothesis, gathering evidence, drawing
conclusions
B. Forming a hypothesis, developing a research question, gathering evidence, drawing
conclusions
C. Formulating a theory, developing a research question, gathering evidence, drawing
conclusions
D. Gathering evidence, developing a research question, forming a hypothesis, drawing
conclusions

For items 7-8, A biology student wanted to study the effect of fertilizer on the growth of
pepper plants. He placed four of the same type of pepper plants into separate
containers, each containing the same amount of soil. Each pot received a
different watering solution, containing varying amounts of fertilizer.

The table below shows the average height of the plants by the end of one week.
Plant Group Fertilizer amount (g) Avg height of plants (cm)
1 0 3.0
2 5 3.2
3 10 4.4
4 20 5.0

7. Which of the plant groups is the control group?

A. Plant Group 1 C. Plant Group 3
B. Plant Group 2 D. Plant Group 4
8. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?
A. amount of soil C. type of tomato plant
B. amount of fertilizer D. height of the plants
9. A scientist who wants to study the effects of fertilizer on plants sets up an experiment.
Plant A gets no fertilizer, Plant B gets 10 mg. of fertilizer each day, and Plant C gets
20 mg. of fertilizer each day. Which plant is the control group? A
A. Plant A C. Plant C
B. Plant B D. All of the above
10. How do you make a conclusion?
A. You will guess what the results should be.
B. You look at your hypotheses and choose which one you like best.
C. You keep making different tests until they show what you want to see.
D. You compare the data from your experimental results to the prediction they tested.

For item 11, refer to the situation below:

A scientist claims that he has protected animal test subjects from a newly mutated
virus using an experimental vaccine. The experimental vaccine was injected into five animal
test subjects. The scientist also injected a placebo vaccine into five other animal test
subjects. One month later, all of the test subjects were exposed to the mutated virus. The
subjects that received the vaccination showed no sign of the disease and blood tests
confirmed the presence of antibodies against the disease, but the subjects given the
placebo developed symptoms of this condition.

11. Why did one group have a placebo injected before being exposed to the virus?
A. They were part of the control group.
B. They were part of the experimental group.
C. They would be protected from the disease.
D. They would exposed to a weakened form of the virus

23
For items 12-15: Experiment Scenario: A Biology student wants to conduct a study of how
the amount of sunlight affects the length of sleep for mice. She sets up
four cages with a mouse in each cage.

Mouse 1 Mouse 2 Mouse 3 Mouse 4

Size of cage 30 cm x 30 cm 30 cm x 30 cm 30 cm x 30 cm 30 cm x 30 cm

Amount of 50 mL 50 mL 50 mL 50 mL
Water per
Day

Amount of 1 serving per 1 serving per 1 serving per 1 serving per

Food per day, 25 grams day, 25 grams day, 25 grams day, 25 grams
Day

Temperature 20 0 C 20 0 C 20 0 C 20 0 C
in cage

Amount of 12 hours 8 hours 15 hours 18 hours

Sunlight per
Day

Exercise Yes Yes Yes Yes

wheel?

12. What are the constants (variable that stay the same-also called controlled variables)?

I. temperature
II. exercise wheel
III. size of the cage
IV. amount of water/food

A. I C. I, II & III
B. I & II D. I, II, III & IV
13. What is the independent variable?
A. length of sleep C. size of the cage
B. exercise wheel D. amount of sunlight
14. What is the dependent variable?
A. length of sleep C. size of the cage
B. exercise wheel D. amount of sunlight
15. What data do you need to collect during this experiment? Length of time that each
mouse___________.
A. sleeps C. exposes to sunlight
B. wakes up D. plays in the exercise wheel

24
 25
What’s More- Activity 3 (IF IT’S TRUE?)
2. The bigger the size of the coin is, the more number of water drops it can hold.
(ANSWERS TO THIS ACTIVITY MAY VARY)
Lesson 2
What’s New
1. So, he counted the tablecloths with stains left after washing five loads of
tablecloths with one cup of bleach, five loads with ¾ of a cup of bleach, and five
loads with ½ of a cup of bleach.
2. The students dropped seven balls, apples scarves, and pieces of paper out of their
classroom window and recorded how long it took each object to reach the ground.
3. So, Camille gathered five limes, five mangoes and five pumpkins, placed the fruits
in the large tub of water, and recorded whether they floated or sank after five
minutes.
What I Can Do-Activity 2 (IS IT TRUE?) What I Have Learned
2. Size of the coin 1.If temperature is increased, then radish
3.- If the coin is small, there is less amount of germination will increase.
water drops it can hold. IV-high tempearature
-If the coin is big, there is more amount of DV-radish germination
water drops it can hold. 2.If plants receive more light, then they will grow
-Bigger sized coins can hold more water taller.
drops than small sized coins. IV-light
4. The bigger the size of the coin is, the more DV-plant growth
number of water drops it can hold.(ANSWER 3.Does acid rain in water affect the water population?
TO THIS QUESTION VARIES) IV-acid rain in water
DV-fish population
4. Does intake of calcium affect bone strength?
What’s More-Activity 1 (HOW MANY DROPS? IV-calcium intake
DV-bone strength
Guide Questions:
a. No previous knowledge or experience Lesson 1
on the activity. What’s New
Pure guessing is resorted to. 1. B 2. B 3. A
Less capability to estimate or calculate. What’s More-Activity 1 (HOW MANY DROPS?)
b. NO (ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE TABLE MAY VARY)
c. Size or type of coin
Type of surface of the coin used. (Head Number of Water Drops
or Tail)
Amount of pressure exerted on the Type of Prediction Actual
dropper. Coin
Distance between the dropper and the .25-centavo 15 23
coin. coin
Size of the opening of the dropper. 1.00-peso 25 34
d. Variables coin
5.00-peso 32 43
coin
Answer Key
 26
What’s More-Acivity 5 (THEREFORE…)
2. The bigger the size of the coin is, the more number of water drops it can hold.-
ACCEPTABLE (ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION MAY ALSO BE-Not Acceptable)
3.Therefore I conclude that, bigger sized coins can hold more water drops than
smaller sized coins.
(THE GENERALIZATION MAY BE STATED IN OTHER WAYS AS LONG AS THE
MEANING IS THE SAME.)
Guide Questions:
a. YES c. YES
(ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS VARY)
5. (THE ANSWER TO THIS IS THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PREVIOUS
GENERALIZATION)
Lesson 3
What’s New
1. The members then made a graph to compare the acidity of the lakes to that of
streams, and they found that the streams were less acidic on average.
2. She deduced that there was a relationship between ball mass and distance traveled:
the lighter a ball was, the farther it traveled.
3. He informed the other city council members of the results and conclusions.
What I Can Do
1. control setup 2. dependent 3. experimental setup 4. Independent 5. constant
Lesson 2
What I Have Learned
1. controlled experiment 2. experimental group, control group
3. dependent, independent
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