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The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

The Scientific Method is a process that scientists follow to explore and explain natural phenomena. This process has some steps that you can see in the image.

The Scientific MethodThe scientific method. Yolanda Varela.(CC-BY-NC-SA)

1. Now look at the words and learn how to pronounce them.
1. Question
2. Research
3. Hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. Analysis
6. Share results
2. Complete the words with the missing vowels.
Q S T N
R S R C H
H Y P T H S S
X P R M N T
N L Y S S
S H R - R S L T S

Did you find the right vowels?

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Activity 3

   Misión biolóxica

Misión Biolóxica, Vanessa Fariña. (CC0)

3. Listen and write the words you hear.

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Activity 4

4. Here you have the definitions of the words in the previous exercises. Mark with an X the definition you hear.

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Activity 5

5. Listen to the definitions and complete with the right word.
1. The problem or matter you want to or solve.
2. Looking for referring to your question to help in your investigation.
3. It is the possible for the proposed question. It will be tested with the experiment.
4. Actions you take to your hypothesis.
5. Close study of the results of the experiment to check if they the hypothesis or not.
6. Writing a report to show others what has happened during the experiment and the you have drawn.

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Extra Activities


The Scientific Method can be applied to different aspects of life. Click on the image on the right and read the example about the light bulb.

After reading that, can you think of any other situations in which you have used the Scientific Method?

The Scientific MethodThe Scientific method in everyday life. Yolanda Varela. (CC-BY-NC-SA)

CSIC and Rosa Menéndez López

CSIC intitutional video. CSIC divulga. YouTube. (You Tube Standard Licence)

CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas.

The Spanish National Research Council is an institution dedicated to foster, coordinate develop and promote scientific and technological research to improve knowledge and economic, social and cultural development.

Since 1907 Spain has had different organizations to favour scientific research. In 1977 democracy brought about some changes: its functions were clearly defined, new relationships with universities were started and the institution became completely independent from the State government.

 

Rosa Menéndez López

Rosa Menéndez is the President of the Spanish National Research Council. She studied Chemistry in Oviedo where she also obtained a PhD in Chemistry. She has been a researcher at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College (UK), the Geology Department, Souther Illinois University, Carbondale (USA) and the School of Environmental and Mining Engineering, Nottingham (UK).

Through her professional career she has been the President of the European Carbon Association and President of the Spanish Carbon Group.

Now she is also Vice-President of Science Europe and she is examining the graphene prospects for biomedicine and energy storage.

Rosa Menendez   Rosa Menéndez López. CSIC. CSIC. © con permiso.

1. Read the texts and decide if the sentences are True (T) or False (F).

Teamwork

2. In groups of three, find out the answer for the following questions. At the end of the activity all members in the group should be able to answer the questions.

a. The Spanish National Research Council deals with biological research.
b. Spain has had organizations to promote scientific research since the beginning of the 20th century.
a. Why was 1977 important for the Spanish National Research Council?
c. Rosa Menéndez studied Physics.
b. Who is Rosa Menéndez López?
d. She was a researcher only in Europe.
c. What is a PhD?

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EXTRA ACTIVITY

Watch the interview Rosa Menéndez López gave to Maria Jose García. TeamworkAfter watching the video, discuss in groups of three if the following statements are true (T) of false (F) and explain why you consider they are true or false.
Roma Menéndez. RTVE.es. © con permiso.
1. Rosa Menéndez thinks that talking about Marie Curie is the most important thing to promote women scientists.

2. She had many doubts whether to accept the post of President of the Spanish National Research Council.

3. She has always been treated the same as other scientists.
4. She considers that women in science should be made visible.
5. She considers that the best scientists should get the best posts regardless of their sex.
6. The Spanish National Research Council is promoting science among young students.

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PROJECTS

PROJECT 1:  DESIGNING

1a. Create a poster with the six steps of the Scientific Method we have learnt in this unit.
You can use these web pages canva, adobe spark or piktochart or cardboard, markers, scissors, glue, etc.

1b. Design a scientific method worksheet so that students performing activity 3 may work with it. Use the web pages indicated above or Libre Office Impress.

PROJECT 2: WIDENING KNOWLEDGE

2. There are other elements in the scientific method: controlled variable, independent variable, null hypothesis, controlled experiment, simple experiments. Find information in the Net about these concepts and prepare a slideshow for the rest of students.
Use Adobe Spark or Libre Office Impress.

PROJECT 3: EXPERIMENTING

3. Your teacher will help you choose an easy experiment to perform. You will follow the steps in the scientific method and write it down on the worksheets prepared by the first group students. Then you will explain all the process to the rest of students.