Scientific Method

name         Austin
status       student
age          9
      
Question -   Can you give me some example situations for the scientific
method.  I am having trouble.

Think of science as the "common sense way of solving problems".  Then think
about a problem and how you would figure out its solution.  

an example
observation: grass is brown
looking for cause
list reasons - drought, etc.
experiment - leave some grass alone as a scientific control, water another
experimental or test patch
results - see what happens
repeat experiment

Anthony R. Brach, Ph.D.
====================================================================

Hi dear Austin! Your question is a very interesting and
important one...Let me try to tell you what "scientific
method" is...
Of course any method that uses and profits of science
is "scientific". Science or modern science is based on
observation and   sistematic experimentation, with the
objective of knowing facts or solving problems.
Hard to understand? OK... try to figure this example:
your teacher asked the class to study germination.
The class can do that by different ways: maybe one student is
lazy or want to have fast results, so he just throw 
some seeds anywhere, water them once in a while, do'nt
check the growing everyday, but anyway some day  he gets
some nice plants of some seeds...
Other student, chooses carefully his seeds and places to 
plant them: some in a very good soil with plenty of
sun, some over the rocks, other ones inside the house,
and so on...To all of them he gives the same treatment:
same amount of water, always at the same time of the day,
same nutrients, etc. He observes the growing everyday at the
same hour...he takes notes carefully on his note book of
everything he observes. Some day he will also get nice 
plants of some seeds.
Which student will be able to determine the best conditions
for growing that kind of vegetal? Which one used a
"scientific method"?
I hope that clarified your doubt...try to think of
different examples...maybe you can write back telling
about them...

Thanks for asking NEWTON!
Mabel
(Dr) Mabel Rodrigues 
====================================================================