<p>CLASS SET</p><p>Mystery Boxes & the Scientific Method</p><p>Distributed throughout the room are a number of mystery boxes. Our task is to use the scientific method to determine (or at least gather information about) the contents of each box. As of today, we do not have the technology to open the boxes, but perhaps someday we will.</p><p>1. The Scientific Method: Before you begin, write the steps of the scientific method below, as determined by our class discussion. ______</p><p>2. Problem or Purpose: ______</p><p>3. Hypothesis with explanation: I will be able to determine what is in each box by______</p><p>4. The Experiment: Procedure: Write out the procedure that you will use to determine the contents of the boxes. ______</p><p>5. Data: Record your data in the space below. Do not draw conclusions about the contents of each box, just present your data. BOX # OBSERVATIONS</p><p>CyWoods Biology, Fall 2011 1 6. Conclusion: Present your conclusions in the table below. Note, this is different than your data in the sense that here you are drawing inferences based on that data. You may not know exactly what each item is, but you should have some ideas about the shape, size, weight, etc. BOX # Conclusion</p><p>7. In the space below, discuss your conclusions in brief written form. What do you think is in each box and why?</p><p>8. How do you think this models what happens during a scientific investigation?</p><p>9. Analysis: A good scientist always evaluates his/her experiment. Did your procedure do what it was supposed to do? What would you do differently if you were to do this experiment again?</p><p>CyWoods Biology, Fall 2011 2</p>