SCIENCE

GRADE
7
Module 2 – SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Dear learners,

The significance of science to our lives cannot be overemphasized. In a world that is growing

increasingly dependent on the development of science and technology, scientific literacy has

become an important goal for all. As a learner, you play a very significant role that will enable to

meet the challenges in this fast changing world.

This module is intended to help you become more confident in presenting science lessons in

more meaningful ways.

Each lesson in this module usually has the following parts: Introduction, Objectives, Text,

Learning Task or Activity, and Self-Check Questions.

You will learn best from this module if you do the following:

1. Take the pretest before going through the module;

2. Do all the exercises and activities;

3. Try out the suggested strategies;

4. Keep the products of the activities you do as part of your portfolio; and

5. Take the posttest after you have finished all the lessons.

It is hoped that through this module, you will be as pleasant and fulfilling as possible in learning

science.

I wish you the best of luck!

Science Teacher ATM

 SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Biologists study the living world by posing questions about it and seeking science-based
responses. This approach is common to other sciences. It is often referred to as the scientific
method. The scientific method was used even in ancient times, but it was first documented by
England’s Sir Francis Bacon (1561–1626), who set up inductive methods for scientific inquiry.
The scientific method can be applied to almost all fields of study as a logical, rational, problem-
solving method.

The scientific method is a procedure that consists a series of steps in problem-solving and
information-gathering. It begins with the recognition of a problem and a clear elaboration or
description of the problem itself. A process of experimentation and data collection then follows.
The final steps include the formulation and testing of a hypothesis or potential solution and
conclusion. For people unaccustomed to using the scientific method, the process may seem
abstract and difficult. With a little consideration and observation, all problems encountered in
daily life may need the scientific method.
 Try This!
Pretest

Direction: Answer the following questions

1. It is an educated guess.
a. hypothesis c. conclusion
b. problem d. variable
2. A series of steps used by scientists to solve a problem or answer a question.
a. scientific method c. data collection
b. recipe d. metric system
3. Type of data which refer to information that is not in numerical form.
a. fair test c. personal data
b. qualitative data d. quantitative data
4. The summary at the end of an experiment that explains the results.
a. conclusion c. materials
b. procedures d. responding variable
5. The name of the information that you get from your experiment (you organize it into
charts and graphs).
a. observation/conclusion c. variables
b. data d. hypothesis
6. An experiment is performed on plants to see how different liquids affect plant growth.
Each plant in the experiment is given a different liquid; water, apple juice, or milk. Each plant
has the same amount of soil, sunlight, and listens to the same music. In this investigation, the
independent variable is ...
a. The type of plant c. type of music
b. The amount of sunlight d. type of liquid
7. It is anything that has mass and occupies
space. a.molecule c.
compound
b. atom d. matter
 8. Substance that is made up of two or more elements chemically combined in fixed
proportions by mass.
a. mixture c. compound
b. atom d. matter
9. Matter with definite or fixed composition and distinct properties.
a. solution c. compound
b. substance d. colloid
10. Type of homogeneous mixture of solid particles dissolved in liquid.
a. solution c. compound
b. substance d. colloid
11. A characteristic that can be observed or measured without changing the identity or
composition of the material.
a. Physical property c. Intrinsic property
b. Chemical property d. Extrinsic property
12. It is usually shiny and has a certain luster.
a. non-metal c. metal
b. metalloid d. colloid
13. Refers to the mass of solute dissolved in 100 grams solution.
a. Percent by weight c. Percent by mass/volume
b. Percent by volume d. Percent by mass
14. Refers to the number of millilitres of solute .
a. Percent by weight c. Percent by mass/volume
b. Percent by volume d. Percent by mass
15. Refers to the mass of solute dissolved in millilitres solution.
a. Percent by weight c. Percent by mass/volume
b. Percent by volume d. Percent by mass
16. Measure of acidity or basicity of a solution.
a. pH scale c. basicity scale
b. acidity scale d. weighing scale
17. Two liquids that completely mix in each other are said to be .
a. immiscible c. miscible
b. diffused d. invisible
18. The solubility of one substance is affected by the following, except one:
a. nature of solute and solventc. temperature
b. color d. pressure
19. Which of the following is not acidic?
a. urine c. saliva
b. blood d. gastric juices
20. Which of the following is not basic?
a. milk c. soap
b. detergent d. shampoo

THINK AND DO!

Lesson 1

STEPS IN SCIENTIFIC
METHOD

SCIENTIFIC METHOD is a sequence of steps

followed by scientists to differentiate fact from
myth and superstition, or to validate or refute
speculation.

It is a systematic and orderly approach to

gathering data and solving problems that involve
the following steps:
 1. Observe – observing the surroundings to identify scientific problems.

2. Hypothesis – formulating an educated guess to explain the scientific problems and

the factors that affect it.
● Null hypothesis – written in a negative form
● Alternative hypothesis – written in an affirmative form.

3. Test – planning and performing experiments to test the hypothesis

4. Analyze – organizing, analyzing, and interpreting results

obtained from experiments.
5. Conclusion – coming up with conclusion based from the
interpretation of the
data

#1: Freezing Water

1. Define Purpose: I want to know if water freezes faster on its own or with sugar added to it.

2. Construct Hypothesis: The null hypothesis is that there will be no difference in how long it

takes the water to freeze, whether or not it has sugar added to it. The alternative hypothesis is that

there will be a statistically significant difference in freezing time between the two scenarios.
3. Test Hypothesis and Collect Data: Fill two identical containers with the same amount of room

temperature water. Add a measured amount of sugar to one of the containers. Place the two

containers into the freezer. At regular intervals of 15 minutes, open the freezer and observe the

status of the water in each container. Continue until both have completely frozen. Write down the

time it took for each container of water to reach a fully frozen level.

4. Analyze Data: Look at the time it took for each container of water to freeze. Did the water with

sugar added take a significantly longer or shorter amount of time to freeze?

5. Draw Conclusion: Based on the results of your experiment, come to a conclusion as to whether

water with sugar freezes faster, slower, or at the same rate as water without sugar added.

#2: Growing Bean Plants

1. Define Purpose: I want to know if a bean plant will grow more quickly outside or inside. For

the purpose of this experiment, you might decide on a time frame of three weeks.
2. Construct Hypothesis: The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between growing a

bean plant indoors or outdoors. The alternative hypothesis is that there is a statistically

significant difference between the two growing situations for bean plants.

3. Test Hypothesis and Collect Data: Plant four bean plants in identical pots using the same type

of soil. Place two of these in an outdoor location, and place the other two in an indoor location.

Try to choose locations where the plants will get a similar amount of sunlight. Care for the plants

in an identical way, like giving the same amount of water. Then, each day for the three-week

experimental period, observe and measure plant growth. Carefully record the size of each plant

in a notebook.

4. Analyze Data: Review the data and determine how the plants in both environments progressed

over the course of the three weeks. You may choose to find an average between the two indoor

plants to determine the "typical" indoor plant growth, doing the same for the two outdoor plants

to calculate the "typical" outdoor plant growth.

5. Draw Conclusion: Based on the data you collected, determine if there is a conclusive answer to

the question as to whether a bean plant placed inside or outside will grow more quickly.
 Activity 1
Day-to-Day Questions

Name: Date:

Direction: You will make the steps of scientific method using the following questions below and
afterwards present it.
Note: If the activity is difficult for you, go back to preceding pages and read again. Then repeat the
activity.
Here’s the list of everyday questions to test scientifically:

✔ What breakfast gives you the most energy in

class? Hypothesis:

Test/Experiment:

Analysis:

Conclusion:

✔ What is the most popular lunch option in your

home? Hypothesis:

Test/Experiment:

Analysis:

Conclusion
✔ My wallet is
missing? Hypothesis:

Test/Experiment:
 Analysis:

Conclusion:

✔ What time of the day do I feel awake?

Hypothesis:

Test/Experiment:

Analysis:

Conclusion:

✔ Does green bean plant grow more inside or outside?

Hypothesis:

Test/Experiment:

Analysis:

Conclusion:
 SELF-CHECK!

Name: Date:

List the steps of the Scientific Method In the space provided and explain.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.
 ACTIVITY 2
SCIENTIFIC METHOD

In the space provided, use the Scientific Method to solve the following problems. Follow the
step-by-step process you wrote above to find a solution. Write your answer in PARAGRAPH
FORM and be sure to write in COMPLETE SENTENCES

Observation: You take your entire books home from school and promptly finish your
homework. The next morning you wake up and cannot find your bag with your books in it. Your
brother has a backpack that looks very similar to yours.

Note: If the activity is difficult for you, go back to preceding pages and read again. Then repeat
the activity.
 IDENTIFYING VARIABLES
LESSON 2

1. What factors do I need to change or manipulate? The answer is independent variable.

Example:

2. What factor do I want to observe or measure? The answer is dependent variable. This is the
result of independent variable.
Example:

3. What factors should I keep constant or the same? The answer refers to the controlled
variable. These are the factors that have to be kept the same for all setups.
Example:

⮚ An important aspect in science experiment is the use of control. A control isolates

the effect of one variable while holding the all other variables same for all.
The experiment is designed to determine the effect of sunlight on
seed germination.
⮚ independent variable – sunlight
⮚ Dependent variable – seed germination
⮚ Control group – plant without sunlight (grown in the
dark)
⮚ Experimental group – he plant exposed to sunlight

❖ You want to prove that trees under the shade of the leaves have a lower air
temperature.You stand under a 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.
a. Which is the experimental setup?

b. Which is the control?

c. Which is the independent variable?

d. Which is the dependent variable?

e. What factors will you keep constant?

 ACTIVITY 3
✔ You learned from school that darker color absorbs 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 experiment but this time in a dark room. You observe that the
temperature of the liquids are the same

a. Which is the experimental setup?

b. Which is the control?

c. Which is/are the independent variable(s)?

d. Which is the dependent variable?

e. What factors will you keep constant?

 ACTIVITY 4
THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST

Name: Date:

Direction: Read and analyze the following scenario, find out how much you can remember and
how much you learned then answer the questions below.

Medical journals told about a strange nerve disease that struck the inhabitants of the Dutch

East Indies more than a century ago. The disease has been known as beri beri. Persons infected by

this lose their appetite, develop inflammation of the nerves, and became paralyzed. Scientists who

first studied the outbreak thought that beri beri might be caused by bacteria. They obtained blood

samples from beri beri patients and injected them to chicken. A control group of chickens did not

receive any injection. After several days, the chicken infected with blood from beriberi patients

got sick. But, how come those not injected also got sick?. Dr. Christiaan Eijkman, one of the

scientists observed that prior to the experiment, the chickens were fed with polished rice. Dr.

Eijkman later found out that whole-grain rice contains high amounts of vitamin B1 or thiamine, a

vitamin necessary for good health, which enables the body to use carbohydrates as energy. It plays

a key role in nerve, muscle and heart functions. Thiamine is absent in the polished rice.

Questions:

1. What was the problem?

2. What was the hypothesis?

3. How was the hypothesis tested?

4. Based on the result of the experiment, should be the hypothesis be accepted or rejected?
Support your answer.

5. How could this experiment be improved?

Conclusion: