You have probably heard of the scientific method. This is simply a good way to learn about the world. Remember when we looked at ways to know things? It is important to do these in the correct order, or you could get hurt. The ways to know are almost exactly the same as the scientific method, but in science we use fancier words. You should learn what these words mean so that you can communicate in the language of science.

I would like you to know these steps in order. There's an easy trick to remember them. The word you should remember is "o-sherty." If you can remember OSHERTY, you will remember these steps in order. If you get stuck, remember SCARED and the ways to know. Here are the steps:

O: Observe
When you make observations, you're using your senses to learn as much as possible about a topic. Remember to write your observations down. The closer you pay attention, the better the science. Also, connect the dots between what you're observing and what you know.

S: State the Problem
Science is about problem solving. After you make observations, you will need to ask a question. Why is the sky blue? Why are new pennies shiny but old ones aren't? Why are my friends crazy? Stating the problem will be in the form of a question. Oh, and sometimes, the question will come before the observations. It doesn't matter which happens first, as long as both happen.

H: Hypothesis
A hypothesis is an educated guess. It is educated because you made observations first. You will then use your reasoning skills to guess the answer to your question. It's perfectly fine if you're guess is wrong; science is about learning. Your anser (your hypothesis) should be based on the best information you know so far.

E: Experiment
Once you have a hypothesis for your question, you need to find out if it is right. To do this, you need to experiment. When doing this, safety should come first. Plan your experiment well. Make sure you are trying to get your question answered, not just having fun. You should devise an experiment so that only one thing is changing, for example, when growing plants, don't change soil AND water AND light, but only pick one variable. Your goal should be to collect usable data.

R: Results
The data you collect from your experiment is your results. Organize your results carefully. If possible, put them into a chart or graph. This way you can see what the data means. Your experiment should be repeated many times so that your data will be more accurate. Don't worry if you occasionally get a strange result, because that happens to everyone. Instead, you're looking for trends, patterns, and likely results. By analyzing your results, you learn the most.

T: Theory
In science, a theory is NOT a random guess, nor a crazy notion someone just had. A theory is an idea that is well supported with facts. It is an overlying and unifying principle. Theories are not easily dismissed, but can be modified if new information comes along. After you experiment and get your results, you should be able to answer the question you created in "state the problem." And your theory (answer) is never "I was right," but an answer with an explanation.

E: Evaluate
After you get your answer, you're not done. You need to share your answer and then evaluate your work. You should be evaluating every step of the way. Look to make sure you're working effectively. Once you're done, you need to evaluate the whole process. In this process, figure out what worked well, and what could have been better. Decide how useful your experiment was, and what you would do next time. Evaluating will make your science go from standard to excellent.