At Inventors’ Lab (a STEM enrichment class for 3 – 6 year olds), we sing a different song each week to help kids learn and remember the science concepts that we are teaching. (There are also lots of other benefits to using music in a STEM class.) You can find all our songs about science and inventors here. Our songs come from many sources: classic children’s songs, websites dedicated to resources offered by teachers for teachers, and transcriptions of YouTube videos. My co-teacher Cym has written some, and my husband Peter and I have written others.

Recently, I went searching for a song about the scientific method. On YouTube I found lots of great options – but either they had more sophisticated science concepts than we would be teaching, or they were too dependent on instrumental music and wouldn’t work well sung a cappella. We wrote four songs. The first is the one we chose to use in class. But if you like any of them feel free to use!

Tune Drunken Sailor

What can we do with the scientific method (3x) …. In our laboratory.
First, we think up lots of questions (3x)… In our laboratory.
Then we observe with all our senses….
Hypothesis is our best guess…
Do experiments to test our guesses…
Record results and share with others…
Hooray, we learned something…

Tune: Have you ever seen a lassie

The scientific method has questions and answers
The scientific method helps us find things out
We first ask a question and then guess an answer
And then we do experiments to see if we’re right

Tune: This little light of mine

The scientific method – I want to test it out (3x) Test it out, test it out, test it out
With this little brain of mine, I keep asking why (3x). Asking why (3x)
I observe and I research – I want to learn some more (3x) Learn some more (3x)
I form a hypothesis, an educated guess (3x). My best guess (3x)
I do my experiment – I wanna test it out. (3x)  Test it out (3x)
Record my data and report results – sharing what I learned (3x). What I learned (3x)
The scientific method – I want to test it out (3x) Test it out, test it out, test it out

Tune: Rise and shine (the arky arky song)

I’m gonna ask and observe and learn some science now. Gonna ask and observe and learn some science now. Ask and observe and learn some science now here at inventors lab.
After I ask, I’ll make a hypothesis (2x) A hypothesis is my best guess. Here at Inventors Lab
I’ll do some experiments to test my hypothesis (2x) Gotta test my hypothesis here at..
I’ll record my data then share all of my results (2x). Record my data and share all my results here at….

More songs about the scientific method

Here are the other options I found online:

Rock Asylum: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgJ2Ai1BdMA 70s rock style – fun video, it just doesn’t really work without the music, so it didn’t work for our purposes… Lyrics start: If you have a question What do you do? You’re searching for answers And I’ve got the cure for you It’s an age-old process Stood the test of time A standard procedure That works every time CHORUS Yeah it’s the scientific method

Have Fun Teaching: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sKX20WhKS4  (and a dance to go with it www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoqgHWK1-sA). Do-able with young kids. A good option. Here are the lyrics – I modified the dance moves.

Scientific Method (7x) [step sideways and clap, step to other side and clap]
First you make an observation of the world around  [goggle eyes]
Take notes and record all the things that you found  [mime taking notes]
Then you ask a simple question – something that you want to learn (“huh?” hands)
Then you form a hypothesis to explain what you observed (touch finger to head – idea)
Then you make a prediction about how it’s gonna go (they raise hands to sky – I’d do a scolding finger)
Do a test with a control and a variable (pour test tube)
Then you analyze the data and draw a conclusion (type on calculator)….

tunes2teach: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUa-ilQqEv0 I liked this one a lot and it’s very singable. But, it goes into constants and variables in an experiment, and that’s just not a concept we’ll be working with.

You start with a hypothesis – huh – what’s that you say?
It’s just an educated guess – it goes this way
Any question that is puzzling you – can a plant grow without light?
Can a ______ Can a ______
Now set up your experiment. Cool – science, right?

klablab: www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8427L0Wry0 Good, and easy to sing. But the chorus talks about false conclusions. I thought that might be hard for little ones to follow.

we use the scientific method to conduct our experiments. If we follow the steps closely We greatly reduce the risk Of drawing false conclusions Based on our hypothesis That’s why we use the scientific method….Well we start with a problem That needs to be solved Then we gather information Yea we try to learn it all We form a hypothesis, an educated guess Conduct an experiment to put it to the test…..

Jack Hartmann: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptADSmJCVwQ Focus on ASI – TCI acronym which we won’t use

A for ask, ask a question, S for state, state your hypothesis, I for identify, identify your variables, T for test, test your hypothesis, C for collect, collect your data, I for interpret, interpret your data, S for state, state your conclusion…

And even more songs to choose from…

Scientific Method song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIoKu2SEaAU

Sung to Just a Dream by Nelly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV8lSmIo4Ac

Scientific method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuKRgjm0KJU – poor musicality

Scientific state of mind.. not very singable…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcxYTrpkR0Y

Science style (Gangnam style – would need to play music to sing along to) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyFi6BQfDik

Do you have any favorite songs (or teaching methods) about the scientific method?