Essential Question
This big type of question helps guide a whole unit of learning, makes you think, and connects to the real world. What is it called?
An Essential Question
Is a hypothesis an educated guess made BEFORE or AFTER doing an experiment?
Before.
Name TWO tools or pieces of technology you can use during an experiment to make your measurements more accurate.
Rulers, thermometers, scales/balances, magnifying glasses, or stopwatches.
What do we call the information we collect during an investigation to help understand a problem or answer a question?
Data
What are TWO different ways you can represent your collected evidence so others can understand it?
Graphs, tables, charts, diagrams, written texts, verbal presentations, or models.
True or False: Every single observation you make is relevant to your scientific question.
False. (Only data that directly helps answer your investigation question is relevant).
A good scientific hypothesis must be based on your prior __________.
Knowledge (or understanding)
A student wants to see how temperature affects plant growth, but forgets to keep the amount of sunlight the same for all plants. Why does this make the experiment invalid?
Because the data won't accurately reflect what was supposed to be measured (the test wasn't fair/controlled).
What type of data describes observations using words, such as "the leaf feels dry and looks brown"?
Qualitative data
rue or False: If an investigation contradicts what you thought before, you did something wrong and the science failed.
False. (Contradicting previous knowledge helps expand and adjust our scientific understanding).
"How do trees change in September?" What is ONE observation you could make that could be relevant to this question?
Leaves changing color (or leaves falling to the ground).
For a hypothesis to be scientific, it must be testable. This means an investigation can either support it or __________.
Prove it wrong.
What do we call a scientific procedure carried out to test a hypothesis or collect data?
An experiment
What type of data uses numbers and counts, such as "we found 14 yellow leaves"?
Quantitative data.
What is one reason why analyzing data from an investigation is useful, even after the experiment is done?
It sparks new questions for future investigations (or helps expand/adjust previous knowledge).
You are investigating the question: "What do birds eat in September?" Then you notice a red dog barking at a squirrel.
Why is the dog's color irrelevant?
Because it does not help answer the question about bird food.
"I think leaves turn yellow in September because the temperature cools down." What makes this a good hypothesis?
It is based on prior knowledge AND can be tested by an investigation.
What word means trying to remove your personal thoughts, feelings, and expectations while doing an investigation?
Objectivity
Is the observation "The September air temperature dropped by 5 degrees Celsius" qualitative or quantitative data?
Quantitative Data
How does analyzing and interpreting data produce evidence to answer a scientific question?
By organizing and comparing relevant data to see if it supports or contradicts the hypothesis.
What are TWO trustworthy sources of data you can use to answer a scientific question?
Elders/Knowledge Keepers, official government websites, peer-reviewed scientific articles, or textbooks.
True or False: A hypothesis is just a random wild guess that does not need any thinking behind it.
False. (A hypothesis must be based on prior scientific knowledge and understanding).
Why do scientists combine data from different people who performed the same investigation?
To check for consistency
Using your eyes, ears, hands, or tools to notice details about the world around you during an investigation is called making an __________.
Observation.
How does reflecting on an investigation help build overall scientific knowledge over time?
It allows us to expand, adjust, support, or correct our previous knowledge based on new evidence.