Observation Station
What's the Variable?
Graphing!
CER
Random
100

“The powder is blue.”
Is this qualitative or quantitative?

Qualitative

100

Which variable does the scientist change on purpose?

Independent  

100

Which variable usually belongs on the x-axis?

Independent variable 

100

Which part of CER answers the question being investigated?

Claim 

100

What is the largest planet in our solar system?

Jupiter

200

A student sees a puddle outside and says, “It must have rained last night.”
Observation or inference?

Inference

200

A student tests whether the amount of sunlight affects plant height.

What is the dependent variable?

Plant height 

200

A graph's scale goes:

0, 5, 15, 20, 25, 30

Is this an appropriate scale?

NO missing 10 

200

Which part of CER uses facts, data, or observations?

Evidence 

200

What animal has fingerprints so similar to humans that they can be difficult to tell apart?

Koala

300

“The rock is rough and has a mass of 24 g.”
Which observation is quantitative?

mass of 24 g

300

A student tests whether the amount of water affects how tall a plant grows.

Name THREE controlled variables.

Type of plant, soil, pot size, sunlight, length of experiment, etc.

300

Students compare the number of clothespin squeezes using their left hand vs. right hand.

Bar graph or line graph?

Bar graph 

300

“Plants with fertilizer averaged 17 cm, while plants without fertilizer averaged 11 cm.”

Claim, Evidence, or Reasoning?

Evidence

300

What is the only mammal capable of true flight?

BAT

400

Which statement is an inference?

A. The liquid is bubbling.
B. The liquid is 45°C.
C. A chemical reaction caused the bubbling.
D. The liquid is clear.

C. A chemical reaction caused the bubbling.

400

A student tests whether water temperature affects how long a tablet takes to dissolve.

Identify the IV and DV.

IV = water temperature / DV = dissolving time

400

A student tests whether hours of sunlight affect plant height.

Their graph has:

X-axis: Plant Height (cm)
Y-axis: Hours of Sunlight

What is wrong?

Axes are switched.

400

“The plants with fertilizer grew 6 cm taller on average, so the results support the claim.”

Claim, Evidence, or Reasoning?

Reasoning

400

What food can stay edible for thousands of years when stored properly?

Honey

500

A student writes:

“The candle is 8 cm tall, the wax feels soft, and it must have been burning for a while.”

Identify each as QL, QN, or I.

8 cm = QN / soft = QL / burning for a while = I

500

A student gives identical plants different amounts of fertilizer and measures their height after 3 weeks.

Which is correct?

A. IV = height / DV = fertilizer
B. IV = fertilizer / DV = height
C. IV = plant type / DV = fertilizer
D. IV = height / DV = plant type

B. IV = fertilizer / DV = height

500

Name 4 components a graph must have.

X & Y labels, Title, Appropriate Scale, Data

500

Two soils were tested:

Soil A = 16 cm average
Soil B = 10 cm average

Which is the best claim?

A. Soil A averaged 16 cm.
B. Soil A helped the plants grow taller.
C. Soil A plants were 6 cm taller, supporting the results.
D. The plants were measured in centimeters.

B. Soil A helped the plants grow taller.

500

You have 3 apples and take away 2.

How many apples do you have?

2

M
e
n
u