Scientific Investigations
Students test how temperature affects hearing. One student blasts music outside in the sun, another uses a hearing machine in a closet, another yells inside a freezer and records their observations. Which statement is true?
A. Science only happens in a lab
B. They should all do the same steps
C. They are using different ways to collect evidence
D. Only the group with the hearing machine is doing science
C. They are using different ways to collect evidence
What is an observation?
Something you find out by using your senses (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting) or by measuring
Mia - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 12 degrees Celsius
Sam - testing orange juice in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 14 degrees Celsius
Lee - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 13 degrees Celsius
Based on the results, which student had the coldest drink?
Mia - hers was 12 degrees
Which of these is a scientific question because it can be tested and observed?
A. Why do people like chocolate ice cream the most?
B. How does the amount of water affect how fast seeds sprout?
C. Which song is the most popular in our class?
D. Why is blue the prettiest color?
B. How does the amount of water affect how fast seeds sprout?
Which example BEST shows planning before an investigation?
A. “I’ll just guess and see what happens.”
B. “Let’s mix everything without thinking.”
C. “I wonder what will happen if I test this?” and then checking a science book for safety.
D. “That looks fun!” and starting without a plan.
C. “I wonder what will happen if I test this?” and then checking a science book for safety.
What is an inference?
An educated guess or explanation you make based on your observations. It’s what you think is happening.
Mia - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 12 degrees Celsius
Sam - testing orange juice in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 14 degrees Celsius
Lee - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 13 degrees Celsius
Which student used the same method as Mia in her investigation?
Lee - he tested the same liquid
Why is “How do animals lay eggs?” a scientific question?
A. It can be observed in nature
B. It involves research
C. It is based on opinion
D. It is a complicated answer
A. It can be observed in nature
A student measures the length of her hair weekly for 3 months and writes a report explaining how fast her hair grows using a specific shampoo. Why is her explanation scientific?
A. She based it on evidence she collected
B. She used Google
C. She used her opinion
D. She only observed one person
A. She based it on evidence she collected
Which is an inference based on an observation?
A. My friends are all wearing black shirts
B. My dog has 4 paws and a fluffy tail
C. That bird is going to build a nest
D. My lunchbox is big
C. That bird is going to build a nest
A graph shows three groups measuring the same room temperature with different thermometers. Why might their temperature readings differ?
A. The graph is wrong
B. They measured in different rooms
C. They used different types of thermometers
D. The temperature changed every second
C. They used different types of thermometers
Which question is NOT scientific?
A. How do airplanes overcome gravity?
B. What causes volcanoes to erupt?
C. When do bones turn into fossils?
D. Why do people like to workout?
D. Why do people like to workout?
2. How do you perform a systematic investigation?
A. Ask a question
B. Record observations
C. Only change one variable
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Which of these is an observation?
A. I feel mad because my friends are annoying
B. My dog must be sick because he is sleeping a lot
C. That bird is probably collecting sticks to build a nest
D. My lunchbox is black and white
D. My lunchbox is black and white
Mia - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 12 degrees Celsius
Sam - testing orange juice in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 14 degrees Celsius
Lee - testing lemonade in the shade - after 10 minutes it is 13 degrees Celsius
What is the main difference with Sam's method?
He tested a different kind of liquid.
What makes a question be a "scientific question"?
A student observes two bowls of ice cream melting on her kitchen counter. She sets up an experiment to test which kind of ice cream melts the slowest. Which statement BEST describes her experiment?
A. She must follow specific steps
B. She is collecting evidence to learn more
C. She should only use observations
D. She is not doing science because she's using food
B. She is collecting evidence to learn more
A class tests how high different brands of basketballs can bounce when they are dropped from 6 feet. What inference could they make based on the data they collect?
example: Which brand of basketball is the best/worst
Two students measure the same stick. One records 12.3 cm, the other 12.6 cm. What should they do next?
A. Discuss what tools they used and check for errors
B. Pick the larger number
C. Add the two measurements
D. Ignore the difference
A. Discuss what tools they used and check for errors
Make up your own scientific question.
Examples:
What happens to the speed of a toy car when the ramp is made steeper?
Does the type of liquid affect how fast it freezes?