SETTING UP YOUR EXPERIMENT

1. What do (did) you observe?

2. What are you asking about what you observe(d)?

3. Idea (hypothesis) you are testing: What is your idea about an answer for your question?

The Hypothesis is an educated guess based on background knowledge.

(will happen)

(must have a reason)

 

4. a. What variable will you change in your experiment?

  b. What will remain constant in your experiment?

5. Make a sketch of the set-up for your experiment. Label all materials and state all conditions. List the materials you need.

 Materials needed:

6. During the experiment (procedure):

a. What specific things will you observe?

b. What measurements will you make?

c. What plan do you have for recording your data? (Data may be reported using various methods such as pictures, words, charts and graphs)

7. Sketch a sample data table for your experiment.

For example:

8. Do the results of the experiment support your idea (hypothesis)? Did you answer the question? Conclusions:

Was this a FAIR TEST? (did only one thing get tested at a time?) Why or why not?
(What, if anything, would you change to make your results more valid?)

Can you repeat this experiment at least 3X? Why or why not?

SETTING UP YOUR EXPERIMENT: SAMPLE COMPLETED FORM BASED ON “DIRTY A SOCK.”

1. What do (did) you observe?

We observed dirt and mud being collected on the socks/boots

2. What are you asking about what you observe(d)?

Will the seeds we collected with our socks/boots grow when we plant them?

3. Idea (hypothesis) you are testing: What is your idea about an answer for your question?

The seeds we collected will grow if they have a dormant period (have been frozen and thawed).

The Hypothesis is an educated guess based on background knowledge.

I think the frozen seeds will grow because they will have a dormant/inactive period.

(will happen)

(must have a reason)

4. a. What variable will you change in your experiment?

Freezing and thawing: temperature

b. What will remain constant in your experiment?

Water and oxygen

5. Make a sketch of the set-up for your experiment. Label all materials and state all conditions. List the materials you need.

Materials needed: wild seeds planting container water freezer ruler soil plastic food wrap measuring cup

Water in watering can, used to keep soil moist for seed germination and growth. We measure it each time we put it in the watering can.

Planting container with soil and planted sock. The sock was used to collect wild seeds. The planting container is covered with clear plastic wrap to hold in moisture.

An identical container has been set up with another sock. It is labeled SOCK B. SOCK B was put in a freezer on the day it was planted and removed periodically. On the 8th day after planting, it was left outside the freezer.

6. During the experiment (Procedure):

a. What specific things will you observe?

Germination and growth of the collected seeds

b. What measurements will you make?

Numbers of plants
Size of plants

c. What plan do you have for recording your data? (Data may be reported using various methods such as pictures, words, charts and graphs)

Graph of number of plants recorded daily
Chart of plant height

7. Sketch a sample data table for your experiment.

For example:

8. Do the results of the experiment support your idea (hypothesis)? Did you answer the question? Conclusions: Too soon to know.

 

My hypothesis was

______________ (correct or incorrect)

because

____________________. (reason relating to hypothesis)

9. Was this a FAIR TEST? (did only one thing get tested at a time?) Why or why not?
(What, if anything, would you change to make your results more valid?)

10. Can you repeat this experiment at least 3X? Why or why not?