Experimental Investigations

Types of Investigations

There are 3 types of investigations

~Experiments

~Make a model

~Repeated Observations

All investigations start by: Asking a Question

Multiple Choice

All investigations...

• Are done by a scientist

• Are done in a lab

• Start with a question

Experiment

When you complete a controlled test to answer a question

Experiment Example: How many hours of sunlight makes roses grow the tallest

You can TEST how many hours of sunlight makes roses grow the tallest

Variables:

~2 hours of sunlight

~3 hours of sunlight

~4 hours of sunlight

Experiment Example: How much water makes sunflowers grow the tallest

You can TEST how much water makes sunflowers grow the tallest.

Variables:

~5 ml of water

~10 ml of water

~20 ml of water

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of an experiment?

• Build a model of a bridge

• Watch Bill Nye the Science guy weather episode

• Create a table or graph to compare roses to sunflowers

• Test three different plants to see which one grows the tallest

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of an experiment?

• Testing to see which type of soil makes pine trees grow the fastest

• Watching a Magic School bus video on Friction

• Building a model of an atom

• Creating a chart to see

In an experimental investigation... You should also be able to CONTROL part of the investigation

Example 1: When testing to see how much water makes plants grown the tallest...

You are controlling how much water each plant gets

Example 2: When testing to see which color of light makes roses grow the tallest...

You are controlling the color of light that each plant recieves.

Multiple Choice

Which question can be answered by doing an EXPERIMENT?

• How does soil temperature affect sunflower growth

• How does a tadpole turn into a frog

• Are strawberries more delicious than grapes

• Do sharks swim faster than dolphins