Nature of Science

NATURE OF SCIENCE - Targets 5 and 6​

Mr. Coots

Multiple Choice

A group of students are conducting an investigation about the needs of plants. Six plants are placed on the counter by a window. Six plants are placed in a cupboard with the door closed. Each day, students measure the height of the plants.

Which of the following would NOT be a way to record the data they collect each day?

• create a data table

• write the height of each plant on a calendar

• tell another group how tall each plant is

• list the date and height of each plant on one line of their notebook

Collect and organize data.​

It is important to collect data during a scientific investigation. It is also very important to organize that data. The simplest tool to organize data collection is a table. For example, if we gathered data about the height of a wheat grass plant, a data table might look like this:​

That table tells us the height of the plant: ten centimeters. But it doesn’t tell us much else, and the data in that table isn’t really useful. Let’s add some more observations and some more organization to make the data more useful​

​That data table is more useful. It tells us more about the plant and its conditions, and what date and time the data was collected. Let’s add another part to the table: a title

​Now we can see regular, systematic observations over time in a clear, easy to interpret data table. The empirical data (data from measurement) in this table will help us to answer our investigation question, what conditions are best for growing wheatgrass plants.

Multiple Choice

A class is investigating the different kinds of trees found at their school. They have taken pictures and written description of each of the different kinds of trees, then counted how many of each are found on the school grounds.  

Which of the following would be the BEST tool to organize the data they have collected?

• write their notes in their science journals

• create a data table

• draw pictures of each kind of tree on a poster

• record a video to describe the trees

Multiple Choice

According to the data table, on which date was data recorded in the AFTERNOON?

• 8/14/2021 

• 8/15/2021 

• 8/16/2021 

• 8/17/2021

​The data in this table shows the growth of a wheatgrass plant over time. The wheatgrass has grown 10 cm in 5 days. Let’s put some of the data into a graph.

​This graph shows the height of the plant in centimeters on each of the first five days of the  investigation. Data tables and bar graphs are some ways of representing data in charts and  graphs. It is easy to interpret the graph: the plant is growing. We can see this because the bars  in the graph are getting larger each day. 

​This picture shows a wheatgrass plant on day five. From this picture, we can tell that the plant  is healthy and green.

Multiple Choice

According to the data table, which two days had the greatest increase in growth?

• Day 1 and Day 2

• Day 2 and Day 3

• Day 3 and Day 5

• Day 4 and Day 5