SmithLifeScience                                     Name __________________ Period _____

Reading Study Guide Chapter 1 Introduction to Science 1-2 Scientific Inquiry (pp.14-18)

(p.14)
Discover Activity
"What Can You Learn About Mealworms?"
Observe the mealworms in your tray with the magnifying glass.

Make three quantitative observations about the mealworms. (Use numbers)

1. _________________________________________________________________      

2. _________________________________________________________________     

3. _________________________________________________________________

Make three qualitative observations about the mealworms. (descriptions)

4. _________________________________________________________________      

5. _________________________________________________________________     

6. _________________________________________________________________

7-9. Draw a picture of the mealworm.

Posing Questions (p.15)

Scientific inquiry often begins with a question.

Write three questions you have about mealworms.

10. _________________________________________________________________

11. _________________________________________________________________

12. _________________________________________________________________

13. How could you find out the answer to one of your questions?

Question # _____

A scientific question can be answered by making observations and gathering evidence.
14-20 Put a by each scientific question.

_____ Do boys eat more than girls?                         

_____ Are girls smarter than boys?  

_____ Which makes a better pet - a cat or a dog?                       

_____ Is rap better than rock music?

_____ Is math more important than reading?

_____ The Cubs have won more games than the Cardinals.

_____ Does a dog eat more than a cat? 

Developing a Hypothesis (p.15)

A Hypothesis is a possible explanation for a set of observations or answers to a specific question.

21. What does the student think will happen in the experiment?

22. What do you think?   Choose ONE.

_____Crickets will chirp more at higher temperatures.

_____ Crickets will chirp less at higher temperatures.

Designing an Experiment (p.16)

Match the term with its definition.

Term                                    Definition

_____ 23. variable                             a. a factor that can change in an experiment

_____ 24. controlled experiment        b. a statement that describes how to measure a
                                                            particular variable or define a particular term

_____ 25. manipulated variable          c. the factor that may change in a response to the
                                                            manipulated variable

_____ 26. responding variable           d. the one variable that is purposely changed to
                                                           test a hypothesis

_____ 27. operational definition        e. an experiment in which only one variable is
                                                           manipulated at a time

Answer these questions from the cricket experiment on page 15-16.

28. What was the student going to change in the experiment? _____________________

29. What was the student going to count? ___________________________________

30. What were the temperatures in the 3 cages? ______________________________

31. How did the students change the temperatures in the cages?

Collecting and Interpreting Data (p.16)

32. Define data. _____________________________________________________

33-35.  Put the data in the chart:

25°C: 44 chirps;    20°C: 35 chirps     15°C: 16 chirps

Drawing Conclusions (p.17)

33. A conclusion is a summary of what you __________________________________.

34. Look at the data chart above.  What did they learn?

Communicating (p.17)

35. Name one way a scientist can share their ideas.

Scientific Attitudes (p.18)

36-40  Match the attitudes with their definitions

Evaluation
41-45 Describe how you would do an experiment to determine if birds preferred sunflower seeds or corn?

What would you change? (manipulated variable)

What would you measure? (responding variable)

What would you keep the same? (Controlled Variables)