Elementary Science

Science Focus LessonSC.5.N.2.1Empirical Observations

Polk County Public Schools

SC.5.N.2.1Benchmark: Recognize and explain that

science is grounded in empirical observations that are testable; explanation must always be linked with evidence.

Essential Question:How can we use the practice of

science to answer questions about the natural world?

Vocabulary:hypothesis experiment

observationopinion evidence testable

SCIENCE ANSWERS QUESTIONS

Are hummingbirds more

attracted to one color? What color car absorbs the most heat?

Which material cleans up the most oil?

Which type of fertilizer

makes plant grow taller?Which month has the most rain?

Science is Testable!Science is grounded in hypotheses

that are testable Hypotheses are tested and verified

by collecting evidence through experimentation and observation

A hypothesis that is validated by evidence is considered to be correct

A hypothesis that is NOT validated by evidence is considered to be incorrect

Some questions are NOT testable! If a question is NOT testable, it is

NOT a scientific questionIf a question is NOT testable, no

evidence can be collected through experimentation or observation

Questions that are NOT testable are often opinion questions

Are these questions testable?Are hummingbirds more attracted to one color?

Is blue a prettier color than green?

What color car absorbs the most heat?

Does chocolate ice cream taste better than vanilla ice cream?

YES! We could put different colored hummingbird feeders in a tree and count the number of hummingbirds that visit each feeder.

NO! There is nothing to observe and no evidence to gather. The answer to this question is an opinion and changes from person to person.

YES! We can place thermometers in metal cans that have been painted different colors and measure the temperature to see which color absorbs the most heat.

NO! There is nothing to observe and no evidence to gather. The answer to this question is an opinion and changes from person to person.

SummarizingLook at each question and decide if

the question is TESTABLE or NOT TESTABLE.

1. Is morning better than night?2. Will fertilizer affect the growth

of a plant?Partner A tell B if question 1 is testable or not, explain why.

Partner B tell A if question 2 is testable or not, explain why.

Testable or Not?

Kate likes to play soccer. She noticed that the ball seemed to go further when she kicked it in hot weather than when she kicked it in cold weather. She would like to do an experiment to find out if a hot ball goes further than a cold ball. Is this question testable?

YES!! Kate can test a soccer ball by cooling it down and using a pendulum to hit the ball, much like a kick. She can measure the distance that the ball travels each time that she repeats this with the cool ball. Then Kate can heat the ball and repeat the experiment to see how the distance compares. Kate’s measurements will provide evidence to answer her question about which goes further, a hot ball or a cold ball.

Testable or Not?

Juan thinks that baseball is a much better sport than football. He wants to do a scientific experiment to gather evidence that baseball is better than football. Is this question testable?

NO! This is NOT a testable question. There is no evidence that could be gathered to show that one sport is better than another sport. The answer to this question is an opinion. People like different sports for different reasons. Some people prefer baseball and other people prefer football. This is not a scientific question.

Testable or Not?

William’s friend just got a puppy, William has a cat. William wants to know which makes a better pet, a cat or a dog. Is this question testable? Can William perform an experiment to find out whether a cat or a dog makes a better pet?

NO! This question is NOT testable. People have opinions about which pet they prefer, some prefer cats and others prefer dogs. There is no evidence that can be gathered which would answer this question. This is NOT a scientific question.

Testable or Not?Antonio’s parents promised to buy him a slide for the backyard. Slides at the store are made of different materials. Antonio wants to know which material gives the fastest ride. Can Antonio do an experiment to answer his question? Is this question testable?

YES! Antonio can make “model” slides using the same materials as the slides that his parents might buy. He can time how long it takes an object to slide down each slide and compare the times. The material with the least friction will have the fastest slide and Antonio will have the answer to his question. This question can be answered by experimentation because it is testable!

Summarizing1. Is white glue stronger than a glue stick?

2. Do orange blossoms smell better than roses?

3. Does an electromagnet have more magnetic force if it has a larger core?

4. Does sugar preserve the life of a cut flower?

5. Does a round parachute slow free fall more than a rectangular parachute?

6. Is rock music better than country music?

A. Work with our shoulder partner to divide these questions into two categories: questions that are TESTABLE because evidence can be gathered to answer them OR questions that are NOT TESTABLE

because the answer would be an opinion.B. Compare your answers with your face partner: discuss any

differences you have and try to reach consensus

Guided Instruction:

Which question cannot be answered scientifically because the quantity cannot actually be measured?

A. How much food does the water buffalo consume in one day?

B. How happy is a chimpanzee with it’s food?

C. How heavy is a mature female elephant?

D. How fast can a tiger swallowtail butterfly fly?

The answer is BHow happy is a chimpanzee with it’s food?

There is no way to measure how happy a chimpanzee is with food!

Guided Instruction:Sarah made a hypothesis that flowers planted in the garden grow larger than those planted in pots. She planted sunflower seeds in a pot in a sunny area of her patio. She planted the same kind and number of seeds in her garden. Both sets of seeds sprouted. Sarah observed and measured the plants as they grew and bloomed. Sheanalyzed her data. She concluded that the sunflower seeds planted in her garden grew much taller than the ones she planted in a pot.

What did Sarah do to reach her conclusion?A She observed the plants.B She observed, compared, and measured the plants.C She planted seeds and watched them sprout.D She planted sunflower seeds.

The answer is BShe observed, compared, and measured the plants.

Scientific questions are answered by gathering information, such as observations or measurements, that is used to help validate explanations of natural phenomena

Guided Instruction

Shelby wants to know what type of bird comes to the feeder outside her window most often. She observes the bird feeder for an hour at the same time each day.

What else should she do to draw an accurate conclusion?A write down how long each bird stays at the feederB put up two more bird feedersC count and record the number and type of birds she seesD measure the amount of seeds the birds eat

The answer is CCount and record the number and type of birds she sees

Scientific questions are answered by gathering information, such as observations or measurements, that is used to help validate explanations of natural phenomena. Counting the types of birds will answer the question.

Guided Instruction

Mr. Crawford’s class notices that the leaves are getting brown on the sea grape trees around their school.Which of the following could the class do to help solve this problem?

A. Use the science processes of observation and recording data to learn more.

B. Plant more sea grape trees around the school.C. Remove the sea grape trees from their school.D. Put fences around the trees to keep people and

animals away.

The answer is AUse the science processes of observation and recording

data to learn more.

Summarizing

Essential Question:Tell your partner how we can use

science to answer questions about the natural world.

Check Your Understanding1. Flora and her family liked to collect fossils. They went to a

quarry where people are allowed to look for fossils. At the end of the day, they gathered together all of the fossils they had found. They sorted and compared their fossils. All the fossils had shells in them. They concluded that the area around the quarry had once been under water.

What did Flora’s family do to help them reach this conclusion?A. They compared the fossils from the quarry with fossils

they had found at other sites.B. They cleaned and polished the fossils.C. They dug holes in the ground.D. They collected, sorted, and compared all the fossils

they found in the quarry.

Check Your Understanding2. Arnella sometimes leaves bread pieces on her bird feeder

for the robins to eat. She is trying to determine which type of bread—rye, wheat, or white—robins like. She hypothesized that robins like wheat bread more than other types of bread.

Arnella places equal amounts of each bread on the bird feeder. What information would help determine if her hypothesis is correct? A. when the robins come to eat B. how many robins come to eat C. which type of bread is gone first D. how long until all the bread is gone

Check Your Understanding3. Julie had four bottles. She wanted to know which bottle

could hold the most water. Julie found the mass of each bottle when it was empty. Then she found the mass of each bottle when it was full of water. She recorded the following results

Which bottle held the most water?A. 1B. 2C. 3D. 4

Bottle Mass of Empty Bottle

Mass of Full Bottle

(grams) (grams)

1 100 800

2 100 600

3 500 900

4 700 900

Check Your Understanding4. Philip observed that more fireflies appeared at his

campsite than hissister’s campsite. She did not believe him. Which is the best

way forPhilip to prove to his sister that he is correct?

A. Trap the fireflies at each campsite in a jar on one night.B. Observe and record how many fireflies are at each

campsite every night for a week.C. Attract more fireflies to his campsite each night.D. Use an insect repellent at her campsite to keep the

fireflies away.

Check Your Answers1. D. They collected, sorted, and

compared all the fossils they found in the quarry.

2. C. which type of bread is gone first 3. A. 14. B. Observe and record how many

fireflies are at each campsite every night for a week.

Use words from the word bank to write to describe how we use the practice of science to answer questions about the natural world.

Summary Question

hypothesis experiment

observation opinion

evidence

testable