NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______
Peanut Identification Lab
Introduction:
Have you ever heard of the phrase “finding a needle in a haystack”? Today you will find a certain
peanut in a pile of peanuts by creating a list of qualitative and quantitative statements about the
peanut. Your success will depend on your observational skills. Observations can be classified as
qualitative and quantitative. A qualitative measurement is a non-numerical description while a
quantitative measurement is a numerical description. For example:
The lab tabletop is 5 feet long.
Quantitative
The lab tabletop is black.
Qualitative
(2PTS) Purpose:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
(2PTS) Hypothesis (If…Then):
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Procedure:
Pick up a peanut, ruler and string and return to your desk. Using your observational skills and the
supplies given, complete a list of qualitative and quantitative measurements. Be creative with the
string; you can obtain several measurements! Do not mark on the peanut. That would be cheating!!!
Complete the bottom of this side and then continue on to the backside of this lab paper.
(3pts) Data:
Qualitative
Quantitative
(2pts) Draw or trace the peanut here:
(1PT) Using a complete sentence write a qualitative statement about the peanut.
(1PT) Using a complete sentence write a quantitative statement about the peanut.
Return the peanut to the pile and then return to your seat and work on the conclusion section below.
Once everyone has placed the peanut back into the pile the teacher will mix the pile up and you will
then search for the peanut you had originally!
Conclusion:
(6PTS) State if the sentence is a quantitative or qualitative statement.
______________ 1) The sky appears blue.
______________ 2) The car rides on 4 tires.
______________ 3) Silver nitrate reacts with sodium chloride to produce a white
precipitate.
______________ 4) Forty grams of sodium hydroxide is required to neutralize 1.0
moles of hydrochloric acid.
______________ 5) Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs.
______________ 6) Air is composed of approximately 80% nitrogen gas.
(1PT) Using a complete sentence, write a qualitative statement about yourself.
(1PT) Using a complete sentence, write a quantitative statement about yourself.
(4PT) List a few professions that depend highly on good observational skills?
1) ______________________________
3) ______________________________
2) ______________________________
4) ______________________________
Were you successful in finding the peanut? _________
(5pts) Conclusion: In sentence-paragraph form, you will describe the lab that you just completed.
Your response will have several distinct parts as described below. Part C should be the most indepth and the longest section.
Part A (1/5): Describe in simple form what was trying to be accomplish in this lab. Be sure
to restate your purpose in this section.
Part B (2/5): Describe briefly the procedure used in this lab, highlighting only the
important steps and things to watch out for (mishaps).
Part C (2/5): Describe the overall conclusions you reached in this lab. 1) Begin this section
with the phrase, “After having analyzed all the relevant data for this lab, it
can be concluded that (restate hypothesis)…. This statement relates to your
original hypothesis or problem. 1) Was your hypothesis validated or was it negated
by your data? 3) Make sure you backup your conclusion with data from your lab
experiment. 4) You will also need to include a statement on the relevance of what
you learned from this lab to the study of your science class (Chemistry, Biology,
Physics, Life Science, Physical Science).
Teacher Notes: Peanut Identification
At a central location:
Rulers
String/Heavy thread: pre-cut 3-4 inches long
Peanuts
At a lab table:
2 analytical balances
Teacher Notes:
Get a bag of peanuts from the grocery store. Have enough peanuts set out for your class and add a
few extras (Class of 25 students = 30 peanuts). Do not have the entire bag of peanuts out for the
students to access. Pass out the Activity paper and have the student’s read and fill-in the
definitions to qualitative and quantitative. When the students have completed this task have them
pick up the supplies they need and return to their desk.
Circulate and encourage the students to make as many measurements as possible.
Qualitative
Color and/or Spots
Does it have a “tail” or not
Small or Large size
Cracks and/or holes
Unusual marks
Unusual shape
Quantitative
Number of nuts inside (1-2)
Number of “vertical lines”
Length from top to bottom
Circumference around each nut
Circumference around middle
Number of cracks, spots, holes
Once students get done they should mass their peanut on the analytical balance. This is a good time
to show them how to properly use the balance and oversee their mass readings.
Depending on how the students are working it may be a good idea to call students up to mass their
peanut and stand between two balances as to give each student individualized help with the balance
and watch that the balances are properly cared for.
After the peanuts have been massed have the students leave them in the original pile and return to
their seat to think about what professions need a high level of observational skills. Once all the
students have placed their peanut into the pile, mix the pile and ask the students to start coming
back to pick out their peanut. When the student has identified their peanut using their chart have
them mass the peanut on the same balance they used before to see if it is within agreement.
Follow-up activity on observational skills could be to have a 1 or 2 students to walk out of the room
and ask the class………what was he/she wearing? Colors? Belts? Shoes? Etc.
The nice thing about this activity is that the peanuts, string and rulers can go into a large zip-loc
bag and be used for years to come. This activity takes about half of a 55-minute class period.
The answer key is generic as there are many correct answers for this activity.
Thanks to Grace Schmitt for her contribution to this lab.
Peanut Identification Lab
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______
Background:
Have you ever heard of the phrase “finding a needle in a haystack”? Today you will find a certain
peanut in a pile of peanuts by creating a list of qualitative and quantitative statements about the
peanut. Your success will depend on your observational skills. Observations can be classified as
qualitative and quantitative. A qualitative measurement is a non-numerical description while a
quantitative measurement is a numerical description. For example:
The lab tabletop is 5 feet long.
Quantitative
The lab tabletop is black.
Qualitative
Procedure:
Pick up a peanut, ruler and string and return to your desk. Using your observational skills and the
supplies given, complete a list of qualitative and quantitative measurements. Be creative with the
string; you can obtain several measurements! Do not mark on the peanut. That would be cheating!!!
After you have made your list, mass the peanut on the analytical balance.
Data:
Tan color
Qualitative
Quantitative
Contains 1 or 2 nuts inside.
Rough exterior
Length of ______ cm.
Lumps / depressions
Has ______ dark spots
Vertical lines
Has _______ vertical lines.
Smaller in middle
First circumference _____cm.
Second circumference _____ cm.
Middle circumference ______ cm.
________grams
Has dark spots
Draw or trace your peanut here:
Using complete sentences write a qualitative statement about your peanut.
The peanut is tan, rough and lumpy.
Using a complete sentence write a quantitative statement about your peanut.
The peanut contains 1 nut and has a middle circumference of 2.3 centimeters.
Return the peanut to the pile and then return to your seat and work on the conclusion section below.
Once everyone has placed the peanut back into the pile the teacher will mix the pile up and you will
then search for the peanut you had originally! When you believe you have found the peanut, confirm
the mass on the same analytical balance that was used previously.
Conclusion:
State if the sentence is a quantitative or qualitative statement.
Qualitative
1) The sky appears blue.
Quantitative
2) The car rides on 4 tires.
Qualitative
3) Silver nitrate reacts with sodium chloride to produce a white
precipitate.
Quantitative
4) Forty grams of sodium hydroxide is required to neutralize 1.0
moles of hydrochloric acid.
Qualitative
5) Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs.
Quantitative
6) Air is composed of approximately 80% nitrogen gas.
Using a complete sentence, write a qualitative statement about yourself.
I have blond hair and blue eyes.
Using a complete sentence, write a quantitative statement about yourself.
I am 5 feet 9 inches tall.
List a few professions that depend highly on good observational skills?
1) detectives
2) scientists
3) reporters
4) doctors
Were you successful in finding the peanut? _______
Using a complete sentence, give specific reasons as to why you were successful or why you were not
successful.
I was able to find my peanut. The peanut was easy to find because it had 4 darks spots had only 1
peanut inside and a tail.
Peanut Identification Lab Quiz
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______
True (A) or False (B)
Place either an “A” or a “B” in the blank provided.
1) __________Quantitative: A peanut shell is lumpy.
2) __________Qualitative: A peanut shell contains two peanuts.
3) __________Quantitative: A peanut weights 1.9 grams.
4) __________Qualitative: A peanut shell is light brown and has a rough texture.
5) __________A qualitative statement contains a numerical description.
6) __________The length of the peanut, the circumference of the peanut and the
mass of the peanut were all quantitative data.
7) __________The mass of the peanut was used to help verify the correct peanut
was found.
8) __________Scientists, detectives and reporters are all professions that require
good observational skills.
Peanut Identification Lab Quiz
Answer Key
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______
True (A) or False (B)
Place either an “A” or a “B” in the blank provided.
1)
_____B_____Quantitative: A peanut shell is lumpy.
2)
_____B_____Qualitative: A peanut shell contains two peanuts.
3)
_____A_____Quantitative: A peanut weights 1.9 grams.
4)
_____A_____Qualitative: A peanut shell is light brown and has a rough texture.
5)
_____B_____A qualitative statement contains a numerical description.
6)
_____A_____The length of the peanut, the circumference of the peanut and the mass of the
peanut were all quantitative data.
7)
_____A_____The mass of the peanut was used to help verify the correct peanut was found.
8)
_____A_____Scientists, detectives and reporters are all professions that require good
observational skills.
Peanut Identification Lab Make-up
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______
Background:
Have you ever heard of the phrase “finding a needle in a haystack”? Today you will find a certain
peanut in a pile of peanuts by creating a list of qualitative and quantitative statements about the
peanut. Your success will depend on your observational skills. Observations can be classified as
qualitative and quantitative. A qualitative measurement is a non-numerical description while a
quantitative measurement is a numerical description. For example:
The lab tabletop is 5 feet long.
Quantitative
The lab tabletop is black.
Qualitative
Procedure:
Obtain a peanut, ruler and string. Using your observational skills and the supplies, complete a list of
qualitative and quantitative measurements. Be creative with the string; you can obtain several
measurements! Do not mark on the peanut. That would be cheating!!! Complete the bottom of this
side and then continue on to the backside of this lab paper.
Data:
Qualitative
Quantitative
Draw or trace the peanut here:
Using a complete sentence write a qualitative statement about the peanut.
Using a complete sentence write a quantitative statement about the peanut.
Place the peanut back into the bag of peanuts in which it was taken. Shake the bag and then try to
find the original peanut.
Conclusion:
State if the sentence is a quantitative or qualitative statement.
______________ 1) The sky appears blue.
______________ 2) The car rides on 4 tires.
______________ 3) Silver nitrate reacts with sodium chloride to produce a white
precipitate.
______________ 4) Forty grams of sodium hydroxide is required to neutralize 1.0
moles of hydrochloric acid.
______________ 5) Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs.
______________ 6) Air is composed of approximately 80% nitrogen gas.
Using a complete sentence, write a qualitative statement about yourself.
Using a complete sentence, write a quantitative statement about yourself.
List a few professions that depend highly on good observational skills?
1) _______________
2) _______________
3) _______________
4) _______________
Were you successful in finding the peanut? _______
Using a complete sentence, give specific reasons as to why you were successful or why you were not
successful.