Do Now
Put a T next to the questions that ARE TESTABLE.
(Which questions can you use the scientific method to
answer?) Don’t worry about being right/wrong, I just
want to see what you think!
What is the best pizza topping? _____
Will gatorade make my plants grow taller? _____
How many years can a duck live? _____
The Scientific Method
How to Write a Testable Question
Tamara Helfer, 2012 Sequoia Science Explorations
Sometimes scientists just like to explore…
Exploring or making observations often
makes scientists curious about specific
questions.
To answer these questions, most
scientists carry out investigations using
The Scientific Method.
The (Short) Scientific Method
1. Ask a Question
 Ask a
Question!
2. Form a Hypothesis
3. Design an Experiment to Test Your Hypothesis
 Independent and Dependent Variables
 Controls
4. Draw Conclusions
Testable Questions
A testable question is one that can be
answered by designing and conducting an
experiment.
Ex: Does listening to rap or classical music
help you concentrate better?
Researchable Questions
• Can be answered through research (by
looking up the answer)
• CANNOT BE TESTED
Ex: How many types of butterflies are there?
NOT testable….researchable
Opinion Questions
• Can be answered differently by different
people
• CANNOT BE TESTED
Ex: Is rock music better than country music?
NOT testable….opinion
Thumbs Up: Testable or
Non-testable
For each slide, put a thumb up if the
question is TESTABLE
Put up a thumbs down is the question
is NON-TESTABLE
Record your answers on your handout
Thumbs Up: Testable or
Non-testable
1. Does the shape of a plant’s pot affect the
plant’s growth?
We can test how the same
plant would grow in
differently shaped pots!
Testable or Non-testable
2. Are dogs cute?
Whether or not dogs are
cute is an opinion question.
Testable or Non-testable
3. What type of bug spray keeps away
mosquitos the best?
We can test different bug
sprays and measure the
amount of flies
Testable or Non-testable
4. Does the temperature of water affect
how quickly sugar will dissolve?
Testable or Non-testable
5. Can I make a volcano?
Testable or Non-testable
6. Which brand of alka seltzer stays
fizzy the longest after opening the
bottle?
Testable or Non-testable
7. Which pizza topping is best?
Testable Question Formats: A testable
question says what the experimenter
will change, and then measure.
How does sunlight affect how tall a plant will grow?
Testable Question Formats: A testable
question says what the experimenter
will change, and then measure.
How does sunlight affect how tall a plant will
grow?
In this case, the idea is that you can change the amount
of sunlight a plant will get and then measure how tall it
will grow.
Then you have evidence that sunlight either helps or
hurts plants.
Testable Question Formats: A testable
question says what the experimenter
will change, and then measure.
• Does changing _______ affect _______?
• How does changing _____ affect _____?
• If I change ______, will it affect ______?
In a scientific experiment, these two blanks
have special names:
Does Tide or Cheer detergent
remove ketchup stains better?
Scientist changes:
The type of detergent (Tide vs.
Cheer)
Scientist measures:
Removal of ketchup stains
Do tomato plants grow taller with
fertilizer or without fertilizer?
Scientist changes:
Use of fertilizer
Scientist measures:
Height of tomato plant
How does water temperature
affect how wrinkly my fingers
get?
Scientist changes:
Temperature of water
Scientist measures:
wrinkly fingers
Does water freeze faster with
salt or without salt?
Scientist changes:
Use of salt
Scientist measures:
Speed of water freezing
Turn and Talk
For the next set of testable research questions,
re-write the question in the correct “How does
______ affect ______” format
1. Does the amount of sleep you get make you more or
less coordinated?
2. Do males or females drive better?
3. Does taking vitamins help your memory?
Sorting Game!
-Each group of students will
receive a set of questions you
will sort the set into testable
and non-testable questions.
Sorting Game!
Walk over to the table number
above yours and judge the
other groups sorting
EXIT TICKET
1. Write your name and one
testable question ABOUT
ANYTHING!