Please change each hypothesis to an If, Then, Because statement!
Underline Independent And Dependent Variables
Scenario 1
Kelly and Jack are playing in the park. Jack rolls a marble down the small playground slide. Kelly proposes the idea that the marble would
travel at a faster pace if it is rolled down the longer slide. This discussion leads to the following investigative question. After reading the
investigative question and hypothesis, identify the cause and effect, the controlled variables in the experiment, and the variable being tested in the
experiment. Record your answers on your worksheet.
Investigative Question: What happens to the speed at which a marble travels when the height of a ramp is changed?
Hypothesis: If the ramp is taller, the marble will roll at a greater pace.
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 2
Andy's nightly chores include washing the family dishes. His mother tends to cook everything that she prepares a bit too long. Because of this,
Andy spends a lot of sweat, effort, and time washing the dishes. He sees a commercial on television that claims that brand X dishwashing
detergent cuts through grease better than its competitor brand Y. Andy writes the following investigative question and hypothesis. Identify the
cause and effect in Andy's hypothesis, identify the controlled variables and the variable being tested in the experiment.
Investigative Question: Which dishwashing detergent removes grease faster?
Hypothesis: If you use Brand X detergent it will remove grease faster than Brand Y.
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 3
Marissa is an extremely curious sixth grader. During a snow day she noticed a truck spreading salt all over the road. After the truck went past
Marissa's house, she put on her snow boots, hat, and gloves and went to the edge of her driveway and made made an observation. From her
observation, Marissa designed the following investigative question and hypothesis for an experiment she later conducted. Identify the cause and
effect in Marissa's hypothesis, identify the controlled variables and the variable being tested in the experiment.
Investigative Question: What will happen if salt is added to ice?
Hypothesis: Adding salt to a bucket of ice will increase the rate at which the ice melts.
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 4
Will works for a greenhouse in his local town. He learned how to conduct a controlled experiment in his science class. He decides to practice
this newly gained scientific knowledge and design a controlled experiment that deals with the proper conditions to grow seeds. Will writes down
the following investigative question and hypothesis. Identify the cause and effect in Will's hypothesis, identify the controlled variables and the
variable being tested in the experiment.
Investigative Question: What conditions affect the growth of seeds?
Hypothesis: Seeds that are in a wet environment will sprout faster than seeds in a dry environment.
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 5
Ali's favorite food is microwave popcorn. She loves microwave popcorn so much that she can't stand to waste the un-popped kernels in the
bottom of the bag. The next time Ali goes to the grocery store she buys all the brands of microwave popcorn that the store has. With these
brands of popcorn she writes the following investigative question and conducts an experiment. After reading the following investigative question
write a possible hypothesis for the experiment, identify the cause and effect, the controlled variables, and the variables being tested in the
experiment.
Investigative Question: What affects the amount of popped kernels you get when you microwave popcorn?
Hypothesis:
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Please change each hypothesis to an If, Then, Because statement!
Underline Independent And Dependent Variables
Scenario 6
Mr. C., a sixth grade science teacher notices that Harry, one of his students, is making a paper airplane in his class. As a punishment, Mr. C.
gives Harry the following investigative question and instructs him to design an experiment to find the "best" airplane. Mr. C. does not give him
any directions on how to accomplish this task, or what the word "best" means. Look at following investigative question and help Harry in his
quest to design the "best" airplane by writing him a hypothesis (identifying cause and effect), identifying the controlled variables, and the
variable being tested in his experiment.
Investigative Question: What can affect the flight of a paper airplane?
Hypothesis:
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 7
Bob is a Cub Scout and his trying to create a winning "Pine Wood Derby" race car. The kit that he receives from Scout Master contains many
different size wheels. Because of Bob's desire to win, he decides that he will design an experiment to see which set of wheels will give his car the
highest velocity. To start his experiment he writes the following investigative question. After reading the investigative question, design a
hypothesis, identify the cause and effect, identify the controlled variables, and the variable being tested in the experiment.
Investigative Question: Does the size of the wheel affect the velocity of the car when rolled down a ramp?
Hypothesis:
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested:
Scenario 8
Biologist Bill is is planning to conduct a long term study dealing with the preferred habitat of earthworms. Before beginning the experiment Bill
writes the following investigative question. After reading the investigative question, write a hypothesis (identify the cause and effect), identify the
controlled variables and variable being tested in the experiment.
Investigative Question: What habitat will an earthworm prefer?
Hypothesis:
Cause:
Effect:
Controlled Variables:
Variable Being Tested: