Scientific Investigations - General Science for Kids!

Summary

In this video, Justin explores how scientific thinking helps answer questions about his garden. He distinguishes between two types of scientific investigations: observational and experimental. Observational investigations involve using senses and measurements to gather data, while experimental investigations test hypotheses by manipulating variables. Justin demonstrates both methods through his curiosity about how plant size affects flower growth and whether watering plants more accelerates their growth. The video highlights how both investigations rely on objective observations and explains how scientists use these methods to gather evidence and answer scientific questions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Scientific thinking helps us ask and answer questions about the world around us.
• 😀 Observational investigations use our five senses to gather data and answer questions.
• 😀 Observations can be descriptive (words) or quantitative (numbers), both providing useful insights.
• 😀 Not all questions can be answered through observation alone; experiments are sometimes necessary.
• 😀 Experimental investigations involve changing one variable to test its effect while keeping others constant.
• 😀 In experiments, the independent variable is what the scientist changes, and the dependent variable is what is measured.
• 😀 A control in an experiment ensures that only one variable is being tested at a time.
• 😀 Some questions, like how water affects plant growth, require experimental investigations to test hypotheses.
• 😀 Experimental investigations always include observations to collect evidence and measure results.
• 😀 The scientific process includes both observational and experimental investigations to answer different types of questions.
• 😀 Objective observations play an important role in both observational and experimental investigations, helping scientists gather evidence and make conclusions.

Q & A

What prompted the narrator to start planting a garden?

The narrator decided to start planting a garden to make the space more vibrant, thinking that flowers like daisies would help spruce things up.

What did the narrator notice about the bushes in the garden?

The narrator observed that some of the bushes on which the daisies were growing seemed a little different, sparking curiosity about their growth patterns.

How did the narrator begin to investigate the differences in the bushes?

The narrator decided to gather evidence by measuring the bushes, finding that some plants were taller than others, which led to further questions.

What kind of questions did the narrator ask about the plants?

The narrator asked questions like whether taller plants lead to bigger flowers, if plant size affects flower color or shape, and if watering the plants more would make them grow faster.

What are the two main types of scientific investigations mentioned in the script?

The two main types of scientific investigations mentioned are observational investigations and experimental investigations.

What is an observational investigation?

An observational investigation is a scientific approach that uses observations made through the five senses, either qualitative (words) or quantitative (numbers), to answer questions.

Can you give an example of an observation related to the daisies in the script?

One example is the observation that larger flowers at the top of the plants were about three inches wide, while the smaller flowers at the bottom were only about one inch wide.

Why can't the question about watering plants more be answered through observational investigation alone?

This question requires an experimental investigation because it involves testing whether increasing the amount of water affects plant growth, which cannot be answered through observation alone.

What are the two key parts of an experimental investigation?

The two key parts of an experimental investigation are variables and controls. Variables are the factors that change during the experiment, and controls are the factors that remain constant to ensure valid results.

How do the concepts of independent and dependent variables relate to the plant watering experiment?

In the experiment, the independent variable is the amount of water given to the plants, while the dependent variable is how fast the plants grow as a result of the water.

Why are controls important in experiments?

Controls are important because they ensure that only one variable is being tested at a time, allowing the scientist to isolate and understand the impact of that specific change on the outcome.

How are observational investigations used within experimental investigations?

Observational investigations are used within experimental investigations to gather objective evidence and measure the changes that occur due to the manipulation of variables.

What final advice does the narrator give at the end of the video?

The narrator advises viewers to practice scientific thinking and experiment design by checking out the practice questions and activities that go with the lesson.