Is there another explanation?

Science · Scientific Inquiry · ages 7-9

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A good scientist stops as soon as they think of one explanation.
Circle one: True False
Zara hears a bump at night and says, it must be a ghost. What should she do before deciding that's true?
- Think of at least one other explanation
- Tell everyone it's a ghost
- Stop thinking about it
Which question helps you think of another explanation?
- What else could cause this?
- Who is the smartest person here?
- What is my favorite color?
Why might the first explanation you think of be wrong?
- Because it is always wrong
- Because it might just be the easiest guess, not the true one
- Because explanations don't matter
Leo's plant is drooping. He thinks, it needs water. What is a good next step?
- Water it and never check anything else
- Think of another reason, like too much sun or bugs
- Throw the plant away
Thinking of more than one explanation can help you find the real reason for something.
Circle one: True False
Two friends hear a loud crash in the kitchen. One says, the cat knocked something over. The other says, maybe the wind slammed a door, or a jar just fell. Whose thinking is more like a scientist's?
- Neither, because it doesn't matter
- The friend with only one idea
- The friend with more than one idea
Mia's toy car stopped moving. She said, the batteries are dead, and never checked anything else. It turned out a wheel was stuck. What did Mia do wrong?
- She didn't think of another possible explanation
- She used the wrong toy
- She should have thrown the car away

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

False · A good scientist keeps asking if there is another reason, even after finding one that seems to fit.
Think of at least one other explanation · A ghost is one guess. Maybe the wind moved something, or a pet knocked something over.
What else could cause this? · Asking what else could cause this opens up other ideas you might have missed.
Because it might just be the easiest guess, not the true one · The first idea that comes to mind isn't always tested. It might just be the easiest guess.
Think of another reason, like too much sun or bugs · Checking for other causes, like sunlight or bugs, helps Leo find the real reason.
True · Comparing explanations helps you test which one is really true.
The friend with more than one idea · The second friend thought of several possible explanations instead of stopping at the first one, just like a scientist would.
She didn't think of another possible explanation · Mia stopped at her first idea. Checking other explanations, like a stuck wheel, would have helped her find the true reason.