Asking scientific questions · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Asking questions like a scientist

Science · Scientific Inquiry · ages 5-8
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. You want to know how tall your plant is now. What could you do?

    • Write down a guessed height.
    • Measure it with a ruler.
    • Ask a friend for a guessed height.

  2. Which of these is a science question?

    • Why do birds fly?
    • I like watching birds.
    • Birds are my favourites.

  3. You can only answer questions by asking an expert.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. You want to learn what an extinct dinosaur called Triceratops looked like. Which method fits?

    • Read a science book about it.
    • Guess its shape without checking.
    • Look for a living one in the park.

  5. You want to know how long an ice cube takes to melt. An adult can help you use a clock. Which method fits?

    • Guess the time without watching.
    • Ask someone to guess the time.
    • Watch it and time the melting.

  6. Look at these: 'Why is the sky blue?', 'How do birds fly?', 'What is your name?', 'How do plants grow?'. How many are science questions about nature?

    Answer: ______________

  7. Priya wants to know how many petals this daisy has. She asks friends to guess. What would answer her question better?

    • Count the petals on that daisy.
    • Choose the most popular petal guess.
    • Ask another friend for a petal guess.

  8. Zack sees that his tomato plant is drooping. He guesses it needs water, but never checks the soil. What could he do to check for a clue?

    • Notice again that the leaves droop.
    • Check whether the soil feels dry.
    • Repeat his guess without checking.
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Answer key

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

Asking questions like a scientist W1-mt_XirhnAB6Ye-s1

  1. Measure it with a ruler. · A ruler measures the plant's height. A guess does not measure it.
  2. Why do birds fly? · 'Why do birds fly?' asks for an answer about nature. The other sentences tell feelings.
  3. False · Asking someone who knows is one method. You can also observe, test or read.
  4. Read a science book about it. · A science book can share what scientists have learned about Triceratops. This dinosaur is extinct, so you cannot observe a living one.
  5. Watch it and time the melting. · Watching and timing measures how long melting takes. It does not tell you by itself why the ice melted.
  6. 3 · The questions 'Why is the sky blue?', 'How do birds fly?' and 'How do plants grow?' all ask about nature.
  7. Count the petals on that daisy. · Counting this daisy's petals directly answers the question. Agreement between guesses is not a count.
  8. Check whether the soil feels dry. · Dry soil could support Zack's idea that the plant needs water. It is a clue, not proof that lack of water caused the drooping.
Worksheet · LightMySky