Asking Questions and Making Predictions - First Grade Science
Every great scientific discovery begins with a question. When you ask why something happens, how an object works, or what will happen next, you take the first step on a scientific journey. After asking a question, a scientist makes a prediction, which is a thoughtful guess based on clues and past experience. By learning how to ask testable questions and make smart predictions, you can investigate the world and find real answers.
The Art of Asking Scientific Questions
Not all questions are scientific. A scientific question is one that can be answered by making observations, gathering measurements, or doing an experiment.
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| SCIENTIFIC VS. OPINION QUESTIONS |
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| SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS (Can be tested) OPINION QUESTIONS (Personal) |
| - Which seed sprouts faster: bean - Is the bean plant prettier |
| or sunflower? than the sunflower? |
| - How far does a toy car roll on - Is red a cooler color for a |
| tile compared to carpet? car than blue? |
| - Does an ice cube melt faster in - Does melted ice taste nicer |
| warm water or cold water? than cold ice? |
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Characteristics of a Testable Question
A testable question focuses on specific objects, actions, and observable outcomes. It often uses words like "What happens if...", "Which one...", or "How does... affect...". Testable questions lead directly to an experiment where you can see, count, or measure the results.
Moving from Wonder to Investigation
You might start by wondering: "I wonder why worms come out when it rains." To turn that wonder into a scientific question, you can ask: "Do worms prefer wet soil or dry soil?" This question can be tested by placing worms in a box with damp soil on one side and dry soil on the other side to see where they crawl.
Making Predictions (Hypotheses)
Once you have a clear question, you make a prediction before starting your test. In advanced science, a testable prediction is called a hypothesis.
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| HOW TO MAKE A PREDICTION |
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| [OBSERVE] ---> Look at clues and remember what you know. |
| [CONNECT] ---> Think about how those clues relate to your test. |
| [PREDICT] ---> State what you think will happen and WHY. |
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The "If... Then... Because..." Structure
A great way to state a scientific prediction is using the "If... then... because..." pattern: "If I put one ice cube in warm water and one in cold water, then the ice cube in warm water will melt faster, because heat makes ice melt quickly." This statement clearly states what action you will take, what result you expect, and the reasoning behind your thought.
Predictions Are Not Wild Guesses
A scientific prediction is an educated guess based on evidence, not just picking an answer randomly. If you have previously noticed that balls roll smoothly on hard wood floors but slow down on thick rugs, you can predict that a toy car will roll further on wood than on carpet.
Testing Your Predictions
After making a prediction, you test it by setting up a fair test. A fair test is an experiment where you change only one variable at a time so you know exactly what caused the outcome.
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| PARTS OF A FAIR TEST |
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| INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (What you change on purpose) |
| - The surface: Tile floor vs. Shaggy carpet |
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| CONTROLLED VARIABLES (What you keep strictly the same) |
| - Same toy car |
| - Same ramp height and steepness |
| - Released from the same starting line without pushing |
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| DEPENDENT VARIABLE (What you measure as the result) |
| - Distance traveled in centimeters with a ruler |
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What if Your Prediction Is Wrong?
In science, being "wrong" is wonderful! If your prediction does not match what happens, you have discovered something new and unexpected. Scientists celebrate incorrect predictions because they reveal new mysteries to explore.
Chapter Review Exercises
Question 1: What makes a question a "testable scientific question" rather than a question of personal opinion?
Question 2: Rewrite this casual wonder into a testable scientific question: "I wonder if plants like juice."
Question 3: Explain the three parts of an "If... then... because..." prediction statement.
Question 4: Why is it important in a fair test to change only one thing at a time while keeping everything else the same?
Solutions and Explanations
Solution 1: A testable scientific question can be answered by observing, measuring, and experimenting with physical objects and natural events. An opinion question relies on personal feelings, tastes, or preferences that cannot be measured or proven by facts.
Solution 2: A testable scientific question could be: "Will a bean plant grow taller if watered with apple juice instead of plain tap water?"
Solution 3: The "If" part describes the action or variable that you will change in the experiment. The "then" part predicts the observable outcome you expect to see. The "because" part explains the scientific reason or clue that supports your prediction.
Solution 4: It is important to change only one thing at a time so that you can be sure which factor caused the result. If you changed multiple things at once, you would not know which change was responsible for the outcome.