Plant Growth Scientific Method

Name:

Date:

🌱 Scenario: Plant Growth & Sunlight

Read this scenario carefully:

Maria noticed that her grandmother's tomato plants in the backyard grew much taller and had more tomatoes than the ones growing in the shaded area near the fence. She wondered if the amount of sunlight affects how well plants grow.

1. What is Maria's observation about the plants?

2. Based on her observation, what question is Maria trying to answer?

3. Write a hypothesis for Maria's question. (Use "If... then..." format)

🔬 Designing the Experiment

4. Describe how Maria could design an experiment to test her hypothesis. Include:

• What materials she would need

• How she would set up the experiment

• What she would measure

5. What is the independent variable (what Maria changes) in this experiment?

6. What is the dependent variable (what Maria measures) in this experiment?

7. Name two things Maria should keep the same for all plants (controlled variables):

a) _________________________________

b) _________________________________

📊 Results and Conclusion

8. After 3 weeks, Maria finds that plants in full sunlight grew an average of 8 inches, while plants in shade grew an average of 3 inches. How should she analyze and record this data?

9. Based on these results, what conclusion should Maria make about her hypothesis?

Her hypothesis was correct - sunlight does affect plant growth

Her hypothesis was incorrect - sunlight does not affect plant growth

She needs to repeat the experiment to be sure

10. What could Maria do to improve her experiment or investigate further?