Plan a fair experiment

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Question, Does the amount of light change how tall bean plants grow?; what is changed, blank; what is measured, blank. Ari tests whether the amount of light changes how tall bean plants grow. What is the independent variable?

   • The amount of light each plant gets
   • How tall the bean plants grow by the end
   • The color of the pots on the shelf
   • The kind of soil, which stays the same
2. 2.

   What is changed, drop height: 50, 100, 150 cm; what is measured, blank. Bo drops a ball from 50, 100 and 150 cm and measures how high it bounces. What is the dependent variable?

   • How high the ball bounces
   • The drop height of the ball
   • The number of people watching the drop
   • The kind of ball, kept the same
3. 3.

   Kira times how long sugar takes to dissolve in cold and in warm circle water. Which pair names the variables correctly?

   • Changed: water temperature; measured: time to dissolve
   • Changed: amount of sugar; measured: water temperature
   • Changed: time to dissolve; measured: water temperature
   • Changed: the glass; measured: the spoon
4. 4.

   “Investigation card:” Jun tests three paper-towel brands to see which soaks up the most water. What must stay the same?

   • The brand of paper towel
   • The amount of water each towel soaks up
   • The water amount and the towel size
   • Nothing; any amounts will do
5. 5.

   Luz tests whether salt makes ice cubes melt faster. Which plan is fair?

   • Big cubes get salt; small cubes get no salt
   • Test one plate of salted cubes and nothing else
   • Same-size cubes in the same room, salt on one plate
   • Salted cubes in the sun; plain cubes in the cool shade
6. 6.

   Investigation card: what is changed, magnet A or B; what is measured, paper clips picked up. Milo compares two magnets by counting how many paper clips each picks up. Which choice would make the test unfair?

   • Using bigger paper clips for one magnet
   • Testing both magnets on the same table
   • Counting the clips the same way each time
   • Using the same box of paper clips for both
7. 7.

   Which hypothesis can Pia test with a ball and a meter stick?

   • Bouncing a ball is a good game
   • Balls bounce because they want to go back up
   • If the drop height is greater, the ball will bounce higher
   • Red balls are more fun to bounce than blue balls or green ones
8. 8.

   Ren will test sugar in cold and warm circle water. Which hypothesis fits the experiment?

   • If the water is warmer, sugar will dissolve faster
   • Sugar is better than salt
   • If the glass is blue, sugar will dissolve faster
   • Warm water is nicer than cold water

9. Read this first

   Use this

   Two rows of bean plants on a sunny shelf: one row watered with plant food mixed in, one row with plain water.

10. 9.

    Tala tests whether plant food helps bean plants grow. Which group is the control group?

    • Plants in a dark closet given plant food
    • The plants given plain water, with no plant food
    • The plants given plant food
    • No control is needed for this test

11. Use this

    A jar of water and two piles of bean seeds. Investigation card: what is changed, soaked or dry; what is measured, days to sprout.

12. 10.

    Esme wants to know whether soaking seeds overnight helps them sprout sooner. Which plan has a control group?

    • Soak 10 seeds and keep 10 dry, then plant all 20
    • Soak 1 seed and plant it by itself
    • Soak all 20 seeds, then plant them
    • Soak 10 seeds; plant the dry ones in different soil