| involves describing and/or quantifying parts of a natural or man-made system | involves collecting data on different organisms/objects/features, or collecting data under different conditions (e.g., times of year, temperatures, locations) to make a comparison | involves designing a fair test in which variables are actively manipulated, controlled, and measured in an effort to gather evidence to support or not support a causal relationship |
| Measuring the width of a desk with a meter stick | Using a hand lens to examine the color and texture of four different rocks | Planting rye grass seeds in potting soil in three plastic cups, placing them on a window sill, and watering one daily, one every third day, and one not at all |
| Question: What happens when a piece of potato is added to hydrogen peroxide? Materials: small plastic cup, peeled potato cut into small, equal-sized pieces, hydrogen peroxide in a bottle, plastic pipette | Question: Which vegetable shows the greatest reaction with hydrogen peroxide? Materials: 2 small plastic cups, hydrogen peroxide in a bottle, plastic pipette, 2 different vegetables (potato, bell pepper, carrot) | Question: How does the amount of potato affect its reaction with a fixed amount of hydrogen peroxide? Materials: peeled potator cut into small, equal-sized pieces, 5-6 plastic cups, plastic pipette, hydrogen peroxide in a bottle |