Lesson 10 of 11 · Data and Evidence
Experiment⭐ 30 XPChoosing What to Measure
Data and Evidence.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Deciding what to measure is half the investigation. "Is this plant healthy?" cannot be answered directly, but height, leaf count and leaf colour can all be measured — and together they stand in for health.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- two potted plants
- ruler
- notebook
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling soil.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Choose three measurable indicators of plant health and record them for two plants over two weeks, one watered and one not. Say which indicator changed first.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2An indicator is used when the thing you care about is:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
Choosing What to Measure
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
Full screen — no distractions
Checkout complete lesson on Data and Evidence for 6th Grade
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