AC9S1I01 · YEAR 1 · INQUIRY

Asking Pattern Questions

ACARA v9 CONTENT DESCRIPTION “pose questions to explore observed simple patterns and relationships and make predictions based on experiences”
Builds on watching the world and saying what you notice. Here a child takes one thing they have seen, like which toys float, and turns it into a question they can try out, then makes a good guess from what they already know.

Notice a pattern, then ask about it

When you play, you see patterns. Some things float and some things sink. A plant leans toward the window. Asking a question turns what you noticed into something you can test. A good question is about something you can try and watch, like which things float in the bath.

Which things float? Change just one thing
You want to find out which things float in water. To be fair, only change one thing at a time.
You drop a cork and it floats. You drop a stone and it sinks. You want to ask: does floating depend on the kind of thing? To find out fairly, keep everything the same and change only one thing.
Variable being tested: The thing you put in the water (cork, stone, spoon) (this one we change)
How much water is in the bowl
How gently you place each thing in
Not a fair test yet: more than one thing is changing, so you could not tell which change caused the result. Hold every other variable the same.

Make a good guess from what you know

A prediction is a good guess. It says what you think will happen and gives a reason from things you have seen before. You have seen heavy stones sink, so you can guess that the big heavy ball will sink too. Then you test it and find out if your guess was right.

Does the plant grow toward the window?
You notice the plant leans toward the window. To test it fairly, keep everything the same and turn only the pot.
Every morning the leaves point at the window. You wonder if light is the reason. To find out fairly, you turn the pot around and keep the water and the spot the same.
Variable being tested: Which way the plant faces at the start (this one we change)
How much water the plant gets
Which sunny spot the plant sits in
Not a fair test yet: more than one thing is changing, so you could not tell which change caused the result. Hold every other variable the same.

Look for the pattern, and the odd one out

You watch the plant for a week and write down how far it leans toward the window each day. Most days it leans a little more. That steady climb is the pattern. Watch for a day that does not fit, because that is the one to check again before you trust the pattern.

Find the day that does not fit
You measured how far the plant leaned toward the window each day. Most days it leaned a little more. One day does not fit the steady climb.
Click the point that does not fit the pattern of the others.

Which findings back up your guess?

Your guess was that the plant grows toward the window because of the light. Some things you notice back up that guess, and some are just along for the ride. Sorting the real clues from the rest is a big part of asking good questions.

Sort the clues for your guess
Your guess: the plant grows toward the window because of the light. Which findings back it up?
Claim: The plant grows toward the window because that is where the light is.
When you turned the pot, the leaves slowly swung back toward the window.
A plant kept in a dark cupboard grew pale and did not lean any way.
The pot was a nice shade of red.
On a sunny day the leaves pointed straight at the bright window.
You watered the plant with a green watering can.
Decide whether each statement is evidence for the claim, or not.

Why this matters

Noticing a pattern, asking a question about it, and making a good guess from what you know is how science starts. You do it every time you wonder why something happens and then try it out to find the answer.

Quick self-check
1. You see that big rocks sink and a cork floats. What is a good question to ask?
2. A prediction is a good guess that uses what you already know. Which one is a prediction?
3. You want to test if big leaves catch more water than small leaves. To be fair, what should you change?
4. Your plant leaned toward the window every day for a week. On Tuesday it leaned away. What should you do?
5. Why is it useful to ask a question about a pattern you have seen?