ACARA v9 CONTENT DESCRIPTION “suggest and follow safe procedures to investigate questions and test predictions”
Builds on asking simple questions and guessing what might happen. Here we learn to test our guess in a safe way: pick safe steps, change just one thing, and tidy up at the end.
A test needs safe steps
When you want to find an answer, you do a test. A good tester stays safe. You ask an adult to help, you wear an apron, and you never taste or smell things you do not know. You plan your safe steps first, then you follow them in order.
Pick the safer way to do the test
You want to see how high a ball bounces. Each way gets the job done, but one is safer. Tap a way to see what is good and what is risky.
You will drop a ball and watch how high it bounces. There are two ways to drop it from up high.
Choose a response to see what is gained and what is given up.
Get ready before you start
Before you mix, pour, or drop anything, you get ready. You put on an apron so your clothes stay clean and dry. You move cups away from the edge of the table. You keep the floor clear so no one trips. Getting ready is part of doing a test the safe way.
Follow the steps and change just one thing
You want to know if seeds grow faster in the sun or in the shade. To find out, you keep everything the same and change only one thing.
You plant the same seeds in two pots. One pot sits in the sun and one pot sits in the shade. To keep the test fair, hold everything else the same.
Variable being tested: Where each pot sits: in the sun or in the shade (this one we change)
The same kind of seeds in both pots
The same amount of water for both pots
The same size of pot for both
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.
Which actions keep us safe?
As you do your test, some actions keep you safe and some do not. Asking an adult, wearing an apron, and not tasting things are safe. Tasting an unknown powder or leaving a spill on the floor is not safe. A good tester can tell the safe actions apart from the risky ones.
Sort the safe actions from the risky ones
A safe tester does the safe things. Read each action and decide if it is a safe way to do the test.
Claim: These are the safe ways to do an investigation.
You ask an adult to help you before you start.
You put on an apron to keep your clothes clean and dry.
You taste a new powder to find out what it is.
You wash your hands and clean up when you are done.
You leave a wet spill on the floor for the next person.
Decide whether each statement is evidence for the claim, or not.
Why this matters
Every good test starts with a safe plan and ends with a tidy clean up. When you ask for help, wear an apron, never taste what you do not know, and change just one thing, you can find real answers and keep everyone safe. This is the way scientists work too.
Quick self-check
1. You want to find out which ball bounces higher. What is the safe first step?
2. Before you mix or pour anything, what should you put on?
3. In a test you find a new powder. What is the safe thing to do?
4. You want to test if seeds grow faster in sun or shade. What do you change?
5. You have finished your test. What is the last safe step?