Gr6 TN ALB SE PDF

Instructions for Copying
Answers are printed in non-reproducible blue. Copy pages on a light

setting in order to make multiple copies for classroom use.
Credits
1 Courtesy American Museum of Natural History; 5 (t to b)The McGraw-Hill Companies,
(2)B&B Photos/Custom Medical Stock Photo, (3)Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, (4)Kevin & Betty
Collins/Visuals Unlimited; 11 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 13 18 The McGraw-Hill Companies;
19 Michael Mauro/Minden Pictures; 26 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 30 Visual&Written
SL/Alamy; 31 Joe McDonal/Bruce Coleman; 33 (l) The McGraw-Hill Companies, (r)Alan
and Sandy Carey/Getty Images; 34 35 38 39 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 43 Keith
Weller/USDA; 44 45 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 49 (t to b)Macmillan/McGraw-Hill,
(2)Tierbild Okapia/Photo Researchers, (3)Adrienne Gibson/Animals Animals, (4)Galen
Roswell/Corbis, (5)Tim Graham/Alamy; 53-85 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 84-85 MMH;
86-158 The McGraw-Hill Companies; 168 169 Ken Karp; 173 Janette Beckman; 176 (l)Bruce
Coleman Inc./Alamy, (r)JupiterMedia/Alamy; 177 180 181 Janette Beckman; 185 188 192
Joe Polillio; 196 DK Limited/Corbis; 197 Ken Karp; 201 205 Janette Beckman; 207 209
Ken Karp; 212 Janette Beckman; 214 David R. Frazer Photolibrary, Inc./Alamy; 217 221 Ken
Karp;
Contents
Be a Scientist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
LIFE SCIENCE
Chapter 1 Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 2 Energy and Matter in Ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

Chapter 3 Exploring Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter 4 The Solar System and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Chapter 5 Weather and Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Chapter 6 Energy and Forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Chapter 7 Exploring Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
TECHNOLOGY
Lesson 1 What is technology? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Copyright © Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Lesson 2 The Design of Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Lesson 3 Technology in Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Lesson 4 Technology in Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Lesson 5 Technology of the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Lesson 6 Exploring the Impact of Technology on Society . . . . . . . . 193
Everyday Science Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Learning Labs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Teacher’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Materials Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Activity Lab Book iii

Science Safety Contract
Dear Parent or Guardian,

Today our science class talked about how to work safely when doing
laboratory experiments. It is important that you be informed regarding the
school’s effort to promote a safe environment for students participating in
laboratory activities. Please review the safety rules and this entire Safety
Contract with your child. This contract must be signed by both you and your
child in order for your child to participate in laboratory activities.
Safety Rules:
1. Listen carefully and follow directions.

2. Perform only those experiments approved by your teacher. If you are not
sure about something, ask your teacher.
3. Take great care when handling and moving chemicals and hot materials.
4. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times.
5. Always clean up after you have finished an experiment.
6. Always wash your hands before and after an experiment.
7. Do not eat, drink, or chew gum in the laboratory.
Date: __________
I have read and reviewed the science safety rules with

my child. I consent to my child’s participation in science
laboratory activities in a classroom environment where
these rules are enforced.
Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________
I know that it is important to work safely in science

class. I understand the rules and will follow them.
Student Signature: __________________________________
Activity Lab Book v

Science Safety Contract
Estimados padres o tutor:

Hoy hemos hablado en nuestra clase de Ciencias sobre cómo mantener la
seguridad al realizar experimentos científicos. Es importante que ustedes estén
informados del propósito de la escuela de promover un entorno seguro para los
estudiantes que participan en las prácticas de laboratorio. Por favor, examinen
cuidadosamente con su niño o niña las reglas siguientes y el Acuerdo de
Seguridad. El acuerdo debe ser firmado tanto por uno de ustedes como por su
niño o niña para que él o ella pueda participar en las actividades de laboratorio.
Reglas de Seguridad:
1. Escucha con atención y sigue las indicaciones.

2. Haz sólo los experimentos aprobados por tu maestro o maestra.
Pregúntale a él o a ella si no estás seguro de algo.
3. Ejercita sumo cuidado al manipular y transportar productos químicos y
materiales calientes.
4. Compórtate en todo momento de manera responsable.

5. No te olvides de limpiar cuando termines de realizar un experimento.
6. Lávate siempre las manos antes y después de hacer un experimento.
7. No comas, bebas ni mastiques chicle en el laboratorio.
Fecha: __________
He leído y examinado las reglas de seguridad de

ciencias con mi niño o niña. Doy mi consentimiento para su
participación en las actividades del laboratorio de ciencias
en un entorno donde se hagan cumplir estas reglas.
Firma de uno de los padres o tutor: ___________________________
Sé la importancia que tiene trabajar con seguridad

en la clase de Ciencias. Comprendo las reglas y me
comprometo a seguirlas.
Firma del estudiante: __________________________________
vi Activity Lab Book

Name Date
Explore
What do you know about stars? Materials
Purpose • encyclopedia,
Stars are born, shine brightly for millions or billions Internet, and
of years, then collapse and even explode. Stars other reference
materials
change over time. How do you think these changes
happen? Write your answer in the form “Changes to
stars occur over time when . . .”
Procedure
1 Choose one or more of the processes or events you
believe account for the changes to stars, and do research
on what is known about your chosen topic.
2 Record Data In the chart below, take notes on the details of

observations and theories related to your research topic.
My Topic:
Observations Theories
Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

1
Explore Name Date
3 Communicate Prepare a report for the class on what is

known about your research topic. Include your ideas on
which theories you think are best supported and any
ideas for further observations.
Explore More
Orsola De Marco and Mordecai-Mark Mac Low
are astrophysicists. They both work at the
American Museum of Natural History in
New York City. Astrophysicists are scientists

who are curious about how the universe works.
Astrophysicists use different methods to
gather data. For example, Orsola studies
ies stars by
light to investigate the history of the universe Orsola stud a telescope.
ugh
and the behavior of objects in space. Through looking thro
a telescope, Orsola observes the light given
off by distant stars. However, the length of
time she can observe does not permit her
to see events that may take many, many
years to finish. Mordecai uses computer
models to investigate how the universe
works. Mordecai enters data into a computer.
The data he enters is processed by the
computer to make a model of an event
in space. The model can show what
happens in distant space over time.
By working together, their different skills
increase our understanding of stars. Mordecai st
ud
What do scientists like Mordecai and making com ies stars by
puter mode
ls.
2 Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

Name Date
Explore
Orsola learn about stars from their different methods of

work? How do scientists study stars?
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about stars and how scientists
study them.
▶ My question is:
▶ How I can test it:

▶ My results are:
Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

3
Alternative Name Date
Explore
What do you know Materials
about studying the stars? • encyclopedia,

Internet, and
1 How does Orsola De Marco study stars? other reference
materials
• color pencils
2 Suppose you were going with Orsola to observe
stars through a telescope. What question would
you want to investigate?
3 How does Mordecai-Mark Mac Low investigate the

universe?

4 “Stars are born, shine for millions or billions of years, then
collapse and even explode.” Draw a series of pictures
showing a star’s life cycle.
4 Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

Name Date
Explore
SPI 0607.Inq.3
How does sunlight affect life Materials
in an ecosystem?
Form a Hypothesis
How does the amount of sunlight affect the number
and types of organisms living in a small area? Write
your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If an area
receives more sunlight, then . . .”
• meterstick
• small stakes
• string
• thermometer
Test Your Hypothesis
• graph paper
1 Experiment With your teacher select two
areas on or near your school grounds to study. • field guides
Choose one area that receives full sunlight and

another that receives very little sunlight. Use a Step 2
meterstick to mark off a 2 m by 2 m plot in
each area with stakes and string.
2 Use Numbers Measure the air temperature at

ground level and at 1 m above ground level in
each area. Record your observations.
3 Observe Use graph paper to record the Step 3

locations of the living things in each area.
What kinds of organisms do you see? Look
closely at the ground.
Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

Activity Lab Book Living Things and Their Environments
5
Explore Name Date
4 Classify Use field guides to help you identify the

organisms you found.
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data Compare your observations of the two
areas. How do the temperatures differ? Which area
contains more living things? Did your observations
support your hypothesis? Based on your data, what
statement can you make about the effect of sunlight
on an ecosystem? Did any other variables affect your
results?

Explore More
How do you think the amount of water in an ecosystem
affects living things? Form a hypothesis, and design a
procedure to test it. Then share your results with your class.

6 Activity Lab Book Living Things and Their Environments
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about how the type of soil may
affect the amount and variety of living organisms in an area.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

7
Explore
Do plants need nutrients to grow? Materials
1 Measure Record the heights of all the plants in • ruler

the chart below.
• 3 small potted
plants
2 Experiment Line up all three potted plants in an
area where they will get the same amount of • water
sunlight. Feed the three plants as follows: add • water-soluble
water to the first plant, add liquid plant food to plant food
the second plant, and add a mixture of liquid
• measuring cup
plant food and water (at one quarter of the
strength listed on the plant-food container) to
the third plant.
3 Observe After one week measure the heights of the

plants, and record your data in the chart below. Feed
all three plants, following the same pattern as before.
Continue to feed the plants once a week for a total of

four weeks, observing the growth of the plants and
recording your findings in your chart.
Time Elapsed Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3
At Start
1 Week
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
4 Weeks

8 Activity Lab Book Living Things and Their Environments
Name Date
Quick Lab
Properties of Soil Materials
1 Experiment Place a small amount of soil in a • soil samples

filter-lined strainer. Set the strainer on top of • coffee filter
a beaker. Make two more setups for sandy soil
and soil with clay in it. Be sure to use the same • strainer
amount of all three kinds of soil. Make a fourth • beaker
setup with no soil.
• water
2 Use Variables At the same time, pour an equal • clock
amount of water into each of the soil samples as
well as the empty filter. Watch all of the setups
carefully for the same amount of time. What are the
dependent and independent variables in this experiment?
What is the control?
3 Measure Which soil sample allowed more water to pass

through fastest? Slowest?
4 Predict Which of the soil types would be best for shallow-

rooted plants needing a great deal of water? Design an
experiment to test your idea, and share your results.

9
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.1
What are some characteristics Materials
of populations?
Purpose
What characteristics do you think animals have?
Observe brine shrimp, and decide whether they
have characteristics of animals.
Procedure • 2 L water
1 • clear container
Pour water into the bowl. Add baking soda
and salt according to package directions, • sea salt
and stir until dissolved. Then add the • baking soda
contents of the brine shrimp package. Place
the bowl in a warm area, in front of a sunny • package of brine
window. Allow it to sit for 12–24 hours. Then shrimp
add a drop of baker’s yeast, mixed with a • baker’s yeast
small amount of water. What do you think

• hand lens
the yeast is for?
• metric ruler
• research books
(optional)
Step 1

10 Activity Lab Book Populations
Name Date
Explore
2 Observe Using a hand lens, watch the brine shrimp

carefully. Draw what you see, and write down any
behaviors you notice. Do the brine shrimp have
characteristics of animals?
3 Measure Look at the millimeter marks on your ruler, and

estimate the length of an average-sized brine shrimp.
4 Communicate Record your observations, and compare

your results to those of your classmates. Make a poster
that shows and explains your observations.
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data What characteristics do animals display?
Make changes to your original ideas based on your
observations.

Activity Lab Book Populations
11
Explore Name Date
Explore More
Continue observations over the next few days. Have there
been any changes? How should brine shrimp be classified?
What kind of water environment do they require? Where do
they fit in a food chain?
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the conditions in which
brine shrimp survive.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Name Date Alternative
Explore
What are some characteristics Materials
of brine shrimp? • encyclopedias,

Internet, and
1 Find information on the characteristics of other reference
brine shrimp. materials
2 Classify Are brine shrimp classified as

animals? Why or why not?
3 Discuss the characteristics of brine shrimp.

4 What is the natural habitat of brine shrimp?
5 Which reference materials helped you most in your

research?

13
Quick Lab Name Date
Comparing Biotic Potential Materials
1 Obtain three different whole fruits. Remove all • three different

the seeds from one fruit and set them aside. whole fruits
Be Careful. Do not eat the fruit or put the
seeds in your mouth.
2 Repeat step 1 with the other two fruits.

Wash your hands.
3 Observe Count the number of seeds from

each of the three fruits.
Fruit 1:
Fruit 2:
Fruit 3:
4 Compare your seed totals with those of other members of

your class. Which fruits have the most seeds? Do all fruits
of one type have the same number of seeds?
5 Use Numbers Find the average number of seeds for each

type of fruit. On a separate sheet of paper, create a graph
that shows which fruits have the greatest biotic potential.
Fruit 1 Average:
Fruit 2 Average:
Fruit 3 Average:

Name Date Be a
Scientist
GLE 0607.Inq.1
Structured Inquiry
Materials
How do scientists count species • wooden stakes
in an area?
Form a Hypothesis • paper
When biologists study animals and plants, they
often begin by finding out how many of each
species are in an area. Because it would be • pencil
impossible to count every animal and plant,
biologists take a sample plot and make a careful
count of the animals and plants in that sample plot.
Biologists use the sample plot to estimate how
many species are in a larger area. How can you determine
the number of organisms living in an area near your school
or home? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If
I count X organisms in my sample plot, then the whole area
will contain.... ”

1 In an undisturbed area, set up four wooden stakes in a
square. The stakes should be 30 cm (12 in.) apart on the
sides of the square. Wrap 2 m (6.5 ft) of survey ribbon
around the stakes to mark the square.
2 As accurately as you can, draw what you see inside your
square.

15
Be a Name Date
Scientist
3 Observe List all the organisms that you see.

4 Use Numbers Count each type of organism.
5 Organize your information from steps 3 and 4 in the table below
Plant or Animal Type Number of Organisms
6 Predict What larger animals (such as rabbits, cats, deer,

or frogs) might be a part of your mini-square ecosystem?
Draw Conclusions
7 Use Numbers Calculate how many organisms you would
find in an area 100 times larger than your study area.
8 Communicate Compare your results with those from
your original hypothesis, and share with the class your
findings from your sample plot.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
How do a species’ numbers affect

other species?
Form a Hypothesis
You have already determined how many different species
occur in an area. Based on your findings, what would happen
if one species became extinct? How would this situation
affect the numbers of other species? Write your answer in
the form of a hypothesis: “If species X were extinct, then the
number of species Y would....”

Decide what data you need to collect in order to test your
hypothesis. Research the effect of the selected species on
your ecosystem, as well as the manner in which that species
interacts with other species.
Draw Conclusions
How would the extinction of one species affect others in an ecosystem?

17
Be a Name Date
Scientist
Open Inquiry
What else can you learn about the numbers of species in an
ecosystem? For example, what might happen to other species’
numbers if one species’ population were to increase drastically? Design
an investigation to answer your question. Organize your experiment to
test only one variable. Write your investigation so that another group
could complete the experiment by following your instructions.
▶ My question is
▶ My hypothesis is

▶ How I can test it
▶ My conclusions are

Name Date
Explore
SPI 0607.Inq.3
How do different Materials
biomes compare?
Purpose
A biome is a region that has a particular climate.
Earth’s land biomes include taigas, tundras, rain
forests, deciduous forests, deserts, and grasslands.
Do all biomes have the same kinds of plants and
animals? Research the characteristics of one biome,
and draw a mural to represent it.
• masking tape
Procedure • long piece of
white butcher
1 Work in groups of four or five. Each group paper or chart
should select one biome to study. paper
2 Tape the paper to the walls of the classroom. • reference

materials
3 Research the biome your group has selected. • crayons and

Find out about the biome’s location, climate, colored markers
soil, plants, and animals. Record your data in • index cards
the chart below.
Step 3
Location
Climate
Soil
Plants
Animals

Activity Lab Book Land Biomes
19
Explore Name Date
4 Make a Model Draw a mural that represents your biome.

Show at least two plants and two animals that live in the
biome. Include a world map that shows the locations of
the biome. Use the space below to list the plants and
animals you chose to show in the mural of the biome.
5 Communicate List on index cards the information you

collected, and attach the cards to your mural. Indicate
where you obtained the information. Record your
answers below.

Draw Conclusions
6 Compare Compare your group’s mural to the other
groups’ biome murals. What similarities and differences
do the plants and animals in the biomes seem to have?

20 Activity Lab Book Land Biomes
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
Compare various food chains in the biomes. What are the
main producers in each? What are the main consumers?
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the characteristics of
organisms that live in different biomes.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

21
Explore
How do different Materials
biomes compare? • encyclopedia,

Internet, or
1 Record Data Select a month of the year, and use other reference
your available resource materials to find materials
the average monthly temperature of each of • graph paper
the six land biomes.
• color pencils
Deciduous Rain
Desert Grassland Taiga Tundra
Forest Forest
2 Record Data Using the same month you selected

for step 1, find the average monthly precipitation

each of the six land biomes receives.
Deciduous Rain
Desert Grassland Taiga Tundra
Forest Forest
3 Compare Make a graph that compares the average

monthly temperatures and precipitation of the six
biomes. Mark the six biomes using a different color
pencil for each one.

22 Activity Lab Book Land Biomes
Name Date
Quick Lab
Endangered Species Materials

1 Choose an endangered animal species to study.
• books, Web sites,
The species I chose is . and other sources
2 Use books, Web sites, and other sources to find • paper and writing
information about this endangered species. utensils
List some of the sources you used here.
3 Identify the species’ niche in its biome. Find out what it

eats, where it lives, and how it interacts with plants and
other animals in the biome.
4 Draw a food web that shows the interactions between

the endangered species and the plants and other animals
in the biome. Show how they depend on each other for
resources such as food and shelter.
5 Infer What would happen if this animal became extinct?

23
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.2
How can aquatic Materials
organisms be classified? • dropper

Purpose • sample of
What characteristics can you use to classify aquarium, pond,
different living things? Observe living things in or ocean water
a drop of water, and group those with similar • slide
characteristics.
• coverslip
Procedure • microscope
1 Observe Place one drop of the water sample
on a clean microscope slide. Gently lower a
coverslip onto the slide so it touches the drop
as shown. Lower and release the coverslip so
it flattens the drop. Place the slide on the
stage of the microscope, and observe it
under low power.

2 Record Data Work with a partner to look for Step 1
living things in the drop. What characteristics
do they have? Record your observations.
Step 2
3 Classify Find different ways to group

organisms with similar characteristics.

24 Activity Lab Book Aquatic Ecosystems
Name Date
Explore
4 Communicate Make a data table of the different kinds of

characteristics you observed (motion, shape, color, size,
cells, and so on).
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data What characteristics did you use to
place the living things in separate groups? What do
the members of each group have in common? What
differences do they have?
6 Compare Did you find more than one way to classify an

organism? If so, why did you decide on one particular
way rather than another?

Activity Lab Book Aquatic Ecosystems
25
Explore Name Date
Explore More
Add other living things to your classification system. Study
living specimens around you. You might observe animals at a
local zoo. How does the addition of new living things change
your classification system?
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about classifying similar
organisms.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How can you tell if a cell Materials
is from a plant or an animal? • encyclopedia or

biology textbook
1 Observe Look at pictures of plant cells and
animal cells.
2 Compare What are the similarities between animal cells

and plant cells? What are the differences?
3 Use the box below to draw the features of a plant cell

and the features of an animal cell. Be sure to emphasize
any differences between the two types of cells.

Activity Lab Book Aquatic Ecosystems
27
Quick Lab Name Date
Wetlands as Water Filters Materials
1 Make a Model Place two small, potted • 2 small potted

houseplants in two clear containers. Each plant plants
and pot represents a wetland. • 2 clear plastic
containers
2 Slowly pour clean water into one of the plants.
Observe the liquid that comes out of the • water
bottom of the pot. • colored,
powdered drink
mix
3 Experiment Add some colored, powdered drink

mix to a cup of water, and stir. This represents

polluted water. Slowly pour the mixture into the
second plant. Observe what happens, and note
the color of the water that drains from the pot.
4 Draw Conclusions Based on your observations, what can

you conclude about the role of wetlands?

Name Date
Explore
SPI 0607.Inq.1
How does light affect plants? Materials
Form a Hypothesis
Plants need light to grow. What do you think will
happen to a plant’s leaves if you cover parts of
them so that no light reaches those parts? Write
your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If parts of
a plant’s leaves do not receive any light, then . . .”
• aluminum foil
• growing plant (a
large-leafed plant
will work best)
• paper clips
• water
1 Wrap small pieces of aluminum foil over parts Step 1

of several leaves of a growing plant. Secure
the foil with paper clips. Wash your hands after
handling the plant.
2 Use Variables Cover at least four different

leaves of the plant in the same way.
3 Place the plant in a window where it will have Step 3

lots of light. Water the plant as needed.
Chapter 2 • Energy and Matter in Ecosystems Use with Lesson 1

Activity Lab Book Energy from the Sun
29
Explore Name Date
4 Experiment After one day carefully lift the foil and check
each leaf. Write down your observations. Gently replace
the foil in the same position. Continue your observations
each day for one week, placing the foil back in the same
position each time. How do the areas covered by the foil
differ from the other parts of the leaves?
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data What changes did you observe after 1 day?
After 2 days? After 1 week? How do light and darkness
seem to affect the growth of leaves?

Explore More
What will happen if the leaves are no longer covered?
Remove the foil from the leaves, and continue to water and
observe the plant for another week. Share your findings with
the rest of your class.

30 Activity Lab Book Energy from the Sun
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about additional factors that
would affect the health of plant leaves.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

31
Explore
Do all plants need the Materials
same conditions to grow? • encyclopedia,

Internet, or
1 Choose three different plants. other reference
materials
2 Research the specific conditions each plant
needs to grow best. Record the information
you find.
3 Draw Conclusions Do all plants need exactly the same

conditions to survive and grow?

4 Record Data Use the table below to check off which
conditions helps each plant grow best.
Conditions Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

32 Activity Lab Book Energy from the Sun
Name Date
Quick Lab
Leaves and Nutrition Materials
1 Collect a variety of leaves. • variety of leaves

• hand lens
2 Observe Examine each leaf with a hand lens,
and write down each structure that you can • thin white paper
identify. • crayons
3 Place a piece of white paper over the leaf and rub back
and forth with a crayon, making a print of the leaf.
4 Identify On the rubbing, identify the leaf as simple or

compound, and label each structure.
5 Using two different-colored crayons, trace the flow of

water and food through the veins.
6 Research and make a list of some animals that eat the

leaves you found.
7 What animals eat the animals you listed? How does

energy from the Sun reach them?

33
Explore Name Date
SPI 0607.2.2
How can you model a food chain? Materials
Make a Prediction
What would a connection of 20 organisms—based
on what they eat and what eats them—look like?
What shape might the path connecting them take?
Write your answer as a prediction in the form “If a
food-chain model includes 20 organisms, then it will
look . . .”
• scissors
• construction
paper
• hole punch
• yarn
Test Your Prediction
• top half of empty
1 Cut construction paper into 20 rectangles. 2 L soda bottle
Write the name of an organism on each

rectangle. Include eight plants, six animals
that eat these plants, four animals that eat
the plant-eaters, and two animals that eat the
animals that eat the plant-eaters. Make a hole
in each rectangle, and then tie a piece of yarn
through each hole.
2 Make a Model Cover the top of the bottle Step 2

with a circle of construction paper to
represent the Sun. Punch eight holes around
the rim of the “Sun,” and attach the eight
“plants” to these holes with yarn. They
should hang off the outer edge of the “Sun.”
Attach each of the six “plant-eaters” to
only one “food source.” Attach each of the
“animals that eat plant eaters.” Then attach
the “animals that eat animals that eat plant
eaters.”

34 Activity Lab Book Food Chains, Webs, and Pyramids
Name Date
Explore
Draw Conclusions
3 Observe How many levels are in your model? What
happens to the number of organisms in each level of your
model as the distance from the Sun increases? Follow the
path from the Sun to an animal in the level farthest from
the Sun. What do the connections between them look
like? Does your model look like as predicted?
4 Infer What could happen to the animal populations

represented in your model if a drought destroyed all the
plants?
Explore More
What changes might occur in an ecosystem into which new
animals move? Make a prediction, and design a way to test it.
Then share your ideas with the rest of the class.

Activity Lab Book Food Chains, Webs, and Pyramids
35
Explore Name Date
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about what would happen to an
ecosystem if new plants began to grow.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

Explore
What are some food chains Materials
in a tropical rain forest? • encyclopedia,

Tropical rain forests are ecosystems that contain a Internet, or
other reference
large variety of living organisms that are adapted to
materials
the warm, moist climate of the rain forest.
• colored pencils
1 Research some of the many food chains that
exist in a rain-forest ecosystem.
2 Select two of the food chains in your reference materials,

and sketch them in the box below with colored pencils.
3 Compare Are there any similarities between the two

food chains that you selected?
4 Infer Where does the energy in a tropical-rain-forest

food chain originate?

Activity Lab Book Food Chains, Webs, and Pyramids
37
Quick Lab Name Date
Water Food Web Materials
1 Obtain a sample of water from a pond or • water samples

stream. Do not wade into water to collect from a lake or
samples; ask your teacher or another adult to do stream and from
an aquarium
this.
• 2 microscope
2 Observe Place a drop of water on a microscope slides and
slide. Carefully place a coverslip over it. Examine coverslips
the slide under low and high power. What
organisms do you see?
3 Communicate On a separate sheet of paper,

make a Venn diagram similar to the one shown
at the right. In the left circle of your diagram,
sketch a food web containing the organisms that
you saw, as well as any larger organisms you think
might be part of the food web.
4 Research an ocean food web and sketch it in the right

circle. In the center, write any organisms that are
common to both ecosystems.
5 Infer Which organisms are producers? Which are

consumers? How do ocean producers and consumers
differ from those found in fresh water?

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.1
How does water recycle itself? Materials

Make a Prediction
All living things rely on water, yet there is a limited
supply of water on Earth. Water is recycled and is
used again and again. What will happen to soil if it is
moistened with water and then placed under a heat
• empty soda
source? Write your answer as a prediction in the bottle with cap
form “If moistened soil is allowed to sit under a heat (cut into halves)
source, then the water in the soil will....”
• soil
• spray water
bottle
• lamp or window
with sunlight
1 Place about 4 inches of soil in the bottom half Step 1
of the soda bottle.
2 Spray the soil with water so that it is moist but

not wet.
3 Secure the top half of the soda bottle over the

bottom half. Use tape if necessary.
Step 2
4 Observe Place the bottle under a lamp or in
direct sunlight. Observe it every 10 minutes for
a class period. Record your observations. Observe
the bottle again on the second day. Write down
your observations.

Activity Lab Book Cycles in Ecosystems
39
Explore Name Date
Draw Conclusions
5 What did you see the first day? The second day?
6 Infer What was the source of the water?
What was the source of the energy that caused changes in the bottle?
7 Observe What happened to the water?

Explore More
What might happen if you added some small plants to the
bottle? Some small rocks? What might happen if you added
more heat or placed the bottle in the shade?

40 Activity Lab Book Cycles in Ecosystems
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the movement of water in
the atmosphere.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

41
Explore
What does the carbon cycle Materials
look like? • books, Web sites,

Like water, carbon is constantly cycled through the and other sources
environment. When animals exhale, they are getting • magazines and
rid of the waste products of their own cellular newspapers
activity: carbon dioxide and water. What are some • poster board
other sources of carbon dioxide? What happens to
carbon dioxide in the environment? • glue
• markers
1 Gather information about the carbon cycle.
Identify sources of carbon dioxide and ways in
which carbon is absorbed.

2 Make a Model From magazines and newspapers, cut out
pictures that represent sources of carbon and pictures of
things that absorb and store carbon. Glue the pictures to the
poster board to make a model of the carbon cycle. Show
the different pathways of carbon’s journey through the
environment by drawing arrows to and from each picture.
3 Draw Conclusions What role do living things play in the

carbon cycle?
4 Infer Why does the burning of fossil fuels release carbon

dioxide into the atmosphere? Where does this carbon
dioxide come from?

Name Date
Quick Lab
Fertilizers
Procedure
Fill two plastic cups with pond water or Materials
water from an aquarium. • two plastic cups
• water plants, such
Add a few water plants, such as elodea, to
as elodea
each cup.
• pond water or
! Add a teaspoon of houseplant food to one aquarium water
cup, and label the cup. Be Careful. Always • houseplant food
wear protective gloves when handling plant
• protective gloves
foods.
" Observe Place both cups in a sunny

window, and observe them each day for
a week. Record your observations.
5 Interpret Data What effect did the plant food have

on plant growth in the cups? What is the independent
variable in this lab? What is the dependent variable?

43
Be a Name Date
Scientist GLE 0607.Inq.3
Structured Inquiry
Materials
What factors affect the • goggles
carbon cycle? • straw
Form a Hypothesis • cup
The carbon cycle is a series of events that recycles
carbon through the environment. Carbon exists • bromothymol
in many forms and can be found in the air and in blue
plants and animals. Plants take in carbon dioxide • graduated
from the air and convert it to a usable form. The cylinder
amount of carbon found in the air is affected by
air pollution, especially pollution from the burning • test tube
of fossil fuels. What role do plants play in the with cap
carbon cycle? Write your answer as a hypothesis • elodea
in the form “If carbon dioxide is added to a system
containing a plant, then . . .”

1 Use a straw to blow slowly into a small cup of Step 1
bromothymol blue. Record your observations.
Be Careful. Be sure to breathe out through
the straw; do not breathe in. Do not drink the
liquid in the cup. Wear safety goggles.
Step 2
2 Measure Pour 10 mL of bromothymol blue
into a test tube. Record the color of the liquid.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
3 Experiment Use the straw to blow gently into the Step 3

test tube until the liquid turns light green. Place
one piece of elodea in the test tube, and put the
cap on the tube. Record the color of the liquid.
4 Place the test tube near a window, and check the color
of the bromothymol blue every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
Record the color of the liquid at each interval.
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data What made the bromothymol blue
change color in step 1?
6 Infer If you had continued blowing into the test tube

instead of capping it, what do you think would have
happened during the 2-hour experiment?
7 Infer What part of the carbon cycle did you represent

when you blew into the test tube?

45
Be a Name Date
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
What factors affect the water cycle?

Form a Hypothesis
Does temperature affect the water cycle? Write your answer as
a hypothesis in the form “If the average air temperature changes
over a long period of time, then the water cycle will . . .”

Design an experiment to investigate how temperature affects
the water cycle. Write out the materials you will need and the
steps you will follow. Record your results and observations.
Draw Conclusions Copyright © Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Did your results support your hypothesis? Why or why not? What
do you think would happen to the water cycle in a large land area
if volcanic ash blocked the Sun’s rays for a few months?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Open Inquiry
What can you learn about the nitrogen cycle? For example,
does pollution affect it? Design an experiment to answer
your question, and carry out your experiment. Organize
your experiment to test only one variable, or one item being
changed. Write down the steps so that another group could
complete the experiment by following your instructions.
Remember to follow the steps of the scientific process.
▶ My question is:
▶ My hypothesis is:
▶ How can I test it:
▶ My conclusions are:

47
Explore Name Date
SPI 0607.Inq.4
How do volcanic eruptions Materials
affect habitats?
Make a Prediction
If a volcano erupts, what do you think will happen
to the habitats around it? Write your answer as a
prediction in the form “If a volcano erupts, then the
surrounding area will . . .” • photographs of
Mount St. Helens
before and after
the eruption of
1980 (shown)
• map showing
extent of damage
1 Observe Study the photographs of Mount
Step 1
St. Helens before and after the volcanic

eruption of 1980. What changes to the
mountain and its vegetation do you see?
2 Compare How did the upper and lower slopes Step 1

of Mount St. Helens change?

48 Activity Lab Book Changes in Ecosystems
Name Date
Explore
Draw Conclusions
3 Infer A topographic map shows the elevations of
landforms in an area. Do you think it would have been
necessary to redraw a topographic map of this area
after the volcano erupted? Why or why not?
4 Interpret Data How would you explain what you

observed? Did your observations support your
prediction? How does an erupting volcano affect the
area that surrounds it?
Explore More
Choose another natural disaster to study, such as the
tsunami in Asia in 2004 or Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Find
photographs taken of the same area before and after the
disaster. Describe any changes you see in the landforms and
the local vegetation. Analyze your results, and present them
to the class.

Activity Lab Book Changes in Ecosystems
49
Explore Name Date
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about what kinds of changes
occur in an area after a natural disaster.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
What happened to the Materials
animals on Mount St. Helens? • encyclopedia,

Internet, or other
1 Predict How do you think the 1980 eruption of research materials
the volcano affected the animal population on
Mount St. Helens?
2 Use the reference materials available to you to research

how animal populations on Mount St. Helens were
affected by the 1980 eruption.
3 Use Numbers Choose one type of animal that you found

data on during your research. How did the eruption of
Mount St. Helens affect that animal population?
4 Draw Conclusions Was your hypothesis correct? Explain.

Activity Lab Book Changes in Ecosystems
51
Quick Lab Name Date
Testing Soil pH Materials
1 Experiment Put three different soil samples • soil samples

into separate cups. Test the pH level of each • plastic cups
soil sample, using the test kit provided by your
teacher. The pH scale measures how acidic or • pH test kit
basic a substance is. Soil pH can be a limiting
factor.
2 Interpret Data Record the pH of each sample.

A substance with a pH of less than 7 is acidic.
A substance with a pH of greater than 7 is
basic. A substance with a pH of 7 is neutral,
neither acidic nor basic. Look at the colors
and numbers as directed in your test kit.
Where do your samples fall on the pH scale?

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3
pH
3 Predict What might the results be if you used soil from

a field of ripe lemon trees or an orange grove? Design an
experiment to test your prediction. If possible, perform
your test and share the results.

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.5
How do we learn about Materials
the planets?
Form a Hypothesis
Do the tools that scientists use to study stars and
planets affect the information they obtain? Write
your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If I
• shoe box
change the tools I use to look at an object, then . . .”
• newspaper
• clear tape
• sheet of
thin, tinted,
transparent
plastic

1 Make a Model Cover a shoe box with newspaper, and
tape the newspaper in place. The box represents a

mystery planet. Place the box on the other side of
the room.
2 Observe View the box through the

sheet of tinted, transparent plastic.
Draw what you see, and include as
many details as you can.
3 Observe View the box without the

sheet of plastic. Draw what you see.
Describe the differences from your
first observation.
Chapter 3 • Exploring Space Use with Lesson 1

Activity Lab Book Seeing in Space
53
Explore Name Date
4 Observe Walk near the box to view it at close range.

Record what you observe.

Draw Conclusions
5 Infer How did your observation through the tinted,
transparent plastic differ from your observations without
the plastic? What new information did you obtain from a
close-up observation? Explain your observations.
6 Infer What is the difference between viewing a planet

with a telescope on Earth and viewing it with a telescope
in space? What causes the difference? What new
information did you obtain from your “flyby” mission?

54 Activity Lab Book Seeing in Space
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
What information might be obtained if a space probe
landed on the mystery planet? How might you represent a
landing with your model? Form a hypothesis, and design an
experiment to test it.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about methods of observing
objects in space.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

55
Explore
How can we observe planets? Materials
1 Choose an object across the classroom from • sheet of

your seat. This object represents a mystery thin, tinted,
planet. Identify the object you selected in the transparent
plastic
box below.
2 Observe View the object through the sheet

of tinted, transparent plastic. Draw what you
see in the box below. Include as many details
as possible.
3 Observe View the object without the sheet of plastic.

Draw and describe any differences from your first
observation.
4 Observe View the object at close

range. Record what you observe.

5 Infer How did your observation through the tinted,
transparent plastic differ from your observations without
the plastic? Did you obtain any new information from the
close-up observation? What does the tinted, transparent
plastic represent in the experiment?

Name Date
Quick Lab
Observing Effects of Light Materials
Pollution • paper towel tube
1 Go outside on a clear night about two hours

after sunset. Using a cardboard tube from
an empty roll of paper towels, look through
the tube at a specific constellation.
2 Use Numbers Count the number of stars you

can see without moving the observing tube.
Trial 1
Number of stars counted:
3 Use Numbers Repeat step 2 three times and calculate

the average number of observable stars at your location.
Trial 2—Number of stars counted:
Trial 3—Number of stars counted:
4 Communicate Compare the number of stars you

averaged with the number of stars your classmates
averaged.
5 Infer Based on the location of your home, what effect

does light pollution have on the number of stars that you
can see? Were students who live in areas with less city
light able to see more or fewer stars?

57
Focus on Name Date
Skills GLE 0607.T/E.2
Inquiry Skill: Technological Materials
Design • flat mirror

When scientists have a problem they need to solve, • shaving or
they may use technological design to create a cosmetic mirror
solution. For example, to study the Moon or star (concave mirror)
patterns, astronomers need to be able to look more • three or four hand
closely at these distant objects. They test, modify, lenses of different
and retest various models of telescopes. They magnifications
compare the telescopes’ advantages, such as amount
of magnification, with their disadvantages, such as cost.
After evaluating all of the models, they pick the telescope that
best suits their needs.
Learn It
When you use technological design, you come up with ideas
to solve a problem. Then, you test those ideas and modify
them as necessary to meet your need. Finally, you select the

design that works the best.
Try It
1 Position the concave mirror so that you can see the
reflection of the object you want to study, such as the
Moon, a planet, or an artificial light source. Be Careful.
Never look at the Sun directly or with mirrors.

Name Date Focus on
Skills
2 Position the flat mirror so that it is facing the

concave mirror.
3 Adjust the position of the flat mirror until you can

see the reflection of the object that you are studying.
4 Looking at the image in the flat mirror, use the

lowest-powered hand lens to magnify the image
of the object.
5 Modify your telescope by repeating step 4 using the

higher-powered hand lenses. Observe how the different
lenses change the image of the object.
Apply It
1 When you looked at the object with just the mirrors,
how did it look?
2 How did the image change when you used the lowest-powered
hand lens? The higher-powered lenses?

59
Focus on Name Date
Skills
3 Which lens gave the best magnification of the object?

What possible drawbacks could that lens have when
compared with the others?
4 Based on your comparisons, how might you improve your

telescope’s performance?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
5 Design the best telescope for observing the object you

chose and draw it, labeling its parts. Compare your design
with those of your classmates. Discuss what features
improve the telescope without too many disadvantages
(such as making the telescope too heavy or too
expensive).

61
Explore Name Date
SPI 0607.T/E.1
How do rockets work? Materials
Purpose • scissors
When a rocket’s fuel is ignited, gases build up, and tape
pushing downward against the launch pad with
• sheet of
great force. The result is that the rocket rises paper
upward into the air and eventually into outer space.
Rocket engines are incredibly complex, but you can • safety
model one using common materials. goggles
• antacid
Procedure tablet
1 Make a Model Using any design you like, cut • plastic 35 mm
out a nose cone, fins, and body for your rocket film canister
from the sheet of paper. Be Careful. with lid
• water
2 Tape the body piece of paper to the film
canister in a cylindrical shape. Tape the nose
cone and fins to the body of your rocket.

Note: Be sure to put the nose cone on the
opposite end from the film canister’s cap.
3 Turn the rocket upside down and remove the canister’s

cap. Put 1 teaspoon of water into the canister, and add
the antacid tablet.

62 Activity Lab Book Early Space Exploration
Name Date
Explore
4 Quickly put the cap on the canister and put the rocket on
the ground cap-side down. Immediately move at least 2
meters (6 feet) away from the rocket. Be Careful.
5 Observe What happens to the rocket?
Draw Conclusions
6 Infer Why did the rocket do what it did? How does this
compare to a real rocket launch?

Activity Lab Book Early Space Exploration
63
Explore Name Date
Explore More
What safe modifications could you make to your model if you
wanted to launch the rocket higher? Research this question,
and then design an experiment to test it.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about model rockets.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How can you make a balloon Materials
rocket? • long balloon

A balloon rocket works because of equal and • string
opposite forces. Build your own balloon rocket, and
• plastic or paper
identify the points at which opposing forces are
straw
working.
• tape
1 Thread the string through the straw. Then
• safety goggles
stretch a string across the classroom. Place it at
a height that is easy for you to reach.
2 Put on your safety goggles. Blow up the balloon. Hold

the end tightly closed! Have a partner tape the balloon
along the length of the straw.
3 Observe Let the balloon go. Watch what happens.

Record your observations.
4 Draw your balloon rocket. Draw arrows to show where

forces are working on the balloon.

Activity Lab Book Early Space Exploration
65
Quick Lab Name Date
Modeling a Satellite Materials
1 Make a Model Tie one end of a 50-cm (20-inch) • string (50 cm)
piece of string to a small cork. • cork
2 Hold the other end of the string tightly with • safety goggles
your arm fully extended.
3 Swing the cork in a circular path. Be Careful.
4 Observe First swing the cork very fast.

Gradually decrease the speed of the cork to a
medium pace. Finally, swing the cork as slowly
as possible. What happens?
5 Infer If the cork were an artificial satellite orbiting Earth,

what would happen as it slowed down?

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.5
How do astronauts work in Materials
space? • scissors
Purpose
• magazines
Astronauts go through years of training before they
can go on a space mission. Working on complex
or delicate tasks can be very difficult—especially in
• heavy work
zero gravity wearing a heavy space suit! How do gloves
astronauts work under such difficult conditions? Try
doing a complex task, such as putting together a
puzzle, while wearing heavy gloves.
Procedure
1 Make a “puzzle” by cutting up a photo from a magazine
into several pieces. Be Careful.
2 Mix the pieces, then put the photo puzzle back together.
3 Mix the pieces again. Put on heavy work gloves and try to
put the photo puzzle together.

Activity Lab Book Modern Space Exploration
67
Explore Name Date
4 Observe When you wore the gloves, could you put

the puzzle together as quickly or as easily as you could
without the gloves?
Draw Conclusions
5 Infer How did your puzzle-solving with gloves compare to

an astronaut’s work in space?

6 Infer Would working the puzzle in zero gravity be more or
less difficult? Why?

68 Activity Lab Book Modern Space Exploration
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
How could you make it easier to do a complex task under
difficult conditions? For example, would a tool such as
tweezers make it easier to pick up and place the puzzle
pieces while wearing gloves? Form a hypothesis, and design
a procedure to test it. Share your findings with the class.
My hypothesis is
The design of my experiment is
My results are
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about how astronauts live and work in space.
▶ My question is
▶ My results are

69
Explore
How did early space exploration

Materials
in the United States compare to
• access to Internet
Russia’s program?
In the middle of the twentieth century, both the
United States and Russia (then called the Soviet
Union) began new programs to explore space. Although
these countries are now cooperating on the International
Space Station, in the early 1950s, they were in a race to put
the first astronaut into space.
1 Research Using the following list of key words, conduct

Internet research to learn about the history of space
programs in the United States and Russia. Consider
Sputnik, Gemini, rocket launches, accidents, and famous
astronauts and cosmonauts. Limit your information
gathering to the period from 1954 through 1969.

2 Make a table that compares the two countries’ space
programs: Who was the first human in space? In what
year did this happen? Did any accidents or fatalities occur
as new technologies were developed? What was the total
number of spacecraft launched by the two countries?
U.S. Space Program Russian Space Program
3 Communicate Give an oral presentation in which you

describe to the class the differences and similarities
between the United States and Russia during the early
days of space exploration.

70 Activity Lab Book Modern Space Exploration
Name Date
Quick Lab
Packing for Mars Materials
1 What would you need to bring with you • ruler

if you went on an expedition to Mars? • paper and pencil
List basic needs.
• color pencils
• drawing paper
2 Infer Working in small groups make

a list of requirements you would need
for survival on a Mars expedition. Explain
each of the requirements and how you
might meet them.
3 Make a Model Design a Mars base station, and draw

a picture of the outpost on a separate sheet of paper.
Describe how each of the features of your station benefits
the human inhabitants and meets their needs.
4 Research some of the plans NASA has for future space

stations or long-duration space missions.
5 Compare and Contrast Compare your Mars base station

to the International Space Station and to future NASA
space stations. How are they similar? Are there features of
a space station that you failed to take into account? Make
a list of important features that were not in your original
design. Improve your design based on your findings.

71
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.2
How can you observe the Sun?

Materials
Purpose
• several books
It is dangerous to look at the Sun. How can you
safely observe the Sun’s surface? You can use a • piece of
telescope to cast the Sun’s image on paper and cardboard
trace its features. • drawing paper
Procedure • telescope
• clipboard
1 Select a location where the Sun can be
observed at the same time of day for • small tripod
three days. Be Careful. Do not look at • scissors
the Sun directly or through a telescope.
2 Set up the telescope with the eyepiece pointing

away from the Sun. Adjust the telescope so that the
shadow cast on the ground is as small as possible. Cut a

hole in the cardboard so that it fits snugly over the large
lens.
Be Careful.
3 Attach drawing paper to the clipboard. Use

books to prop the clipboard upright behind
the telescope’s eyepiece.
Step 3
Chapter 4 • The Solar System and Beyond Use with Lesson 1

72 Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun System
Name Date
Explore
4 Move the clipboard until you have

the largest image of the Sun on the
paper. Focus the eyepiece to get a
clear image and trace the outline of
the Sun on the paper.
5 Observe Trace the outlines of any

sunspots that appear on your drawing
of the Sun. The sunspots will appear
on the paper as dark areas.
6 Repeat step 5 every day for three days.
Draw Conclusions
7 Infer What did your observations tell you about the Sun’s
features? Do sunspots move?
8 Predict Would the Sun look the same if you traced it

again in a week? A month?

Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun System
73
Explore Name Date
Explore More
The results of an experiment can be affected by faulty
interpretation of data. How could using the Sun’s diameter
to calculate the rate of sunspot movement result in incorrect
data? Form a hypothesis and design an experiment to test it.
My hypothesis is
The design of my experiment is

My results are
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the Sun or sunspots.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

74 Activity Lab Book The Earth–Sun System
Explore
How can you observe the Materials

Sun safely? • two thin, stiff
pieces of white
You cannot look directly at the Sun, but you can
cardboard
observe the Sun’s surface by using a pinhole camera.
• straight pin
1 Use the straight pin to punch a small, clean • tracing paper
pinhole in one piece of cardboard. Be Careful.
• pencil
2 Predict What will happen when you allow sunlight to shine through
the pinhole and fall on the second piece of cardboard?
3 Observe Stand with your back to the Sun. Allow sunlight to pass over
your shoulder, through the pinhole, and onto the second piece of
cardboard. Observe what happens. Be Careful. Do not look at the
Sun directly.
4 Experiment Move the screen closer to and then farther away from the
pinhole. How does the Sun’s image change?
5 Record Place a sheet of tracing paper over the screen. Have a partner
trace the image of the Sun formed on the paper.
6 Interpret Data Compare your tracing with other images of the Sun.
What structures can you identify?

Activity Lab Book The Earth–Sun System
75
Quick Lab Name Date
Rotation and Revolution Materials
1 Make a Model Work in groups of three • flashlight

students. Student 1 represents the Sun, student
2 represents Earth, and student 3 represents
the Moon.
2 Student 1 should stand still, holding a flashlight

that remains turned on.
3 Student 2 should spin slowly like a top. Then

student 2 should walk around student 1 while
continuing to spin. Be Careful. If you become dizzy
while spinning, stop right away.
4 Student 3 should quickly walk around student 2, in such a

way as to be always facing student 2.
5 Observe Describe how the light from the flashlight falls

on students 2 and 3. Draw a diagram and explain in the
box below.

Name Date Focus on
Skills
SPI 0607.Inq.4
Communicate Materials
You have read about objects in our solar system
• tape
that rotate and revolve. Gravity is the force that
keeps the Moon orbiting Earth. It also keeps Earth • sheet of butcher
and the other planets orbiting the Sun. How much paper
is an object’s orbit affected by gravity? What role • pencil
does the object’s speed and direction play? To
• meterstick
answer questions such as these, scientists gather
data and experiment. Then they communicate the • rubber ball
results in books, articles, television and newspaper
interviews, and presentations.
▶ Learn It
When you communicate, you share information with
others. You may do this by speaking, writing, drawing,
using sign language, singing, dancing, or pantomiming.
Before you can share information, though, you need
to gather it. In the following activity, you will test how

an object moves through “space,” and then you will
communicate your findings to your classmates.

Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun System 77
Focus on Name Date
Skills
▶ Try It
1 Tape a sheet of butcher paper
to the wall. Draw a large circle
at the bottom of the paper
to represent Earth’s surface.
Make a small dot on the paper
at 1 m above the ground.
2 Hold a rubber ball at the

height of the dot, and drop it.
Draw its path on the butcher
paper.
3 Hold the ball at the same

height, but this time toss it
sideways with just a little
force. Observe the ball’s path,
and draw it on the butcher

paper. Repeat this procedure
three more times, but throw
the ball with a little more force
each time. Draw each path on
the butcher paper.

Name Date Focus on
Skills
▶ Apply It
1 When you threw the ball sideways, was its path straight
or curved? Why do you think this was so?
2 How did gravity affect the ball as you threw it with more
force?
3 What would happen if a cannon fired the ball into orbit

around Earth? Draw the path you think the ball would
take.

Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun System 79
Focus on Name Date
Skills
4 What do you think would happen if the ball could move

fast enough to escape Earth’s gravity? Draw that path.

5 Communicate your actions and results to your
classmates. You may write a report, draw a cartoon strip,
make a poster, pantomime your actions and the results,
or compose and sing a song. Use the lines below to
describe how you chose to communicate your results to
your classmates.

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.5
GLE 0607.6.4
What causes the Moon to Materials
change appearance?
Purpose
Sometimes the Moon appears perfectly round. At
other times, it looks like a small crescent or even
seems to disappear. Why does the Moon appear in
different shapes, or phases? To find out, model how
the position of the Moon changes in relation to the • 3 balls of different
Sun and to Earth. sizes
• black marker
Procedure
1 Make a Model The three balls of different Step 1
sizes represent the Sun, the Moon, and Earth.
Place the largest ball, representing the Sun,
in one location. Use a marker to darken one
half of another ball, representing the Moon.
As the “Moon” moves around the third ball,

representing Earth, the light side should
always face the “Sun.” The dark side should
always face away from the “Sun.”
2 Observe With a partner, arrange your model Step 2

of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon in such a way
that someone on Earth would see a full Moon.
3 Record Data On the following page, make a

diagram of the locations of the Sun, the Moon,
and Earth in your model. Label your diagram.
Include a description of how the Moon would
appear to an observer on Earth.
4 Experiment Move your model Moon around your model

Earth. Compare how the Moon would look from Earth at
different locations. Add this information to your diagram.

Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun-Moon System 81
Explore Name Date

Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data Does the Moon actually change size or
shape? If you could view the Moon from the Sun, would it
appear to have phases? Explain.
6 Interpret Data What causes the Moon to appear to have

phases?

82 Activity Lab Book The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
Would Earth appear to have phases if you were standing on
the Moon? Make a prediction. Then design a model to test it.
Conduct your experiment and summarize the results.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about modeling a planet with
more than one moon.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

Explore
What causes the Moon to Materials
change appearance? • 3 different-sized

balls
1 Make a Model Use the three balls to represent
• black marker
the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. Place the largest
ball, representing the Sun, in one location. Use
a marker to darken one half of the smallest ball, which
represents the Moon. Move the ball representing the
Moon around the third ball, which represents Earth. The
light side of the “Moon” should always face the “Sun.”
2 Experiment Arrange your model of Earth, the Sun, and

the Moon in such a way that someone on Earth would see
a full Moon. Move your model Moon around your model
Earth. Compare how the Moon would look from Earth at
different locations.
3 Record Data Make a diagram of the locations of the Sun,

the Moon, and Earth in your model. Label your diagram.
Include a description of how the Moon would appear to
an observer on Earth.

Name Date
Quick Lab
Modeling Eclipses Materials
1 Make a Model Obtain two foam balls of • 2 foam balls of

different sizes. One should be at least twice as different sizes
big as the other. • flashlight
2 Observe Shine a flashlight directly at the larger

ball from a distance of about 3 m. Place the smaller ball
between the flashlight and the larger ball. The smaller ball
should be 10 cm away from the larger ball. Record your
observations.
3 Observe Repeat step 2, this time placing the smaller ball

behind the larger ball. The larger ball should be between the
flashlight and the smaller ball. Record your observations.
4 Infer What do the flashlight and each ball represent

in this model?
5 Interpret Data What event did you model in step 2?

In step 3?

Be a Name Date
Scientist GLE 0607.6.3
Structured Inquiry
Materials
How does the Moon change • paper
during a month?
Purpose • pencil
You have learned that the Moon’s appearance
changes slightly every night because of its position
relative to Earth and the Sun. Can you predict how
the Moon’s shape will change over time? Write your
answer as a hypothesis in the form “If the Moon is
full now, then in two weeks it will....”
Procedure
1 Observe Find out what time the Moon rises.

Go outside and observe the Moon’s phase.
2 Record the date and time in the table on the next page.
Draw a picture of what the Moon looks like.
3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 every night for two weeks.
Draw Conclusions
4 Infer Based on your table, what will the Moon look like
after one more week? After two weeks?
5 Communicate Explain how calendars can have the

correct Moon phases printed on them a year in advance.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
The Moon’s Appearance
Date Time The Moon looks like this:


Be a Name Date
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
How does the Sun’s appearance change

during a year?
Form a Hypothesis
The Sun does not have phases, as the Moon does, but it looks
different in January than it does in July. How does the Sun’s
appearance differ during the year? Write your answer as a
hypothesis in the form “If the Sun appears at position X in
January, then in July, the Sun will....”

Design an experiment to investigate how the Sun’s
appearance in the sky changes over time. List the materials
you will need and the steps you will follow. As you carry out

the experiment, keep careful records of all your data.
Draw Conclusions
Do your results support your hypothesis? Why or why not?
Present your findings to the class.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Open Inquiry
On the basis of natural occurrences, think of a question
about another period of time. For example, how does the
sky’s appearance change over the course of a day? How do
clocks keep track of a day? Design an experiment or write
a research strategy to test your question. Carry out your
experiment or research, and then present your results to the
rest of the class.
My question is
My hypothesis is
How I can test it
My conclusions are

Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.3
How can you tell a planet Materials
from a star?
Make a Prediction
Some lights in the night sky appear to move
in relation to others. How can you tell that a
particular light is a planet, not a star? Write your
answer as a prediction in the form “If an object in • four lumps of clay
the sky is a planet, then it will • four marbles
appear to....”

1 Make a Model Make a copy of the drawing Step 1
shown here. Use clay to fix a marble in each
of the three star locations.
2 Use clay to fix a marble at the March

position of planet X’s orbit. Draw a line from
Earth’s March position to planet X’s March
position. Extend the line to the stars. Write a
1 to label where planet X appears in relation
to the stars.
3 Repeat step 2 for planet X’s positions in

May, June, July, and September. Label
these monthly observations 2, 3, 4, and 5,
respectively.

90 Activity Lab Book The Solar System
Name Date
Explore
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data Describe the motion of planet X with
respect to the stars from March to May. Compare this to
the motion from May to June, from June to July, and from
July to September.
5 Infer How can you tell a planet from a star?

Explore More
What would happen if you increased the distance between
Earth’s orbit and planet X’s orbit? Make a prediction and
test it.

Activity Lab Book The Solar System 91
Explore Name Date
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the movement of stars.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How do planets appear to move? Materials
1 Make a Model Work in groups of three. Student • chair

1 should sit in a chair in the center of the room.
Student 1 represents the Sun.
2 Make a Model Two other students should model the orbits

of two planets. Student 2 should be closer to student 1 than
student 3. Students 2 and 3 should move around student 1
in a counterclockwise direction. Student 3 should walk very
slowly, and student 2 should walk at a normal pace.
3 Compare What did you observe about the orbits of the

two model planets?
4 Use Variables Have students 2 and 3 move in their orbits

both at the same speed. What did you observe?
5 Use Numbers Count how many times each model planet

orbits the model Sun in one minute. Explain your results.
6 Draw Conclusions How would you explain the rate at

which the model planets orbit the model Sun?

Activity Lab Book The Solar System 93
Quick Lab Name Date
Planet Sizes Materials
1 Use Numbers Look at the table of planet • calculator

diameters. Suppose in a scale model Earth’s • pencil
diameter is 2 cm. Calculate the diameters of
the other planets to scale in centimeters by • paper
multiplying each planet’s diameter by 2. • compass
2 Make a Model On one sheet of paper,

draw a circle for each planet using the Planet Diameters
diameters you calculated in step 1. (compared to Earth’s)
Draw the smaller circles inside the Diameter
larger circles. Label each circle with Planet
(in Earth diameters)

the name of the planet. Mercury 0.38 × Earth
3 Compare Which planet is the largest? Venus 0.95 × Earth

Which is the smallest?
Earth 1.0 × Earth
Mars 0.53 × Earth
Jupiter 11.2 × Earth
Saturn 9.5 × Earth
4 The largest moon in the solar system Uranus 4.0 × Earth

has a diameter 0.4 times that of
Neptune 3.9 × Earth
Earth’s diameter. Which inner planet is
closest to this moon in size?

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.5
How does a star’s distance Materials
from Earth affect its brightness?

Make a Prediction
Can you tell how bright a star actually is by looking
at it from Earth? Write your answer as a prediction • small “penlight”
in the form “If a bright object is very far away from or pocket
me, then it will....” flashlight
• large flashlight
• meterstick

1 Observe Two partners should each hold one Step 1
of the two flashlights 2 m away from a third
student, who will act as the observer. The

observer should record what he or she sees.
Is one flashlight now brighter than the other?
How can you tell?
2 Observe One partner should hold the smaller

flashlight less than 0.5 m from the observer,
Step 2
and the other partner should hold the larger
flashlight more than 8 m from the observer.
The observer should record what he or she
sees. Does one flashlight now seem brighter
than the other? What has changed?

Activity Lab Book Stars 95
Explore Name Date
3 Measure The two partners should move forward and

backward as directed by the observer until the two
flashlights seem to be the same brightness. Measure the
distance from the observer to each flashlight.
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data If you see two lights in the distance, will
how bright they appear to be always tell you how bright
they actually are?

Explore More
Do other factors affect how bright a star appears? Research
this question, and then design an experiment to test one of
these other factors.

96 Activity Lab Book Stars
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the color of stars and how
color affects apparent brightness.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How does distance Materials
affect brightness? • small “penlight”

or pocket
1 Experiment Gather in a group at one end of flashlight
the classroom. Your teacher will point both the
• large flashlight
large and small flashlights at you.
2 Observe Describe what you observe about the

light coming from the two flashlights.
3 Experiment Have one student take the large flashlight to

the other side of the room and point it at your group.

4 Observe Do you observe anything different about the
light coming from the two flashlights?
5 Measure Measure the distance between your group and

the two flashlights. Use the box below to draw a diagram
of the positioning of your group and the two flashlights.

Name Date
Quick Lab
How Parallax Works Materials
1 Make a Model Close your right eye. Look at • pencil

a distant object with your left eye. Hold your
thumb about 10 cm in front of your face. Hide
the object with your thumb, and look at it again with your
left eye. Write or draw your observations.
2 Use Variables Now close your left eye, and open your
right eye. Look at the object with your right eye. Note
your observations.
3 Repeat steps 1 and 2, holding your thumb at arm’s length.

4 Infer What does your thumb represent in this model?
5 Interpret Data Compare the parallax you noticed in each case.

Be a Name Date
Scientist
GLE 0607.6.2
Structured Inquiry
Materials
How can you model the • construction
solar system? paper
• markers
Purpose
Our solar system consists of the Sun, planets, • tape
moons, and other bodies, including asteroids,
comets, and meteoroids. Each planet has its own • 30-m tape
orbit around the Sun. What can making a model of measure
the solar system show you? Construct a model of • dowels
the solar system on your playground, and use your
model to compare the distances between planets.
Step 1
Procedure
1 Make a Model Make construction-paper
labels for each planet and the Sun. Attach
each label to a dowel with tape.

2 Place the marker labeled Sun at one end
of the playground.
Step 3
3 Measure Use the table below to construct your
model. Use a measuring tape to measure the
scaled distance from the Sun to Mercury, and
place the marker labeled Mercury in the ground.
Distance from
Distance from Sun
Planet Sun, to Scale
(in kilometers)
(1 cm = 1,000,000 km)
Mercury 57,900,000 58 cm
Venus 108,200,000 1 m, 8 cm
Earth 149,600,000 1.5 m
Mars 227,900,000 2 m, 28 cm
Jupiter 778,400,000 7 m, 78 cm
Saturn 1,426,700,000 14 m, 27 cm
Uranus 2,871,000,000 28 m, 71 cm
Neptune 4,498,300,000 44 m, 98 cm

Name Date Be a
Scientist
4 Continue marking the distances of the planets from the

Sun. Draw your model in the box below, and record your
observations about the solar system.
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data According to your model, which planet is
closest to the Sun? Which planet is closest to Earth?
6 Interpret Data How does the distance from the Sun to

Jupiter compare to the distance from Jupiter to Saturn?
How does the distance from the Sun to Saturn compare
to the distance from Saturn to Uranus?

Be a Name Date
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
Could you model the solar system, including

the planets’ sizes and the distances between
the planets?
Form a Hypothesis
Why is it so difficult to make a true scale model of the solar
system? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form
“If I try to model the sizes of the Sun and all the planets
accurately, then....”

Decide what data you need to collect to make your model.
Then choose a scale to use for your model, and calculate the
sizes and positions of your model Sun and planets.
Draw Conclusions
How easy would it be to make your model? Explain.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Open Inquiry
Think of a question about the solar system to investigate. For
example, are the planets always the same distance from the
Sun, or do their distances change? Design a data-collection
process or method of research to answer your question. Your
data must be organized to test only one variable, or one item
being changed.
Remember to follow the steps of the scientific process.
▶ My question is:
▶ My hypothesis is:
▶ How can I test it:
▶ My conclusions are:

Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.5
How are galaxies classified? Materials
Make a Prediction • galaxy diagrams

Do some galaxies have visible similarities by which (shown)
they can be grouped? How could you classify • pictures of
galaxies into three major groups? Write your answer various galaxies
as a prediction in the form “If I compare diagrams of
different galaxies, then I will be able to classify them
based on their....”

1 Observe With your team study the three Step 1
galaxy diagrams shown here. Write a short

description of anything you notice that is
different in each picture. Name each grouping
according to the description that you gave to
its diagram on this page.
2 Communicate Examine available pictures of

different galaxies, or find pictures of galaxies
using the Internet or library sources. Discuss
with your team which of the three galaxy
categories each picture best resembles.

104 Activity Lab Book Galaxies and Beyond
Name Date
Explore
3 Classify Sort the galaxy pictures into three groups.
4 What property did you use to classify the galaxy

pictures?
Draw Conclusions
5 Communicate Look at how other teams classified the
galaxies. Explain how their classifications compared to
those of your team.
Explore More
Find additional information on different galaxies. What
other information might you use to classify and categorize
galaxies? Try classifying galaxies in a different way based
on your new research. Then share your ideas with others in
your class.

Activity Lab Book Galaxies and Beyond 105
Explore Name Date
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the shapes of galaxies.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How can we classify galaxies? Materials
1 Look at the three photographs of the galaxies • photographs of

printed out by your teacher. galaxies
2 Observe Describe the shape of each galaxy.
3 Compare Look at the remaining photographs. Which of

the original photographs does each one resemble?
4 Draw Conclusions Are there any other ways to classify

galaxies? Are you able to use the photographs for these
approaches?

Activity Lab Book Galaxies and Beyond 107
Quick Lab Name Date
A Changing Universe Materials
1 Make a Model Inflate a balloon about one- • light-colored

third of the way. Use a tape measure to balloon
measure the circumference around the • tape measure
widest part of the balloon. Hold it closed,
and have a partner draw three dots on its • marker
surface. Label the dots A, B, and C. Measure
the distance between each pair of dots.
2 Record Data Inflate the balloon until the

circumference is twice as large as it was in
step 1. What has happened to the dots?
Measure and record how far dots A and B
are from dot C.

3 Observe What happened to the dots as you inflated the
balloon?
4 Infer Suppose you were standing at dot A, B, or C. How

would the other two locations appear to you as the
balloon was inflated?

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.8.1
How does heat move in

Materials
liquids and gases?
• clear plastic
Make a Prediction container
When an ice cube melts in room-temperature
• ice cube dyed
water, what do you think happens to the melted with blue food
water? Where does it go? Write your answer as coloring
a prediction in the form “If an ice cube melts in
• red food coloring
room-temperature water, then....”
• color pencils
• paper

1 Fill the plastic container about two-thirds Step 1
full of water. The water should be at room
temperature and perfectly still. Gently place

the blue ice cube in the water at one end of
the container. Add two drops of red food
coloring to the water at the opposite end of
the container.
2 Observe Carefully observe where the blue

water flows and where the red water flows.
Use color pencils to draw the flows of the two
different-color waters in the box below.
Chapter 5 • Weather and Climate Use with Lesson 1

Activity Lab Book The Atmosphere and Weather 109
Explore Name Date
Draw Conclusions
3 Analyze How would you explain what you observed?
4 Did your observations support your prediction? What

caused the behavior of the blue water? Why did the
water in the tank appear to circulate? What happens
when warm and cool water meet? Explain your answer.

Explore More
What would happen if you placed a dyed ice cube in very
cold water? Form a hypothesis and test it. Then analyze and
present your results. Does circulation take place in air? What
examples can you find to demonstrate the rising of warm air
or the sinking of cold air?

110 Activity Lab Book The Atmosphere and Weather
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about convection currents.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

Activity Lab Book The Atmosphere and Weather 111
Explore
How does a sea breeze form?

Form a Hypothesis
Which heats up faster: land or water? How does
this difference affect the formation of land Materials
and sea breezes? Write your answer as a
hypothesis in the form “If land heats up faster • two beakers
than water, then....” • two thermometers
• water
• sand
• desk lamp
• watch or clock
1 Fill one beaker half full of sand. Fill the other
beaker half full of water. Place a thermometer in each beaker.

2 Place both beakers under the lamp. Record the temperature
every 20 minutes for an hour.
Minutes Temperature Temperature

of Sand of Water
20
40
60
Draw Conclusions
3 Observe Which heats up faster, land or water?
4 Infer Compare the temperature of air over land with that
of air over water on a sunny day.
5 Explain how a sea breeze forms.

Name Date
Quick Lab
Analyze Temperature Differences Materials
1 Record Data Stand in an area of paved • thermometer

concrete. Hold a thermometer at about the • stopwatch
height of your ankle. After 3 minutes, measure
and record the air temperature. Then hold • notebook
the thermometer even with your waist. Wait
3 minutes more, and record the new air
temperature.
2 Repeat step 1 over grass, a patch of soil, and

a puddle of water. Record your observations.
3 Interpret Data Over which surface was the difference

in temperature greatest between the ankle-height and

waist-height readings?
4 Classify Over which surface was the ankle-height

temperature the highest? The lowest?
5 Infer Which surface seems to absorb the most heat?

Which surface absorbs the least heat?

Activity Lab Book The Atmosphere and Weather
113
Be a Name Date
Scientist
SPI 0607.Inq.2
Structured Inquiry
What can convection

currents do? Materials
• two jars
Form a Hypothesis
• small piece of
Convection currents can be seen in air, water, cardboard
and even in Earth’s mantle. The heating and
cooling of air causes convection currents. A • matches
circular pattern is created in which warm air rises • ice
and cooler air moves in at the bottom to take
• two plastic tubs
the place of the warm air. Convection currents (one for ice, one
cause wind and other weather patterns. How for warm water)
does the temperature of the air affect the
movement of convection currents? Write your answer as
a hypothesis in the form “If air is cooled, then....”

Experiment Place one jar in a plastic tub filled with ice. Place the
other jar in a tub of warm water. Leave the jars for 10 minutes.
Remove the jar from the tub of ice. Have your teacher light a match
and immediately blow it out. Hold the opening of the jar over
the smoking match to trap some of the smoke. Place a piece of
cardboard on the opening of the jar, and turn the jar right side up.
! Make a Model Place the jar from the tub of warm water over the
jar from the tub filled with ice. Remove the cardboard. Make sure
to keep the jars together so the smoke cannot escape. Observe the
movement of the smoke, and record your observations.

Name Date Be a
Scientist
" Observe While still keeping the jars together, flip the jars over.
Observe the smoke, and record your observations.
Draw Conclusions
# Observe What did the smoke do when you first removed the
cardboard in step 3? Why did that happen?
$ Communicate What happened to the smoke when you flipped the

jars over?
% Infer What do you think the smoke would do if you placed the model
in a hot-water bath? Try it.

115
Be a Name Date
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
What happens when cold air meets warm air?

Form a Hypothesis
How do convection currents behave in the atmosphere? Write your answer
as a hypothesis in the form “If warm air and cold air come together, then
the warm air will....”

Design an experiment to create and test a model that demonstrates
convection currents in the air. Write out the steps you will follow. Record
your results and observations.

Draw Conclusions
Did your experiment support your hypothesis? Why or why not? What did
you observe in your convection-current model? Could your observations
explain how wind is created?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Open Inquiry
What else can you learn about convection currents? For example, does the
angle of the Sun affect oceanic convection currents differently in different
seasons? Design an experiment to answer your question. Your experiment
must be organized to test only one variable, or one item being changed.
Your experiment must be written so that another group could complete the
experiment by following your instructions.
Remember to follow the steps of the scientific process.
Ask a Question
Form a Hypothesis
Draw Conclusions

117
Explore Name Date
SPI 0607.Inq.4
How can you make a Materials
model of fog?
Form a Hypothesis
If pressure increases on a volume of air, the air’s
temperature increases. When pressure decreases,
the air expands and cools. How do you think
temperature and humidity affect the formation of
fog? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form
“If moist air in a bottle is cooled, then....”
• warm water
• plastic water
bottle with
twist-on cap
• long, wooden
Test Your Hypothesis safety matches

1 Experiment Pour a small amount of warm
water into a plastic water bottle. Twist the Step 1
cap on, shake the bottle, and remove the cap.
Your teacher will then add smoke by lighting
a match, blowing it out, and then immediately
holding the smoking match inside the bottle.
2 After a few seconds, your teacher will take

the match out of the bottle. Quickly twist the
cap onto the bottle, closing it tightly.
3 Experiment Squeeze the bottle firmly. Then Step 3

release this force on the outside of the bottle,
and observe what happens inside the bottle.

118 Activity Lab Book Precipitation and Clouds
Name Date
Explore
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data Do you think the force you placed on
the bottle affected the air inside the bottle during this
experiment? Explain.
5 Infer How does the temperature of moist air cause a

change from water vapor to water droplets?
Explore More
What might you see if you did this experiment using very
cold water? Form a hypothesis, and test it with your teacher
or another adult. Analyze your results, and then present them
to the class.

Activity Lab Book Precipitation and Clouds
119
Explore Name Date
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about why snow falls.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

Explore
Where is water in the air? Materials
1 Observe Fill a cup half full of water, and then • cup of water
add plenty of ice. What states of water can you • ice
observe in the glass?
2 Observe Place the glass in a warm area, preferably in

sunlight or under a warm lamp. Wait 10 minutes, and then
observe the glass. Describe any changes you observe.
How would you explain the changes?
3 Compare Compare your experiment to the water cycle

and its effects on weather.

121
Quick Lab Name Date
Comparing Currents Materials
1 Use Variables Place two identical beakers about • beakers

50 centimeters apart on a table. Pour cold water • very warm and
from the refrigerator into one beaker. Pour very cold water
warm water into the other beaker.
• paper spiral
2 Experiment Hold a paper spiral by a string or • thread
thread over the very warm water for about
20 seconds. The bottom of the paper spiral
should be level with the beaker but not touching it.
3 Repeat step 2, using the cold water instead of the very

warm water.

4 Communicate How would you explain your observations?
(Hint: Think of what happens when water is very warm.)
5 Infer Why do hurricanes form in the tropics but not in the

northern Atlantic or Pacific oceans?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
GLE 0607.Inq.2, GLE 0607.8.4
Interpret Data Materials

Scientists study weather maps and interpret data
• map and charts
from them. They look at temperature patterns, on these pages
especially any extreme changes from past years,
in order to predict future weather in an area. They
also look for fronts, where cold and warm air
push against each other. Then they interpret all
the data to draw conclusions and explain why
things happen.
▶ Learn It
When you interpret data, you use information that has been
gathered to answer questions or solve problems. It is usually
easier to analyze and interpret data if it has been organized
and placed on a chart or a graph. Then you can see at a
glance any extreme changes or patterns in the data.
July Temperatures
Chicago
82/64
99/75
Phoenix
111/83
Dallas
95/73
Miami
92/75

Activity Lab Book Precipitation and Cloudsr
123
Focus on Name Date
Skills
▶ Try It
1 Look at the map on the previous page. It shows high and
low temperatures in six cities on one day in July. Then
look at the chart below. The chart lists average high and
low temperatures and the rainfall for some U.S. cities
during July in past years. Interpret data from both the
map and the chart to answer all the questions.
Average July Temperatures and Precipitation by City

Bakersfield Chicago Dallas Miami New York Phoenix
High
Temperature
98.4°F 84.4°F 95.2°F 88.5°F 80.8°F 109.0°F
Low
Temperature
69.4°F 65.7°F 72.0°F 74.1°F 65.7°F 75.9°F

Precipitation 0.0 in. 4.0 in. 2.4 in. 8.1 in. 3.3 in. 0.6 in.
2 According to the map and chart, how did the one-day

high and low temperatures for Bakersfield differ from its
average high and low temperatures?
3 Which city had one-day high and low temperatures

closest to its average high and low temperatures?
4 Which city had cooler-than-average high and low

temperatures for the day?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
▶ Apply It
1 Now use data from the chart to make bar graphs, like the
ones started here, to compare the high temperatures or
the amounts of precipitation.

125
Focus on Name Date
Skills
2 Look at a weather map from your local newspaper.

Compile data from the map to make a graph. Include
temperatures and precipitation for cities in your state or
region. Interpret data in your graph to predict what the
weather in your area may be like tomorrow. Remember to
check the following day to see whether your prediction
was correct. Make your graph in the box below.

Name Date
Explore
SPI 0607.8.4
Does temperature affect the Materials
movement of air?
Form a Hypothesis
What happens when the temperature of air
changes? Does air that is cooler rise or sink?
Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form
• ice-cube tray
“If the temperature of air is lowered, then the filled with ice
air will....”
• four pencils
• two liquid-crystal
thermometer
strips
• stopwatch
Step 2
1 Place a tray of ice cubes on a table.
Put pencils underneath each end to raise

the tray slightly.
2 Slide a liquid-crystal thermometer strip

underneath the ice-cube tray.
Step 4
3 Rest two pencils on top of the ice-cube
tray. Put a second liquid-crystal thermometer
strip on top of
the pencils.
4 Observe Record the temperature of each

strip every minute for 5 minutes.
Time 1 2 3 4 5
Elapsed minute minutes minutes minutes minutes
Strip Below
Ice-Cube
Tray
Strip on
Top of
Pencils

Activity Lab Book Predicting Weather
127
Explore Name Date
Draw Conclusions
5 Use Numbers Make a line graph showing the
temperature changes for each strip. Place time along the
x-axis and temperature along the y-axis.
6 Interpret Data Which cooled faster: the air above the

tray or the air beneath it? Did your observations support
your hypothesis?

128 Activity Lab Book Predicting Weather
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
Design an experiment to test the movement of warm air.
Check with your teacher, and then carry out your experiment.
Interpret your data, and then present your results to the class.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about what happens when a
warm air mass and a cold air mass meet.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

129
Explore
How does the environment Materials
affect the temperature? • two thermometers
1 Experiment Place a thermometer outside in

an area that gets a lot of sunlight. Wait 10 minutes,
and then take a reading. What was the temperature in the
sunny area?
2 Experiment Place a thermometer outside in a shady area.

Wait 10 minutes, and then take a reading. What was the
temperature in the shady area?

3 Compare What did you observe about the readings of
the two temperatures?
4 Draw Conclusions What types of factors can affect a

temperature reading?

130 Activity Lab Book Predicting Weather
Name Date
Quick Lab
Weather Prediction Materials
1 Find a weather map that shows the weather • national weather

across the United States. map
2 Communicate Describe the weather in each

region: the Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast,
and Northeast.
3 Predict Weather patterns generally move from west

to east across the United States. How do you think the
weather just east of the fronts will change in the next day
or so? Explain.

131
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.2.
What can weather patterns Materials
tell us? • graphs (shown)

Purpose • encyclopedia,
What can you learn by studying weather patterns Internet, and
of a region? Could you use this information to other research
compare two regions? Use the data on these graphs materials
to compare the weather patterns of two cities.
Procedure
1 Use Numbers Look at the graphs for city 110 400
Temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit)

100 350
1 and city 2. The bottom of each graph is
Precipitation (in millimeters)

90 300
labeled with the months of the year. The
80 250
left side of each graph is labeled with
70 200
average temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. 60 150
What is the average temperature in city 1 50 100
during July? In city 2? (Hint: Temperature is 40 50

indicated by a solid line.) 30
J F M A M J J A S O N D
0
Month
110
2 Use Numbers The right side of each graph is 400
Temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit)
100 350
labeled with average precipitation in millimeters.
Precipitation (in millimeters)

90 300
What is the average precipitation in city 1 during
80 250
July? In city 2? (Hint: Precipitation is indicated 70 200
by the bars.) 60 150
50 100
40 50
30 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Month

132 Activity Lab Book Climate
Name Date
Explore
Draw Conclusions
3 Interpret Data How do the monthly temperatures
throughout the year compare for the two cities?
4 Interpret Data How do the monthly amounts of

precipitation compare for the two cities?
5 Infer Describe the average annual weather pattern

of each city. Be sure to include information about
temperature and precipitation, as well as their
relationship to the seasons.

Activity Lab Book Climate
133
Explore Name Date
Explore More
Research the weather patterns of your town, and
make a graph similar to the ones shown. Present your
results to the class.
Open Inquiry

Think of your own question about the different
climates across the United States.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

Explore
What are some

different climates?
The climates of different environments can be described in
many ways.
1 Observe Find photographs of a desert, an

arctic environment, and a rain forest. Write descriptions
of the climates from what you can observe in the
photographs.
2 Use your available resource materials to research each

environment, and write descriptions to accompany the
photographs of each region.
3 Compare How do the figures for average temperature

and annual precipitation differ among these
environments?
4 Draw Conclusions Do temperature and precipitation

affect the climate of an environment and its organisms?

Activity Lab Book Climate
135
Quick Lab Name Date
Comparing Climates Materials
1 Use an atlas or the Internet to gather data • an atlas or the

about the climate of your city or town. Record Internet
information such as latitude and longitude,
average temperature, and annual precipitation.
2 Choose a city about 400 km north or south of

your area that is at about the same longitude
as yours.
3 Repeat step 1 for the city you chose in step 2.

4 Interpret Data How do the average temperatures
and annual precipitation of the two locations
compare?
5 Draw Conclusions Describe the climate of each location.

How can you account for any differences?

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.2
How can you tell how Materials
fast things move?

Purpose
How can you determine how fast an object is
traveling? See whether you can determine
which of two different toy cars is faster.
Procedure • two toy cars

1 Label the cars Car 1 and Car 2. Place a long • masking tape
piece of masking tape on a smooth surface.
• large rubber band
2 Experiment Hold Car 1 over one end of the • stopwatch (or
tape. Stretch a rubber band with two fingers. watch with a
Place the toy car against the rubber band, second hand)
and pull the car and rubber band back about • meterstick
6 centimeters with the other hand. Release
the car, and have a partner measure the time • calculator

that it is in motion.
3 Measure Mark the masking tape where the

car came to a stop. Record the distance from
the start to the finish in centimeters. Step 2
4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 with Car 1. Repeat

steps 2 and 3 twice with Car 2.
Chapter 6 • Energy and Forces Use with Lesson 1

Activity Lab Book Forces and Motion
137
Explore Name Date
5 Interpret Data Average the results of each

car’s trials. Organize your data in a line
graph like the one started here. Graph
distance in centimeters on the y-axis and time
in seconds on the x-axis. Label the lines on
your graph Car 1 and Car 2.
100
90
Distance (in centimeters)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Time (in seconds)
Draw Conclusions
6 Interpret Data Which car moved the greater distance?
Which car was in motion longer?
7 Draw Conclusions Which car do you think moved faster?

Explain your reasoning.

138 Activity Lab Book Forces and Motion
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
If you tape coins to the top of the faster car, will your
results for this car differ? Design an experiment to test your
prediction.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about what happens to a car’s
speed as it travels.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

139
Explore
How fast can you move? Materials
1 Measure Make a 12 m track in the hallway. Use • two timers or

pieces of tape to mark the distances of 0 m, stopwatches
6 m, and 12 m. • meterstick
2 Record Data Starting at the mark for 0 m, walk • masking tape

at a regular pace to the mark for 12 m. Have one
classmate record the time it takes you to walk
6 m. Have another classmate record the time it takes you
to walk 12 m. Record your data.
3 Use Variables Repeat step 2, this time hopping instead of

walking. Be Careful. Then repeat step 2 again, walking
backward instead of hopping.
4 Use Numbers Calculate the speed in each trial by dividing

the distance by the time. Your answers should be in units

of meters per second.
5 Compare Which way of moving was the slowest? Which

way of moving was the fastest?
6 Draw Conclusions Based on your speed for walking 12 m

at a regular pace, how far could you walk in 60 s? How
did you get your answer?

Name Date
Quick Lab
Investigating Inertia Materials
1 Experiment Attach a thread to a playing • thread

card, and place a coin on the card. • playing card
2 Observe Pull slowly on the thread. • tape
How does the coin move? • coin
3 Observe Now pull on the thread very rapidly. What does

the coin do?
4 Infer At the start, the coin and the card were at rest. Why
would they naturally tend to stay at rest?
5 What did the thread do when you pulled on it?
6 Communicate Explain why the coin moved differently in

step 2 and step 3.

141
Focus on Name Date
Skills
GLE 0607.Inq.4. GLE 0607.10.1
Predict Materials
When scientists predict,
• string
they make a reasonable
statement about what • plastic drinking
might happen under certain straw
conditions. They base their • tape
predictions on background
• two chairs
knowledge and experience.
Then they test their predictions. • 22.5–cm balloon
• binder clip
▶ Learn It
• measuring tape
To test a prediction, scientists make
observations. They may find that their • stopwatch
observations confirm the prediction. In
other words, they may find out that they
were correct. Usually, however, this is not
the case—at least not the first time. Most of

the time, scientists need to revise the first
prediction and make new observations. The
accuracy of a prediction improves as more
data are collected and analyzed.
Suppose you were to inflate a balloon and let
it go. Could you predict how fast the balloon
would fly through the air? First, you would
need to have some background information
about how fast things travel. This would give
you a basis for comparison.
Have you ever seen a moth fly toward a
light? It darts from place to place much like
a balloon in flight. Some moths can fly at
speeds of more than 13 m/s. Can you guess
how fast a balloon flies compared to a moth?
Will the balloon move faster or slower? How
much faster or slower will it move?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
▶ Try It
1 Run a 10–m length of string through a drinking straw.
Tape one end of the string to one of the chairs and the
other end to the other chair. Inflate a balloon, and pinch it
shut with a binder clip to keep the air in. Use a measuring
tape to find the circumference of the balloon. Tape the
balloon to the straw.
2 Predict how fast the balloon will fly when the binder clip
is removed. Record your prediction in a data table like the
one shown.
3 Move the balloon to one end of the string. Have a partner

ready with a stopwatch. Your partner should begin timing
as soon as you release the balloon and should stop the
timer as soon as the balloon reaches the other end of the
string. Record the time.
4 Repeat step 3 twice. Calculate the average speed in

meters per second.
Prediction Results
time 1:
time 2:
time 3:
average:

143
Focus on Name Date
Skills
▶ Apply It
1 Interpret Data Did your observations confirm your
prediction? Explain.
2 The way you design an experiment affects the results.

For this reason scientists often improve upon their
experiments to obtain results that are more accurate.
How could you improve this experiment? (Hint: How
could you reduce friction between the string and the
straw in order to simulate how the balloon would fly
through the air?) Check your idea with your teacher. Then
predict the result, and test your prediction. Record your
results in the table on the next page.

3 Did your results change after you changed the setup of
the experiment? Explain.
4 Which prediction was more accurate? Why?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
5 Is there an even better way to test your prediction?

Suppose you could have any tools or technology at
your disposal. Explain how you could make sure your
observations were as accurate as possible.
6 Use the data table below to record your prediction and

results from step 2.
Prediction Results
time 1:
time 2:
time 3:
average:

145
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.4
What affects acceleration? Materials
Form a Hypothesis
Will increasing the force on an object affect its
acceleration? Will increasing the object’s mass
affect its acceleration? Write your answer as a
hypothesis in the form “If the force on an object
is increased, then its acceleration will...
and if the object’s mass is increased, then • lightweight
its acceleration will....” cardboard
• scissors
Be Careful.
• masking tape
• meterstick
• balloons
Test Your Hypothesis • two balloon-

powered toy cars
1 Measure Make two balloon-inflation gauges
with inside diameters of 12 centimeters and 6 • two coins
centimeters by cutting the cardboard into U
shapes that can measure your balloons. Mark a
start line with tape, and mark a finish line 50 cm Step 1
from the start.
2 Experiment How will force affect the

acceleration of cars of equal mass? Inflate
one balloon to 12 centimeters. Inflate another
balloon to 6 centimeters. Attach the balloons to
the toy cars, and position the cars at the starting
line. Let go of the balloons at the same time. Step 2
Which car crosses the finish line first?

146 Activity Lab Book The Nature of Energy
Name Date
Explore
3 Experiment How will mass affect the acceleration of cars

with the same force applied to them? Attach one balloon
inflated to 12 centimeters to each toy car, and tape two
coins to one of the cars. Position both cars at the starting
line, and let go of the balloons at the same time. Which
car crosses the finish line first?
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data What happened to the acceleration of the
car with the greater force applied to it? What happened
to the acceleration of the car that had more mass?
Explain.
Explore More
Design an experiment answering a question about the
relationship between force, acceleration, and mass. What
variable will you change in your experiment?
Open Inquiry
▶ Think of your own question about acceleration.

Activity Lab Book The Nature of Energy
147
Explore Name Date
▶ My results are:

Explore
What is action-reaction? Materials
1 Make a Model Pull a string through a straw. Tie • drinking straw

each end of the string to a chair, and pull the • string
chairs apart until the string is tight. The straw
should be about halfway between the two • balloon
chairs. • tape
2 Inflate a balloon, and pinch the opening so no • two chairs

air escapes. Have a partner tape the balloon to
the straw.
3 Experiment Let go of the opening of the balloon.

Describe what happens.
4 What was the action force in your experiment?

What was the reaction force?
5 Predict What will happen if you hold an object

close to the opening of the balloon in the path of
the escaping air?

149
Quick Lab Name Date
Potential Energy and Materials
Distance Traveled • spool of thread
1 Predict How far will a spool of thread travel • marble

when hit by a rolling marble? What will happen • books
if the marble rolls from a greater height?
• two rulers
(one with groove)
2 Observe Place a marble at the top of a ramp

made from three stacked books and a ruler
with a groove in it. Place a spool at the bottom
of the ramp. Allow the marble to roll down the
ruler so that it hits the spool, causing the spool
to roll forward.

3 Measure Find the distance that the spool moved after
being hit by the rolling marble.
4 Use Variables Vary the height of the ramp by adding

books. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using the same ruler, marble,
and spool as before. Record your observations.
5 Interpret Data What is the relationship between the height

of the stack of books and the distance the spool moves?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
SPI 0607.10.4
Why do bouncing balls Materials
stop bouncing? • tennis ball
Form a Hypothesis • high-bounce

rubber ball
A moving swing gradually stops. A rolling ball
eventually comes to a halt. Where does energy go? • meterstick
Write your answer as a hypothesis: “If I bounce a
ball on the floor and then on a cardboard box, the • masking tape
ball will....” • cardboard
box

1 Measure Hold the meterstick upright with one
end against the floor and have a partner drop

the tennis ball from 1 meter off the ground. Measure
how high the ball bounced, and record the data
in a table like the one shown.
2 Repeat step 1 two more times so you can

calculate the average height of the tennis ball’s bounce.
3 Now do the same procedure, using the high-bounce

rubber ball and recording its bounce height data in
the table. Be sure to test it three times.
Balls Bounced on the Floor

Height of Bounce in Meters
Ball Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average
Tennis ball
High-bounce
ball

151
Be a Name Date
Scientist
4 Predict Will the balls bounce any differently

on a cardboard box?
# Experiment Have your partner hold the

meterstick upright with one end resting on
the cardboard box. Repeat the experiment
with bouncing both balls onto the box three
times each. Measure the height of the bounces,
and record the data in the table.
Balls Bounced on a Cardboard Box

Height of Bounce in Meters
Ball Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average
Tennis ball

High-bounce
ball
Draw Conclusions
6 Compare What similarities or differences were there
between the two balls’ average bounce heights? Did the
cardboard box affect any of the data?
7 Infer What can you infer about the bouncing balls’ energy
transfer on the floor? On the box?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
What affects rate of energy conversion?

Form a Hypothesis
Now you have seen the effects of materials on bounce height. What can
you learn about bounce rate? Write your answer as a hypothesis “If I
bounce the balls on the floor and then on the box, each ball’s number of
bounces will....”

Design an experiment to investigate how the material on which each ball
bounces affects how many times it bounces before stopping. Write out the
materials you will need and the steps you will follow. Record your results and
observations.
Draw Conclusions
Did the results support your hypothesis? Why or why not? What factors
affected bounce rate?

153
Be a Name Date
Scientist
Open Inquiry
▶ What else can you learn about the energy of bouncing
balls? For example, how does the height from which the
ball is dropped affect the bounce height? Design and carry
out an experiment to answer your question. Organize your
experiment to test only one variable. Write the experiment
with enough detail that another group could repeat your
experiment by following your instructions.
▶ My question is

▶ My conclusion is

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.4.
What is work? Materials
Make a Prediction
Scientists define work in terms of both a force
and a distance through which the force
moves an object. Which requires more force:
moving an object across a smooth surface or across
a rough surface? Write your answer as a prediction
in the form “If the same object is moved the same
• string
distance along different surfaces, then....”
• book or other
weight
• spring scale
• tape
• waxed paper
Test Your Prediction (1 m)
1 Measure Use string to connect a weight to the • meterstick
spring scale. Tape a 1 meter sheet of waxed

paper to a flat surface. Place the meterstick over • medium-grain
sandpaper (1 m)
the waxed paper.
2 Record Data Place the weight at the start of Step 2

the meterstick. Pull on the spring scale’s handle
at a constant rate, moving the weight to the
end of the meterstick. What was the average
measurement on the spring scale as the weight
moved along? Record the amount of force
needed to pull the weight the length of the
meterstick.

Activity Lab Book Work, Energy, and Power
155
Explore Name Date
3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 using 1 meter of sandpaper in place

of the waxed paper.
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data On which surface was more force required
to pull the weight the same distance? Why do you think
this surface required more force?

5 Infer Compare the two trials. Which trial seemed to
require more work? If you increased the distance used in
the experiment, would that change the amount of work
that you would have to do? What if you used a heavier
weight? Explain your answers.

156 Activity Lab Book Work, Energy, and Power
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
Do you think the same amount of force is needed to slide
the same weight 1 meter across surfaces such as carpeted
or wooden floors? Test your prediction, and then share your
results.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about how different slopes affect
the amounts of work done.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

157
Explore
How can energy be transformed? Materials
1 Make a pinwheel by cutting a piece of • construction

construction paper into a 14 cm by 14 cm paper
square. Draw two diagonal lines from corner to • ruler
corner and mark the center. Use a compass to
make a circle with a 1 cm radius at the center • compass
of the paper. Cut lines from each corner to the • scissors
outer edge of the circle. Be Careful. Bend the
• straight pin
corners toward the center in clockwise order.
Have your teacher use a straight pin to poke a • pencil with eraser
hole through the center and each corner of the
paper and then into the side of a pencil eraser.
2 Observe What happens when you blow air at the

pinwheel? What caused the reaction?

3 Use Variables Have a partner hold a small piece of
construction paper so that it touches the pinwheel blades
as they move around. What happened when the pinwheel
hit the small piece of paper? How would you explain what
happened?

158 Activity Lab Book Work, Energy, and Power
Name Date
Quick Lab
Energy Transformations in a Paper Clip

1 Predict How will bending and straightening a
Materials
paper clip change its energy?
• paper clip
2 Observe Straighten a paper clip. Holding it

by the ends, touch the paper clip to the skin just
under your lower lip. Does it feel cool, warm, or at room
temperature?
3 Experiment Quickly bend the paper clip back and forth

five times and touch it to your skin again. Does it feel
warmer or cooler than before?
4 Repeat step 3 to check your results.

5 Communicate Explain the energy conversion that took
place when you bent and straightened the paper clip.

159
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.5.
How do waves affect Materials
the motion of objects?

Make a Prediction
On calm days, ocean waves are usually small, and
they roll gently toward the shore. On windy days,
the height of ocean waves increases. What happens
when waves reach floating objects? Do the objects • rectangular
move with the wave or stay in the same position? baking pan
Write your answer as a prediction in the form “If a • water
wave hits a floating object, then the object will....”
• ruler
• cork

1 Experiment Fill the pan with water to a depth
of about 2.5 cm. Place the cork in the middle of
the pan, and wait until the cork stops moving.
2 Observe Gently move the pan back and forth Step 2

once or twice, so that a series of waves moves
across the pan. Observe and record the motion
of the cork.
Chapter 7 • Exploring Energy Use with Lesson 1

160 Activity Lab Book Waves and Sound
Name Date
Explore
3 When the waves stop and the cork stops moving, what is
the cork’s final position compared to where it started in
the middle of the pan?
4 Experiment Try moving the pan from side to side in the

other direction. How does this change the waves? How
does this affect the cork’s motion? Move the pan a little
faster. What happens to the cork?
Draw Conclusions
5 Interpret Data Would this type of wave move an object
through a distance? Explain.

Activity Lab Book Waves and Sound
161
Explore Name Date
Explore More
Try using more or less water or using a container with a
different shape. How will these changes influence how a wave
moves an object? Test your prediction, and share the results
with your class.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about how waves affect the
motion of objects.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How does a wave Materials
move an object? • tape
1 Tape a paper strip in a loop, and place the loop • 2-cm by 4-cm
strip of paper
around a string about midway along its length.
Hold one end of the string, and have a partner • 75-cm length of
hold the other end, stretching the string gently string
to keep it straight.
2 Predict What will happen to the paper loop if a wave

moves along the string?
3 Experiment Move your hand gently up and down so that

a wave moves along the string. Observe what happens.
4 Interpret Data Would this type of wave move an object

through a distance? Explain.
5 Infer Would you expect a similar result if you put the

paper loop in a container filled with water and moved the
container to make waves? Explain.

163
Quick Lab Name Date
String Telephone Materials
1 Make a Model Obtain two paper cups and • two paper cups
about 10 meters of string. Make a small hole in • 10 m string
the bottom of each cup. Thread one end of the
string through each hole. Tie a knot in each • sharp pencil
end of the string so the ends cannot slip • wax
through the holes.
2 Experiment Try your model with a partner.

Each partner should take one of the cups.
Move far enough apart that the string is taut
between you and your partner.
3 Observe Take turns speaking softly into the cup as your

partner listens. How well are you able to communicate?

4 Use Variables Coat the string with wax. Does doing this
improve your ability to communicate using this device?
5 Predict What other variables could you test that might

make your string telephone more effective?

Name Date Focus on
Skills
GLE 0607.Inq.4.
Experiment Materials
Scientists experiment by performing procedures
• heavy rubber
under controlled conditions that help them test a
band
hypothesis, discover an unknown effect, or illustrate
a known effect or scientific law.
Sometimes an experiment does not produce the
expected result. Does this mean the experiment was a
failure? No. It just means that now you have new data
to lead you to more experiments to find out why you
got the results you did. Who knows—you may come up
with results that change everyone’s thinking about a
hypothesis.
▶ Learn It
When you experiment you perform a test to
support or disprove a hypothesis. To carry out
a successful experiment, you need to plan and
perform a procedure, make observations, and

record data. It is usually easier to record data on a
chart or graph. That way you can see differences at
a glance. Once you have enough information, you
can draw a conclusion about whether or not the
hypothesis has been proven correct. Of course, the
more information you have, the more accurate your
conclusion will be.
In the following experiment, you will gather data to
prove or disprove this hypothesis: “The more times
you stretch a rubber band, the warmer the rubber
band will become.”

165
Focus on Name Date
Skills
▶ Try It
1 Link a thumb through each end of a heavy rubber band.
Without stretching it, hold it to your forehead. Does the
rubber band feel warm, cool, or the same as your skin?
Record your results on the chart below. Hold the rubber
band away from your face, and quickly stretch it as far as you
can. Hold it steady, and touch it to your forehead. Does it feel
warmer, cooler, or the same as before? Record the results.
2 Continue to experiment by holding the rubber band

away from your face again. Relax it, then hold it to
your forehead. Record how the rubber band feels.
Repeat stretching the rubber band and touching it to
your forehead, then relaxing it and touching it to your
forehead, twice. Record the results. Try stretching
the rubber band four times before touching it to your
forehead to see whether there is a change in the amount
of heat energy that builds up. Record the results.

Trial Rubber Band
Result
Number Position
Relaxed
1
Stretched
Relaxed
2
Stretched
Relaxed
3
Stretched
Relaxed
4
Stretched 2 times
Relaxed
5
Stretched 4 times

Name Date Focus on
Skills
▶ Apply It
1 Now analyze the results of your experiment. Do they
prove or disprove the hypothesis? From your results,
can you draw a conclusion about why the stretched
rubber band felt warmer than, cooler than, or the same
temperature as your skin? If the rubber band felt warmer
or cooler after stretching, does that mean that the rubber
band itself had more or less heat energy after stretching
than it did before?
2 Can you predict what would happen if you used a

thinner rubber band? A thicker one? Experiment to test
one of your predictions. Then share the results with the
rest of your class.

167
Focus on Name Date
Skills
3 Experiment to test your remaining predictions from

step 2. Test any additional variables you may wish to try.
Record your data in the chart below.
Rubber Band
Variable Result
Position
Relaxed
Stretched
Relaxed
Stretched
Relaxed
Stretched
Relaxed

Stretched
Relaxed
Stretched
Relaxed
Stretched

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.1
How does light move Materials
away from its source?

Make a Prediction
On what kind of path does a light beam travel?
How many mirrors are needed to bend a light
beam around an obstacle? Write your answer
as a prediction in the form “To bend a light beam
around an obstacle, it will take....”
• flashlight
• three pieces of
construction
paper
• scissors
1 Make a Model Trace the outline of a flashlight’s
• tape
face on a piece of construction paper.

Be Careful. Cut out the shape, and make a • modeling clay
small hole in the center. Tape the cutout over • meterstick
the face of the flashlight. Fold a second sheet
of construction paper in half. Set it in a lump • talcum powder
of clay at one end of a meterstick. Darken the • two mirrors
room.
2 Observe Hold the flashlight at the other end

Step 2
of the meterstick. Aim the beam at the target.
Blow talcum powder into the beam to make
it more visible. Compare the beam’s path to
the meterstick. What is the shape of the light
beam’s path?

Activity Lab Book Properties of Light
169
Explore Name Date
3 Experiment Block the beam of light from Step 3

reaching the target. Fold a piece of
construction paper in half. Set it in a piece of
modeling clay, and attach the clay to the
middle of the meterstick. Can you bend the
light beam to reach the target with mirrors
while keeping the flashlight steady? Are one
or two mirrors needed to get the beam to the
target?

Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data Could you make a light beam follow a
curved path? How could you change a light beam’s path?

170 Activity Lab Book Properties of Light
Name Date
Explore
Explore More
What if you wanted the light beam to hit the back of the
target? How many mirrors would you need? Design an
experiment to test your prediction.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about other ways a mirror’s
ability to bend light can be useful.
▶ My question is:
▶ My results are:

171
Explore
Can you trace the pattern Materials
of a shadow? • tape
1 Tape a piece of black construction paper to a • black

wall. Place a lamp 2 meters away from the wall, construction
paper
and turn it on.
• lamp with
2 Have a partner stand in front of the paper open bulb
with his or her shoulder touching the wall. Use • plastic cup
a plastic cup to keep his or her head still by
placing it between the wall and head. • yellow marker
• scissors
3 Experiment Use the yellow marker to trace
the shadow made by your classmate’s head.
Remove the paper from the wall, and use scissors
to cut out the silhouette. Be Careful.
4 Draw Conclusions How would you explain the shadow

on the paper?
5 Infer Based on this experiment, what can you determine

about the properties of light rays?
6 Use Variables Repeat the experiment by moving the

lamp away from the wall at regular intervals. Explain what
happens to the shadow of your partner’s head.

172 Activity Lab Book Properties of Light
Name Date
Quick Lab
Investigating Light Materials
1 Make a small hole in the center of each of three • pin

index cards. Tape the cards upright in a row on
• three index cards
a flat surface. Be sure that the holes are aligned.
• tape
2 Observe Place a flashlight behind the last card, • flashlight
and turn the flashlight on. Stand in front of the
first card so that your eyes are level with its • ruler
hole. Record your observations.
3 Observe Move the middle card 3 centimeters to the left.

Return to your position in front of the first card. Record
what you observe.
4 Interpret Data Compare your observations. Were they

the same or different? Explain.
5 Infer What caused the difference, if any, noted above?

173
Explore Name Date
GLE 0607.Inq.5
How can you measure heat flow? Materials
Make a Prediction
Does heat energy move between warm and cool
objects? What will happen if a jar of water is placed
in a bowl of water at a different temperature? Write
your answer as a prediction in the form “If a jar of
warm water is placed in a bowl of room-temperature
water, then.... If a jar of cool water is placed in a bowl
of room-temperature water, then....” • two jars
• water
• four
thermometers
• two large bowls
• watch or
stopwatch

1 Fill one jar with water at 30°C. Fill a second jar with water
at 10°C.
2 Measure Place each jar in a separate bowl of room-

temperature water measuring between 22°C and 24°C.
Record the starting temperatures of the water in the
bowls and jars in the chart below.
Temperatures Temperatures
Time Time
Bowl 1 Jar 1 Bowl 2 Jar 2 Bowl 1 Jar 1 Bowl 2 Jar 2
Start 12 min
2 min 14 min
4 min 16 min
6 min 18 min
8 min 20 min
10 min 50 min

174 Activity Lab Book Heat
Name Date
Explore
3 Experiment Record the temperatures of the Step 3

four containers every 2 minutes for 20 minutes.
What differences in the temperatures do you
notice? Record your observations. When do
you think the temperatures will stop changing?
Thirty minutes after your last observation,
check the thermometers again, and record the
temperatures in the chart on the previous page.
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data Make a line graph that shows how the
temperature of the water in each jar and each bowl

changed over time. What happened to the temperature
in the jar with warm water? How did the heat flow? How
could you explain what you observed?

Activity Lab Book Heat
175
Explore Name Date
Explore More
What would happen if you placed a jar of warm water in a bowl
of ice water? What would the graph of temperature and time
look like? Make a prediction and test it. Present your results.
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about variables that affect heat flow.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

Explore
How can you observe heat flow? Materials
1 Record Data Fill one empty soda can with • two empty soda
very warm water. Fill the other with cold water. cans
Place a thermometer in each can. After 1 minute • very warm water
record the temperature of the water in each
can. Record your data in the table below. • cold water
• two
2 Record Data Remove the thermometers from thermometers
each can. Carefully pour the water from each
• plastic bowl
can into the plastic bowl. Wait 1 minute. With
the thermometer that you used in the can with
the cold water, measure the temperature of the mixed
water in the plastic bowl. Record your data in the table
below.
Sample Temperature
cold water
warm water
mixed water
3 Compare How does the temperature of the mixed water

compare to the temperatures of the cold and warm
water? Explain.

177
Quick Lab Name Date
Heat From Friction Materials
1 Form a Hypothesis Can friction from rubbing • thermometer

your hands together generate enough heat to
raise the temperature of your hands? Record
your hypothesis.
2 Measure Hold a thermometer in one hand so

that your hand completely covers the bulb.
Record the temperature after the liquid stops
moving.
3 Experiment Remove the thermometer, and

rub your hands together vigorously for about a
minute. Repeat step 2.

Initial Temperature
Temperature After Rubbing Hands
4 Interpret Data Did the temperature of your hand

change? How might you explain this?
5 Infer Relate the change in temperature to the molecules

of your hand. Did the average kinetic energy of these
molecules change?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Structured Inquiry
Can gases conduct heat? Materials
Form a Hypothesis • three

You know that liquids and solids can conduct heat. thermometers
Can gases conduct heat? Write your answer as a
hypothesis in the form “If a gas in one container is
heated, the gas in a connected container will....” • two foam
cups
• two 400-mL
beakers
• scissors
1 Using the scissors, cut the bottom out from
one foam cup. Be Careful.
• thermal
2 Use a pencil or pen to poke holes about 2 gloves
centimeters from the top and bottom of each

• warm water
foam cup.
3 Turn both cups upside down, and poke the ends
of two thermometers through the upper holes and
lower holes, so both thermometers are supported
horizontally. The bulb ends of both thermometers
Step 3
should extend into the middle of the bottomless
cup.
4 Fill one beaker with very warm water. Be careful.
Put the third thermometer into the water. The water
temperature should be close to 60°C.
5 Place the empty beaker on top of the bottomless
cup. Record the temperatures of the two
thermometers in the data table.
6 Add about 100 milliliters of very warm water
to the empty beaker. After 1 minute, record the
temperatures of the thermometers.

179
Be a Name Date
Scientist
7 Take temperature readings every minute for 10 minutes

and record the results in your data table. Continue adding
warm water to the top beaker to keep the temperature of
the water as close to 60°C as possible.
8 Use Numbers Make a graph that shows temperature

readings for both thermometers over time.
Air Temperatures in Foam Cup

Time Upper Lower
(min) Thermometer Thermometer
(°C) (°C)
0
1

2
3
4
5
6
7
Draw Conclusions
9 Communicate Did the results confirm your hypothesis,
or do you need to make changes to it? Explain.
Infer How can heat transfer through the air in the foam
cup?

Name Date Be a
Scientist
Guided Inquiry
How is heat transferred in water?

Form a Hypothesis
What would occur in cold water if a heat source is at the
top? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If heat is
added to the top of the water, the temperature at the bottom
will....”

Design an experiment to determine what will occur in water if
heat is added to the top. List the materials you will need and
your procedure. Record your results.
Draw Conclusions
Did your results support your hypothesis? Why or why not?
Present your results to your classmates.

181
Be a Name Date
Scientist
Open Inquiry
What else can you learn about different materials’ transfer of
heat energy? For example, can you heat a liquid by heating
the gas around it? Choose a question to investigate. Design
and carry out an experiment so another group could repeat it
by following your instructions.
▶ My question is

▶ My conclusions are

Name Date
Explore
GLE 0607.Inq.3
What happens to charged Materials
objects that are brought

together?
Make a Prediction
What happens when a balloon is rubbed with cloth • clear tape
and then brought near your hair? The balloon seems
to have a type of energy that can make other objects
move closer or farther away. This is called a charge. Can
pieces of clear tape show similar effects when brought
together? Write your answer as a prediction in the form “If clear
tape can hold a charge, then the pieces of tape will....”

1 Experiment Press two pieces of clear tape tightly to

your desk, folding over one side of each piece to make a
small tab. Pull the strips of tape off of the desk by the tab
end, and hold the other ends of the tape close together.
Observe what happens.
Step 2
2 Experiment Tightly press two new strips of
tape to your desk, but this time, stick one of the
pieces on top of the other. Pull both strips off
the desk, and then pull them apart. Hold the
ends of the tape close together, and observe
what happens.

Activity Lab Book Electricity and Magnetism
183
Explore Name Date
3 Record Data What happened in step 1 when

you brought the ends of the tape near each
other? What happened in step 2 when you
brought the ends of the tape near each other?
Draw Conclusions
4 Interpret Data What seems to have caused the
difference between step 1 and step 2?

5 Compare What other substances have you observed
interacting in a similar manner?
6 Infer What do you think pulling the strips of tape off the
desk may have done to them?
Explore More
Is there something that you can do or apply to the pieces
of tape that will prevent this from happening? Make a
prediction, test it, and share your results with others in
your class.

184 Activity Lab Book Electricity and Magnetism
Name Date
Explore
Open Inquiry
Think of your own question about the charges of different
materials.
▶ My question is:

▶ My results are:

185
Explore
What happens when a Materials
balloon has an electric charge? • two balloons
1 Experiment Inflate a balloon. Rub it briskly with • woolen cloth

a woolen cloth, and place it next to your cheek. • long string
Describe what happens.
2 Inflate another balloon. Tie one end of a string to this

balloon. Tie the other end of the string to the first balloon
you inflated.
3 Experiment What happens if you rub each of the

balloons briskly with the woolen cloth, then try to make

them touch one another? What causes the reaction of the
balloons?
4 Infer How would you explain how the first balloon

interacted with your cheek compared to how it interacted
with the second balloon?

186 Activity Lab Book Electricity and Magnetism
Name Date
Quick Lab
Test for Conductivity Materials
1 Create a simple circuit containing two batteries, • two batteries

wires, and a light bulb. Leave the ends of the
• light bulb
two wires bare, as probes. Touch the probes
together to make sure that the light bulb lights • wires
up. • penny
2 Experiment Test several different items’ • distilled water

conductivity by touching the probes to the
object and observing whether the light bulb
lights up. Try another wire, a penny, your skin,
or distilled water.
3 Infer Which items are good conductors? Which are not

good conductors?

187
Tech on
Focus Name Date
Skills
Activity
Construct a Bridge Materials
Use stacks of books in two piles of • writing paper,

construction
the same height to support your bridge
paper, poster
designs. board, aluminum
foil
2 Design Design various bridges, using the
available materials. Try folding, curving, or • plastic, metal, and
wooden rulers
pleating the different kinds of paper to increase
their strength. • rubber bands, toy
cars, and books
! Test Use toy cars to test the bridges’ strength
and flexibility. List the materials that work best.
" Draw Conclusions Why is it important to know the

properties of construction materials before building
something? When might it be useful for a bridge to be

flexible?
Technology: A Closer Look Use with Lesson 1

188 Activity Lab Book What Is Technology?
Name Date Tech
Activity
Design a Paper Airplane Materials
You may have made a paper airplane before. • paper, tape, paper
clip
If you have, write down a step-by-step
procedure so that someone else can build the • measuring tape,
same design. balance
2 If you do not know how to make a paper airplane, fold a

piece of paper in different ways to experiment with different
designs. Ask your teacher or classmates for help if you need it.
! Observe Fly your plane. Describe how well it flies.
" Experiment Refine your design, and try it again. Does it

perform better?
# Put a paper clip on the plane’s nose. How does this

change the plane’s flight?
$ Interpret Data Use a measuring tape to see how far
your plane will travel. Weigh your plane. Compare the
weight to distance ratio of your plane with the weight to
distance ratio of your classmates’ planes.
Weight of Plane Distance Plane Flies
Weight divided by distance equals:

Draw Conclusions
What constraints would you have to consider if you wanted
to put landing gear on your plane?

Activity Lab Book The Design of Things
189
Tech on
Focus Name Date
Skills
Activity
Make a Flip Book Materials
Choose something easy to draw that • paper, colored

moves. pencils, or
markers
I am going to draw a(n)
• stapler
2 Think about how to show the movement of the
object you will draw. On each page, it will have
a slightly different position. More drawings make
slower motion, and fewer drawings make faster motion.
! Stack your pages in the order that you drew them, and
then staple them together.
" Hold the book at the edge with the staple. Flip the pages
with your other hand to see the motion.
Infer How is your flip book like television?

190 Activity Lab Book Technology in Communications
Name Date Tech
Activity
Design a Robotic Hand Materials
Observe Observe your hand. Watch how (choose a variety)

straws, scissors,
the bones and muscles work.
paper clips, rubber
bands, tape, pipe
2 Pick up a piece of paper with only two cleaners, bits of
fingers. Draw your hand, noting what parts clay, glue, craft
moved as you picked up the paper. sticks, string,
pencils, paper,
paper fasteners,
wire hangers,
salad tongs, other
materials
! Implement a Design Design a robotic hand that would

allow you to pick up the paper without touching it with
your own hands.
" Build your robotic hand.
# Test If necessary, make changes.

Changes I made:
Communicate Results Show your class how well your robotic

hand works. What else can you pick up?

Activity Lab Book Technology in Medicine
191
Tech on
Focus Name Date
Skills
Activity
Test a Tube Materials
Predict Before starting, predict which • paper, tape

will be stronger: a boxed structure of paper • books (light
or a tube of paper rolled up. weight
paperbacks)
Write your prediction:
• balance scale
2 Fold a sheet of paper to make a box. Roll another to

make a cylinder or tube.
! Test to see which structure supports more weight by

placing books on each. Use a balance to measure how
much weight each structure holds. Compare your results
with your classmates’ results.

Shape Amount of
Weight Held
Box
Tube
Infer Would multiple sheets rolled up in layers support more

weight than a single layer rolled up? Why or why not?

192 Activity Lab Book Technology of the Future
Name Date Tech
Activity
Pure Water Technologies Materials

Be Careful. Never drink the test water! • solution (made by
your teacher)
Observe Examine a glass of test water from
• screen or filter
your teacher. Does the water look safe to drink?
Explain your observations. • pH paper
• pH scale
2 Pour the test water through a screen or filter into a bowl.

Do you think this water is safe to drink now?
! Use the pH paper to test the water. What is the pH of

your water, according to the pH scale?
Draw Conclusions Do you think the water is safe to drink?

Why or why not?

Activity Lab Book Exploring the Impact of Technology on Society
193
Everyday Name Date
Science
Growing Bacteria
Bacteria are everywhere. They are found in the Materials
foods you eat, in the places where you study and
play, and inside your body. Many bacteria are • sterile plastic
good for you, but there are also bacteria that can petri dish
cause illnesses. Most food poisoning is caused by • sliced beets
bacteria. Bacteria can also cause cavities, strep
• permanent
throat, and ear infections. Many of these illnesses marker
can be cured by taking an antibiotic. Antibiotics
kill the bacteria that cause many kinds of disease. • plastic forceps
• antibiotic cream
Purpose
• cotton swabs
Your task is to grow bacteria on a beet slice,
one half of which has antibiotic on it. • tape
Form a Hypothesis
How would you grow bacteria on a beet slice? What will happen to the
beet? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form “If an antibiotic is

placed on half of the beet slice, then....”
The bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes,

magnified 2,000 times in this photo,
causes strep throat and scarlet fever.
Activity Lab Book Use with Activity Flipchart page 78

194
Name Date Everyday
Science

1 Turn the petri dish upside down, and use a marker to
divide the dish in half. Label the sides A and B.
2 Use the forceps to pick up the beet slice. Step 2

Slightly lift the lid of the petri dish with your
other hand and place the beet slice in the
center of the dish. Replace the cover.
3 Rub a cotton swab over the fingers of one

hand, slightly lift the cover of the petri dish,
and gently rub the swab over the surface of
the beet slice. Make sure that you touch the
entire surface of the beet slice.
4 Use another cotton swab to add antibiotic Step 4

cream to the half of the beet slice on side B of
the dish.
5 Replace the cover, and tape the lid to the dish.
6 Place the petri dish where it will not be

disturbed.
7 Observe Count colonies of bacteria and check

for their growth every day for 4 days. What happens to
the beet slice? Do you see any pattern in the growth?

195
Everyday Name Date
Science
Draw Conclusions
8 Based on your results, what is your conclusion?
Critical Thinking
1 Why are refrigerators and freezers used to store food for
long periods of time?

2 What is antibiotic cream useful for?

196
Name Date Everyday
Science
Carnivore Investigation
Food chains and food webs show how energy is passed from one living
thing to the next. At the bottom of the food chain are plants, because they
make their own energy using the Sun. Herbivores (animals that eat plants)
are the next group in the food chain, or first-level consumers. Then come
carnivores (meat eaters) and omnivores (meat and plant eaters), or
second-, third-, and fourth-level consumers. When an animal at the top of
the food chain dies, it is broken down by decomposers. Decomposers are
small organisms that break down dead plants and animals into very small
pieces that are then returned to the soil and used as nutrients by plants.
Every living thing gets recycled in this way.
Third-level
consumer
(eat animals)
Fourth-level
consumer
(eat animals)
Decomposers
Second-level consumer
(eat animals)
First-level consumer
(eat plants)

197
Everyday Name Date
Science
Purpose
Materials
Your task is to conduct an experiment that
will determine whether an owl is a carnivore. • black construction
paper
Form a Hypothesis
• sterilized owl
How can you use an owl pellet (undigested pellet
material that an owl regurgitates) to determine
whether an owl is a carnivore? Write your answer • toothpicks
as a hypothesis in the form “If the pellet contains • plastic bowl with
, then the owl is a carnivore.” bleach solution
and plastic cup
• piece of screen
• plastic forceps
Test Your Hypothesis • bone-sorting

chart
1 Cover a workspace with newspaper, unwrap
• rodent-skeleton
the owl pellet, and place it on a piece of black
diagram
construction paper.

2 Using toothpicks, carefully take the owl Step 2
pellet apart, and look for bones. (The bones
are very fragile and need to be removed
gently to avoid breaking.)

198
Name Date Everyday
Science
3 Once you have removed any bones, put

them in the bowl of bleach solution for
about 5 minutes or until the bones are
thoroughly cleaned and whitened.
4 Put the screen over the top of a plastic cup, Step 4

and gently pour the solution through the
screen. You will now have any bones on
the screen. Gently remove the bones with
the plastic forceps, and put them on a paper
towel to dry.
5 Sort the bones, using the bone-sorting chart

on the next page.
6 Glue the appropriate bones on the rodent-skeleton

diagram on the next page.

199
Everyday Name Date
Science
Bone-Sorting Chart
skull humerus femur
vertebra radius tibia

rib ulna fibula
Rodent-Skeleton Diagram

200
Name Date Everyday
Science
Draw Conclusions
7 Observe What did you observe?
8 Based on your results, what is your conclusion? Is the

owl a carnivore? Why? What evidence leads you to your
conclusion?
Critical Thinking
1 Why is it important to protect owls and their habitats?
2 What would happen if all the owls in a large farming

area died?

201
Everyday Name Date
Science
Electricity from the Sun

A solar panel is made up of photovoltaic cells. These cells work together
to convert sunlight (photo-) into electricity (-voltaic). Photovoltaic cells
are commonly made of silicon. When silicon is exposed to sunlight, its
electrons start flowing. The flowing of electrons is called an electric current.
The current from the silicon of the photovoltaic cells is directed toward the
metal wires attached to the solar panel. In this way the energy of the Sun
is converted into electricity. Electricity will continue to be generated by the
solar panel’s cells as long as sunlight is available.
Purpose
Your task is to show that a solar panel can produce electricity.
Form a Hypothesis
How can you use a small, homemade motor to prove that a solar panel
produces an electric current? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form
“If a solar panel produces an electric current and I connect it to a motor,
then the motor will....”

202
Name Date Everyday
Science

1 Use craft sticks to make a structure such as
a windmill, a Ferris wheel, a helicopter, or
a merry-go-round. Materials
• 50–100 craft
2 Attach the moving parts of your sticks
structure (such as windmill blades or
helicopter blades) to the motor with the • small solar panel
glue or tape. • small motor
3 • glue or double-
Attach the wires from the solar panel to
stick tape
the leads on the motor.
4 Place the solar panel in sunlight or under a

very bright light.
5 Observe what happens.


203
Everyday Name Date
Science
Draw Conclusions
6 What did you observe?
Critical Thinking

1 How can you stop the motor from running without
moving your structure?
2 Do you think that solar panels could work in very cold

climates?

204
Name Date Everyday
Science
Rocks That Float, Rocks That Sink

When a volcano erupts, hot molten lava can be thrown into the air or can
flow from fissures and cracks and flow over Earth’s surface. When the lava
cools and hardens, it forms igneous rocks. These rocks are called extrusive
igneous rocks, because they form by cooling and hardening on Earth’s
surface. Intrusive igneous rocks are formed deep within Earth. They are
often exposed by an earthquake or other natural event.
Purpose
Your task is to design an experiment that will determine whether pumice,
an extrusive igneous rock, will sink or float when put in water.
Form a Hypothesis
Examine the pumice. What do you think will happen if you put a piece of
pumice in a bowl of water? Will it sink or float? What would happen if you
did this with other rocks? State your hypothesis in the form “If I place a
piece of pumice in water, then the pumice will....”
sediments
Sedimentary
rock
Igneous
rock
Metamorphic
cooling and rock
magma
crystallizing
rock broken down

and carried away
sedimentary rock
pressure metamorphic rock
igneous rock
magma
melting heat

205
Everyday Name Date
Science

Materials
1 Fill your bowl with water.
• piece of pumice
2 Place a piece of pumice in the water. • bowl
• water
Draw Conclusions
3 What did you observe? Step 2
4 Based on your results, what is your

conclusion?

206
Name Date Everyday
Science
Critical Thinking
1 Why do you think the surface of pumice is full of holes or
pores? How does this affect its buoyancy?
2 Feel the surface of the pumice. Why do you think pumice

is added to some soaps?

207
Everyday Name Date
Science
The Pressure Is On
Though we are not aware of it, air pressure is pushing on us from every
direction all the time. Usually we are only aware of sudden changes in air
pressure—for example, when our ears pop in an airplane or when traveling
to high altitudes in a car or bus. Air pressure and changes in air pressure
have far-reaching effects on our environment. Changes in air pressure even
affect the weather, as when air moving from a high-pressure area to a low-
pressure area creates wind.
Purpose
Your task is to design an experiment that will prove or disprove Bernoulli’s
principle: If the movement of a fluid increases in speed, the pressure, or
force, of that fluid pushing against an object will decrease. (Fluids include
both liquids and gases.)

fast air, less
pre
s su
re
slow air,
more pressure

208
Name Date Everyday
Science
Form a Hypothesis
Materials
How can you use a simple strip of paper to
prove Bernoulli’s principle? Write your answer • strip of paper
as a hypothesis in the form “If I take a strip of 15 cm long and
paper and blow hard over the top of it, then....” 1 cm wide

1 Hold one end of the strip of paper just Step 2
below your lower lip.
2 Blow hard over the top of the paper.
Draw Conclusions

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Critical Thinking
1 How does Bernoulli’s principle apply to an airplane taking off?
2 Why does low air pressure mean bad weather?

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Science
Sponges from Oil Materials

Polymers are formed when many molecules • ultrathin diapers
are linked together. Some polymers, such as
• plastic cups
plastic, are created from petroleum. Petroleum,
or crude oil, is a black liquid pumped out of the • small garbage
ground. Superabsorbent polymers can be made bag with twist tie
from a by-product of petroleum refining. These • scissors
polymers attract water and are linked in such
a way that there are many “pockets” within the
linkages that hold water molecules.
Purpose
Your task is to design an
experiment that will show
how superabsorbent
polymers work.

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Form a Hypothesis
How can you use water and disposable baby diapers to demonstrate how
superabsorbent polymers work? Write your answer as a hypothesis in the
form “If disposable diapers work because they contain superabsorbent
polymers, then these polymers will....”

1 Cut open a diaper, and put the cottonlike filling Step 1
into the garbage bag.
2 Feel inside the bag, and note that the filling

feels gritty.

Close the bag with the twist tie.
4 By manipulating the closed bag, tear the filling

into small pieces.

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5 Rub the filling between your fingers

(still holding the bag closed).
6 Shake the bag.
7 Open the bag, and see whether there is

powder at the bottom of the bag. If the
Step 8
filling still feels gritty and there is not
enough powder, repeat steps 3–6.
8 Once enough powder has been collected,

remove the filling from the bag and pour the
powder into a plastic cup.
9 Fill a second cup with water.
Pour the water from the second cup into Step

the cup with the powder.
Pour the mixture from one cup into the other

several times.

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Draw Conclusions
What did you observe?
! Based on your results, what is your conclusion?
Critical Thinking
1 What is the advantage of putting superabsorbent
polymers in diapers?

2 Why do you think farmers use superabsorbent polymers
in the soil?

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Science
Potential to Kinetic Energy

Potential energy is energy stored in an object. Kinetic energy is the energy
of motion. Fuel such as wood, oil, and gas contains potential energy. When
fuel is burned, heat is released. This heat is used to do work such as moving
a car or heating a stove. Chemical reactions also involve the conversion of
potential energy to kinetic energy. For example, food contains chemical
bonds that contain potential energy. Digestive enzymes break down these
bonds and release the potential energy.
This energy is eventually
converted to kinetic energy—
energy used for activities
such as running, jumping, and
breathing.
Purpose
Your task is to devise an
experiment that converts
potential energy to kinetic
energy, using an effervescent

tablet as a test material.

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Science
Form a Hypothesis
Materials
How can you use an effervescent tablet and
water to demonstrate how potential energy • safety goggles
is converted to kinetic energy? Write your • effervescent
answer as a hypothesis in the form “If an tablet
effervescent tablet is added to water in a film
• a film canister
canister and the top is put on the film canister,
with a snap-on lid
then the canister will....” (a lid that snaps
inside the canister,
not outside)
• water

This experiment must be done outdoors.

1 Put on your safety goggles.
2 Fill the film canister half full with water. Step 4
3 Put an effervescent tablet in the water.

Immediately snap the top on the canister.
4 Hold two fingers on the top and your thumb

on the bottom of the canister to
prevent the cap from coming off.
5 Shake the canister briskly, and walk to

a clear spot, away from people.
(Hold the canister away from your body
and face.)

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6 Put the canister cap-down on a hard surface on the

ground. Move back.
Draw Conclusions


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Science
Critical Thinking
1 How is the launch of a space shuttle similar to your
effervescent-tablet “rocket”?
2 Why does the space shuttle not fly to the Moon?

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Science
The Light We Cannot See

The electromagnetic spectrum is made up of electromagnetic radiation
of different wavelengths. These include radio waves, microwaves, infrared
rays, visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, X rays, and gamma rays. Humans
cannot see ultraviolet light, but some animals can. Exposing skin to
ultraviolet light without using sunscreen can damage the skin.
Purpose
Your task is to design an
experiment using UV beads
that will determine how to
protect yourself from damaging
ultraviolet light. UV beads are
special beads that contain a
pigment that changes color
when exposed to ultraviolet
light from the Sun.
skin cancer lesion

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Science
Form a Hypothesis
Materials
How can you determine whether UV-protective
lenses block ultraviolet light from the Sun? • UV beads
Write your answer as a hypothesis in the form • pair of sunglasses
“If UV-protective lenses block ultraviolet light with UV-
from the Sun, then UV beads under such protective lenses
sunglasses in sunlight will....”

1 Put the UV beads in sunlight, and see if they change
color.

2 Take the UV beads out of the sunlight, and see if they
change color.
3 Cover the UV beads with the lenses of the Step 3

sunglasses, and place them in sunlight.
4 What color are the UV beads?

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Draw Conclusions

Critical Thinking
1 What would happen if you covered the UV beads with
sunscreen lotion and then put them in sunlight?
2 The ozone layer around Earth acts like a large layer of

sunscreen, protecting the planet from most ultraviolet
light coming from the Sun. What do you think would
happen to Earth if the ozone layer were damaged or
weakened?

221
Learning Name Date
Lab
How can you build a living Materials
ecosystem in a container? • shoebox-size

transparent
Structured Inquiry plastic or glass
Create a Producer Habitat container
• cover for the
Ask Questions container (with
Can you build a plant habitat in a small holes for air
container? What will you need to put in it? Where circulation)
do plants get the food and energy they need to • natural loam soil
grow? How will your plant habitat grow?
• water mister
Make a Prediction • leaves, twigs, and
Write your answer as a prediction in the form small stones
“If I build a plant habitat in a small container, the
• several small
habitat will....”
plants and seeds
Activity Lab Book Use with Activity Flipchart pp. 86–87

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Lab

1 Place the soil in the container to a depth of 5 Step 1
centimeters, and use the mister to add water.
The soil should be damp but not soaking wet.
Place the leaves, twigs, and stones on top of the
soil. Plant the plants and seeds in the soil, and
cover the container.
2 Place your plant habitat where it will get plenty

of light but will not get too hot. Make a detailed
drawing of the habitat in the space on the next
page. Predict what you think it will look like in
2 to 3 weeks. Write your prediction below your
drawing.
My Habitat on the First Day

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3 Observe The next day check your plant habitat, and add
water as needed to keep the soil moist. Compare your
habitat to the drawing you made on the first day.
4 Record Data What changes are occurring on top of the

soil? What changes are occurring beneath the soil?
Habitat Data Sheet
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

Watered Watered Watered
Observations Observations Observations
Soil Soil Soil
M
TH

F
SUN
Conclusions/observable changes after 3 weeks:
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 2 to 3 weeks. Do the changes

support your prediction?

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Lab
Communicate Your Results

Have a class discussion, and share your drawings and data.
What did you learn? What caused the changes over time in
the plant habitat? Use your data to answer these questions:
▶ How were the needs of the plants in your habitat met? How
did the plants get light, water, air, and food?
▶ How did the habitat grow and change? What abiotic factors
might limit the growth of the plants?
▶ What could you do to turn your producer habitat into an

ecosystem?

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Learning Name Date
Lab
Guided Inquiry
Materials
Building an Ecosystem
• plant habitat
Ask Questions • worms, insects
How will the plant habitat change if you and small animals
introduce worms and other small animals?
How will the worms interact with the soil? • cardboard
Will interaction between the producers and • tape
the consumers benefit all of the organisms?
What constitutes an ecosystem?
Make a Prediction
Write your answer as a prediction in the form “If I introduce
worms, insects and other small animals into the plant habitat,
then....”

1 Tape the cardboard in place around three sides of the
habitat.
2 Gently and carefully add the worms and Step 2

other small animals to the container.
Replace the cover.

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Lab
3 Observe Note where each animal goes once it is inside

the container.
4 Observe The next day check the container, and add

water as needed to keep the soil moist.
5 Record Data Write down the location and activities of

each animal. Describe any plant and animal interactions
you observe. What changes are occurring on top of the
soil? Beneath the soil? Record your data in the chart
below.
Habitat Data Sheet

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

Watered Watered Watered
Observations Observations Observations
Soil Soil Soil
M
TH
SUN
6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for 2 to 3 weeks. Did the changes

you recorded support your prediction?

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Lab

Have a class discussion, and share your results with the other
students. What did you find out? Use your data to answer
these questions.
▶ What changes did the animals cause in the plant habitat
over time?
▶ Were the worms, the soil, the plants, and other animals
beneficial to each other? Explain.

▶ Did you build an ecosystem? Why or why not?
▶ If you built an ecosystem, identify the producers, consumers,

and decomposers. What abiotic factors are important in
your ecosystem?

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Lab
Open Inquiry
Design Your Own Ecosystem
Invent and test other ways to build an ecosystem. Make a
prediction, and design an experiment to test your prediction.
Record your data, and communicate your findings.
Make a poster that illustrates what you found out. Here are
some ideas to get you started.
▶ Use a different kind of soil. How well does a plant habitat
work with soil that is sandy or high in clay content? What
types of plants will grow in these soils?
▶ Use different plants and animals. How do these organisms
interact? Do these plants need more water? Less light?
▶ Use fish and plants to make a water ecosystem in an
aquarium. What types of fish can share this ecosystem?
What types of plants provide food for the fish? Can you add
decomposers to your ecosystem?
▶ My question is:
▶ My prediction is:
▶ My experiment is:
▶ My results are:

229
Learning Name Date
Lab
How can you model the Materials
energy of moving fluids? • 50 centimeters of

string
Structured Inquiry • helium balloon
Tracking the Movement of Wind • 5 to 10 3-inch by
5-inch index
Ask Questions cards
Can a helium balloon be used as a tool for
tracking moving air? • hole punch
Make a Prediction
Write your answer as a prediction in the form
“If the air in a classroom is moving, then a helium
balloon will....”

1 Tie one end of the string to the helium
balloon. Punch a hole near the corner of each
3-inch by 5-inch index card, and tie the cards
to the other end of the string, one at a time,
until the balloon just begins to sink. Tear small
pieces off the index cards until the balloon
neither rises nor sinks.

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Lab
2 Bring the balloon into a large room where it can float

sideways or up and down. Choose a location, and let the
balloon hang freely in the air.
3 Observe Keep your eye on the balloon. As the air in the

room moves, the balloon will move with the air.
4 Record Data In the space below, draw a picture of the

room, and show the path the balloon has taken around
the room.
Room and Balloon Paths

5 The air may be moving in different directions at different

speeds in various locations in the room. Choose three
more locations in the room, let the balloon hang freely
in the air, and repeat steps 3 and 4, showing the path of
each balloon in a different color or a different style of
line.
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Learning Name Date
Lab

Have a class discussion, and share your drawings. With other
students create a map that shows air movement in your
classroom. Use your data to answer these questions:
▶ Is the air in the room moving? How did you reach your
conclusion?
▶ If the air in the room is moving, what causes the air to

move?
▶ Does a balloon move at different speeds and in different

directions at different locations in the room? How can you
explain your observations?

▶ Did your observations confirm your prediction?

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Lab
Guided Inquiry
Materials
Warm and Cold Water
• two empty, 35-
Ask Questions millimeter film
How can you use warm and cold water in a containers with
smooth lids
container to explain how mixing hot and
cold fluids can make the fluids move? • hole punch
• clear, 2-liter soda
Make a Prediction
bottle with top
Write your answer as a prediction in the form 10 centimeters
“If I mix warm and cold water, then the warm cut off
water will ________ and the cold water
• room-temperature
will ________.”
water
• thermometer
• warm tap water and
cold (refrigerated)
tap water
• red and blue food

Test Your Prediction coloring
1 Use the hole punch to make two holes • two large beakers
side by side in each film canister lid. or cups
2 Fill the clear soda bottle with room-

temperature water to within 5 centimeters
of the top. Use the thermometer to determine
the temperature of the water, and write it down on the
chart on the next page.
3 Fill one beaker with warm tap water, and add a few drops
of red food coloring. Use the thermometer to determine
the temperature of the water, and write it down on the
chart.
4 Pour the red-colored water into the film container, and

secure the lid.

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5 Gently push the sealed film canister into the room-

temperature water in the clear soda bottle to about
halfway between the surface and the bottom, then turn
the canister sideways.
6 Observe What happened to the colored water? Where

did it go? Record your observations on the chart.
7 Repeat steps 2 through 6, substituting refrigerated water

for the warm tap water and blue food coloring for red
food coloring.
Starting Temperature of Room-Temperature Water: ________
Red-Colored Water Blue-Colored Water
Starting temperature: ________ Starting temperature: ________
Observations: Observations:

Communicate Your Results Path of red-colored water:
Work in groups of four to eight, and discuss
your findings.
▶ How did the warm, red-colored water move
once it was in the room-temperature, clear
water? Draw a picture that shows the path
of the red-colored water within the soda
bottle in the space at the right.

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Lab
▶ How did the blue-colored water move once Path of blue-colored water:
it was in the room-temperature, clear water?
Draw a picture that shows the path of the
blue-colored water within the soda bottle in
the space at the right.
▶ Develop a hypothesis that explains how hot

and cold water or air causes ocean currents
or wind to form.
▶ How can this model help explain the way energy from the
Sun gets distributed on Earth?

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Learning Name Date
Lab
Open Inquiry
Keep It Moving
Invent and test other ways to explore the movement of fluids.
Design and perform an experiment. Ask a question, make a
prediction, do an experiment to test your prediction, record
your data, and communicate your findings. Make a poster to
show what you did and what you found out. Here are some
ideas to get you started:
▶ If you filled a balloon with warm water, would it float or sink
in cold water? Would a balloon filled with cold water float or
sink in warm water?
▶ Would a helium balloon that neither floats nor sinks move
differently in a moving stream of warm air and one of cold
air? Could you find out using a handheld hair dryer?
▶ What other experiments can you do with balloons to explore
air currents?

My question is:
My prediction is:
My experiment is:
My results are:

236
Name Date Learning
Lab
How can you find out what Materials
happens to thermal energy? • measuring cup or

beaker calibrated
Structured Inquiry in milliliters
Mixing Warm and Cold Water (capacity of
100 milliliters or
Be Careful. Wear safety goggles. more)
Ask Questions • two clear 20-

ounce plastic
How does the temperature of cold and warm cups or 2500-
water change when they are mixed together? milliliter beakers
Can you predict the result?
• plastic spoon
Make a Prediction • two thermometers
What will happen to the temperature of water
• warm tap
that was mixed from warm and cold water? Write water and cold
your answer as a prediction in the form “If warm (refrigerated) tap
and cold water are mixed together, then the water
temperature of the mixed water will....”

• safety goggles

1 Measure and pour water into the plastic cups or beakers
as indicated in the investigation guide, and measure and
record the temperatures on the chart on the next page.

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Learning Name Date
Lab
2 Pour the water from one cup or beaker into Step 2

the other, and stir for a few seconds with the
spoon.
3 Measure and record the temperature of the

mixed water on the investigation guide. (It
may take a minute for the thermometer to
show the correct temperature.)
Mixing Warm and Cold Water Investigation Guide
Test A
Beaker #1: + Beaker #2: = Beaker #3:
100 mL COLD water 100 mL WARM water 200 mL MIXED water
Temperature: _______ Temperature: _______ Temperature: _______
Test B

Test C
Test D (invent your own test)
_____ mL COLD water _____ mL WARM water _____ mL MIXED water
4 Record Data Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Tests B, C, and

D, writing down your data in the chart. Do you see any
patterns?

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Lab

Have a class discussion, and share your results. What did you
find out? Use your data to answer these questions:
▶ What do your results tell you about temperature changes
when warm and cold water are mixed together?
▶ Based on the test results, can you state a general rule about
what happens when liquids of different temperatures are
mixed? Share your rule with the class.
Guided Inquiry
Warming Up or Cooling Down
Ask Questions
How does wrapping a cup of warm or cold water in different
materials affect how quickly the water in the cup cools down
or warms up?
Make a Prediction
Write your answer as a prediction in the form “If a glass
is wrapped in aluminum foil (or another material of your
choice), then the temperature of the water it contains will
heat (or cool) ________ than water at the same temperature
in an unwrapped glass.”

239
Learning
Everyday Name Date
Science
Lab

Materials
1 Refer to Cooling or Warming Water, Test #1, • two clear 20-
on the next page. ounce plastic
cups or 2 500-
2 Decide whether you want to use warm or milliliter beakers
cold water. Circle Cooling on the table if • two thermometers
you decide to start with warm water; circle
Warming if you decide to start with cold • warm tap
water. water and cold
(refrigerated) tap
water
3 Fill two cups with the same amount of water.
Measure and record the starting temperatures • enough aluminum
on the chart on the next page, making sure foil, bubble wrap,
the temperatures are the same. or other material
to wrap a
4 20-ounce cup
Choose a material, and wrap one cup in it.
(The unwrapped cup is the control.)

5 Record Write down your choice of covering
material on the chart. Step 4
6 Place the cups side by side in a safe place.

Measure and record their water temperatures on
the chart every 3 minutes for 30 minutes.
7 Use Numbers Use your data to create a line

graph on a separate piece of paper. Put the temperature
on the vertical axis and the time on the horizontal axis.
Plot the changes in both cups of water on the same
graph, using 2 colors or 2 types of lines (for example,
solid and dotted) to distinguish between the covered cup
and the (uncovered) control.
8 Repeat steps 2 through 7 for Test #2. You might start

with cold water instead of warm water or vice versa, or
you might use a different material to wrap one cup.

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Lab
Cooling or Warming Water

Test #1: What I Wrapped My Cup In:
Time After Start Control-Cup Temperature Variable-Cup Temperature
0 minutes
3 minutes
6 minutes
6 minutes
9 minutes
12 minutes
15 minutes
18 minutes
21 minutes
24 minutes
27 minutes
30 minutes
Cooling or Warming Water

Test #2: What I Wrapped My Cup In:
Time After Start Control-Cup Temperature Variable-Cup Temperature
0 minutes
3 minutes
6 minutes
6 minutes
9 minutes
12 minutes
15 minutes
18 minutes
21 minutes
24 minutes
27 minutes
30 minutes

241
Learning
Everyday Name Date
Science
Lab

Work in groups of four to eight, and discuss what you found
out about the cooling or warming of the water.
▶ What did you observe? How did the temperatures change?
Did different students have different results?
▶ Compare your data to your predictions. How do you explain

what happened? Was there a difference between keeping
the water cold and keeping the water warm? What is the
difference?

Open Inquiry
More Cool (and Hot) Experiments
Invent other ways to explore cooling off and heating up.
Ask a question, make a prediction, design and perform an
experiment to test your prediction, record your data, and
communicate your findings. Make a poster to show what you
did and what you found out. What did you observe? Here are
some ideas to get you started.
▶ Where do ice cubes melt the fastest? Find out by having
each student in your class place some ice cubes in a
different container or on a different surface. For example,
place ice in a cup of room-temperature tap water, in a cup
of salt water, on a paper plate, on a metal pie plate, or in a
glass with no water.
▶ Do different materials feel warmer, colder, or the same if
subjected to the same temperature? Place a cotton towel
and a metal spoon in a refrigerator for 2 hours. Take them
out of the refrigerator. Which one of them feels coldest? Is
the one that feels coldest really colder? Explain.

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Would a cup of warm water cool faster if you put two metal
spoons in the water? What if you put two plastic spoons in
the water? Does it make a difference, and if so, why?
My question is:
My prediction is:
My experiment is:
My results are:

243
Teacher’s Notes
Growing Bacteria
Everyday Science Activity
Flipchart p. 78
Background Before starting the activity, review different kinds of
microscopic organisms. Microscopic organisms include protists, some
fungi, and most bacteria. Explain that some protists, such as diatoms and
euglenas, are photosynthetic and can make their own food. Other protists,
such as amoebas, cannot make their own food and must obtain food from
the environment. Microscopic fungi include yeasts, which may be both
helpful and harmful. There are two categories of bacteria: archaebacteria,
or “ancient” bacteria, and eubacteria, or “true” bacteria. Archaebacteria
include those found in environments with extreme conditions, such as
ocean vents and sulfur springs. True bacteria include those that are found
in soil and those that can cause disease. Viruses are also considered to be
microorganisms, and many viruses can cause illness. However, they are not
considered living things, because they cannot independently carry out many
fundamental life processes, depending instead on their hosts’ cells. You may
wish to assign a research paper on bacterial illnesses prior to this activity to

familiarize students with various microorganisms.
Methods Explain to students that beets are a good medium for growing
bacteria because they have a high sugar content and provide plenty of food
for bacterial colonies. You may wish to start this activity on a Monday for a
Friday finish, with 3 days of observations in between. Note that a 14.5-ounce
can of sliced beets yields 10–12 slices.
Activity Lab Book

244
Teacher’s Notes
• Make sure students are gentle when swabbing the beet slice with bacteria
and with antibiotic cream.
• Have students record the data on the worksheet each day. Encourage
them to include in their observations the appearance and size of bacterial
colonies. You may wish to have them communicate the data in a table and
graph, using different colors for side A and side B.
• Note that if the beets are kept in the petri dishes for longer than a week,
the bacteria will start to grow on side B. Use this as a springboard for
discussion about why it is important to keep wounds clean and to reapply
antibiotic creams until the wound has closed.
• To dispose of the petri dishes, spray them with a disinfectant such as a
solution of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water, and place them in regular trash
receptacles. Do not allow students to touch the beets once the lids are
sealed to the dishes.
Results Students should observe a significant amount of bacterial growth on
side A and little or no bacterial growth on side B.
Conclusions Based on their observations and data, students should
conclude that antibiotics are a type of medicine that kills certain bacteria
and fungi. You may wish to explain that some antibiotics, such as penicillin
and streptomycin, are derived from certain fungi or bacteria that naturally
produce these substances.
Activity Lab Book

245
Teacher’s Notes
Carnivore Investigation
Flipchart p. 79
Background Prior to starting the activity, review the concepts of food
chains and food webs as well as carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. Have
students design a food chain with the owl at the top. Make sure they begin
with a producer such as grass or seeds. Guide them toward developing a
food web that may include grasses, berries, mice, birds, insects, snakes,
worms, small rodents, and owls.
When an owl eats another animal, the undigested remains of that animal are
stored in the gizzard, a special organ of the owl’s digestive system, and they
form a pellet that is later regurgitated. An owl pellet usually contains remains
of 3–6 animals. Use only sterilized owl pellets from a biological supply house
to avoid the risk of infection.
Methods Prior to conducting the lab, use 1 part household bleach to
4 parts water to prepare the bleach solution. Make sure students do not

splash this on their skin or clothes. You may wish to set out bowls containing
bleach solution for students at each workspace.
• Note that some owl pellets contain more than one skull, while others
may have broken or partial skulls. Once students have reconstructed the
skeleton, have them deposit the remaining bones in a dish for students to
share. Some bones, particularly the ribs, may be missing.
• Sometimes it is easier to superglue the bones to the chart; however, this
should only be done by an adult. Have the students lay out the bones, and
then superglue the bones on the chart for them.
• It may be hard to tell which animal a bone belongs to. Students may put a
bone in a spot that is not an exact match.
• The teeth in a rodent’s jawbone, when found in an owl pellet, are often
loose and can be pulled out.
Results Students should end up with reconstructed or partially
reconstructed rodent skeletons.
Conclusions In addition to bones and fur, students may find feathers in an
owl pellet. Based on the evidence, students should be able to conclude that
an owl is a carnivore.
Activity Lab Book

246
Teacher’s Notes
Electricity from the Sun
Flipchart p. 80
Background Discuss with students why solar energy is an important alterna-
tive energy source. Guide them into a discussion about fossil fuels and nonre-
newable resources. These resources are very limited and cannot be replaced
once they run out. At the same time, burning of fossil fuels pollutes the envi-
ronment. Solar energy is just one of several alternative energy sources. You
may assign small groups to create posters or a classroom mural describing
different alternative energy sources, such as wind power, geothermal energy,
hydroelectric power, and so on.
Focusing on solar energy, explain to students that solar panels are very
similar to the leaves of green plants. Both have broad, flat surfaces that are
angled for maximum exposure to sunlight. Both produce energy when the
electrons they contain are excited and begin to flow. In solar panels these
electrons are channeled into metal wires. In leaves they are trapped in
chemical bonds in food.
Methods Make sure students position their solar panels for maximum
exposure to the Sun.
• The solar panels work best with direct sunlight, but they can also work
under a very strong lamp.
• Encourage students to think about what is happening in the solar panels
as they begin to see them work. Ask guiding questions such as “What is
flowing through the wires to make the motor run?”
• You might also ask students, “What kind of energy conversions are
occurring?” (light energy into electrical energy into kinetic energy)
Results Students should observe that the motor starts to run, which turns
the hub, so the craft sticks attached to the motor’s hub turn as well.
Conclusions The solar radiation hits the solar panel, which converts this
energy into an electric current that travels through the wires to the motor
and makes the motor run. The spinning hub of the motor turns the attached
craft sticks. In this experiment solar energy has been converted into an
electric current and then into kinetic energy.
Activity Lab Book

247
Teacher’s Notes
Rocks That Float, Rocks That Sink
Flipchart p. 81
Background Explain to students that when a volcano erupts, hot molten lava
can be forcefully ejected into the air or can emerge from fissures and cracks
and flow over Earth’s surface. When the lava cools and hardens, it forms ig-
neous rocks. The word igneous is from the Latin word ignis, meaning “fire.”
Remind students that the word lava refers to magma that has reached Earth’s
surface. Rocks formed from lava are called extrusive igneous rocks. In con-
trast, intrusive igneous rocks form from magma deep within Earth.
Pumice is a volcanic glass that is filled with bubbles. Because these bubbles
are filled with air, the rock is less dense than water; therefore, pumice
can float in water. Compare the formation of pumice with the baking of a
cake. When a cake is baking, the gases that form in it are trapped, forming
bubbles. This makes the cake very light and fluffy. Pumice is formed when
lava, containing lots of gases, cools very quickly. The spaces in the pumice,
much as in the cake, are where bubbles of gas were trapped as the lava

solidified.
Methods Have students examine the pumice closely. Encourage them to
make detailed drawings of the pumice and to record their observations of its
appearance and texture.
• Ask guiding questions such as “What do you think the holes in the pumice
are filled with?”
• Encourage students to compare the buoyancy of pumice with that of other
materials, including other rocks.
Results Students should observe that the pumice floats in water.
Conclusions Pumice is very porous; that is, it contains lots of spaces that
are filled with air. The porosity of pumice makes it a very light rock that can
float in water. Encourage students to watch their pieces of pumice carefully
for a few minutes. They may see tiny bubbles of air escape over this period.
Eventually the pumice will sink. Pumice sinks when enough of the air spaces
fill with water to make the rock denser than the water.
Activity Lab Book

248
Teacher’s Notes
The Pressure Is On
Flipchart p. 82
Background Bernoulli’s principle, formulated by Daniel Bernoulli, states that as
the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.
A simple example is a shower curtain being sucked inward when the water is
first turned on. The moving water increases air speed inside the curtain rela-
tive to the unaffected air outside the curtain, causing a pressure drop inside the
shower. The pressure difference causes the shower curtain to be sucked inward.
You may want to bring in a barometer to demonstrate how air pressure is
measured. Explain that high pressure usually indicates fair weather and that
low pressure usually indicates cloudy, rainy weather.
Methods The demonstration in this activity is very simple. Make sure that
students hold the strip of paper below the lower lip so that it is not caught in
the stream of air they are creating.
Results Students should observe that the paper rises when they blow over
the top of it.

Conclusions This activity clearly demonstrates Bernoulli’s principle. As
the student blows across the strip of paper, the air speed above the paper
increases, and therefore the pressure decreases. This means that the pressure
under the strip of paper is greater than the pressure above the piece of paper,
so the paper lifts up.
Critical Thinking Answers

1 The effect described by Bernoulli’s principle contributes
to lift for an airplane, but it is only part of the story. Air-
circulation patterns around the wings, as well as Newton’s
first and third laws, in large part explain lift. The air
moving over the wing is pushed or bent downward as it
leaves the trailing edge. The bending of the air downward
is the action, and lift is the reaction.
2 Low pressure means bad weather. When large air masses

move apart, pressure is reduced on the layers of warm air
below, and the warm air rises. If this air is moist, clouds
will form.
Activity Lab Book

249
Teacher’s Notes
Sponges from Oil
Flipchart p. 83
Background Polymers are formed when many molecules are linked together.
Some polymers, such as plastic, are created from petroleum. When petro-
leum is refined, the process creates many by-products that are small mol-
ecules. Polymers are formed when these molecules are linked together, form-
ing long chains of carbon atoms. This linking process is called polymerization.
Superabsorbent polymers are one kind of polymer that can be made from a
by-product of petroleum refining. These particular polymers attract water and
are linked in such a way that there are many “pockets” within the linkages that
can hold water molecules.
Methods Before starting this activity, consider demonstrating how much
water a diaper can absorb by adding measured cups of water until it can
hold no more.
• You may wish to have each student or group of students carry out the
experiment using a different brand or size of diaper. They can then use

their data as part of a consumer-testing activity.
• Encourage students to research the benefits and drawbacks of disposable
diapers compared to cloth diapers in terms of their effects on the
environment.
Results Students should observe that the powder-and-water mixture
becomes a gel.
Conclusions The powder is a superabsorbent polymer that can absorb
water until it forms a stiff gel. Although the amount of powder retrieved from
a diaper is quite small, the superabsorbent polymer can absorb about 300
times its weight in water, so all of the water will become part of the gel.

1 Putting superabsorbent polymers in diapers has many
advantages. The thinner diapers are more comfortable
for babies, since these diapers are not as bulky and
babies stay dry; these diapers take up less space, so more
diapers can fit in a truck for transportation; and less filling
is necessary in the diaper.
Activity Lab Book

250
Teacher’s Notes
Potential to Kinetic Energy
Flipchart p. 84
Background Before starting this activity, review the concepts of potential and
kinetic energy. Potential energy is energy stored in an object, and kinetic en-
ergy is the energy of motion. Encourage students to discover this on their own
by discussing examples such as roller coasters, in which a car has potential en-
ergy at the top of a hill and converts that to kinetic energy on the way down.
You can also engage them by talking about their typical day, starting with
breakfast. The food they eat includes chemical bonds that contain potential
energy. Through cellular processes the potential energy is converted to kinetic
energy—energy used for activities such as walking to school and running, as
well as the beating of the human heart.
Methods This is definitely an outdoor experiment! A hard ground surface
is needed (a rock or piece of wood may be used as well). Emphasize to
students that they must never point the film canisters toward themselves or
another person.
• Before beginning have all students put on safety goggles. The goggles
must remain on throughout the experiment.
• Make sure the canister is always held at arm’s length, away from the body
and face.
• You may wish to demonstrate the procedure first, emphasizing the safety
precautions involved.
• Have plenty of effervescent tablets on hand. Students will most likely want
to repeat this experiment several times.
Results Students should observe the canister shooting up into the air like a
rocket. There should be a distinct popping sound as the gas pressure in the
film canister pushes the lid off the canister.
Conclusions When the effervescent tablet is added to water, carbon dioxide
is produced and accumulates rapidly. As carbon dioxide builds up, the
pressure inside the canister increases continuously. Ultimately the pressure
builds to a point where it causes the lid to pop off and the canister to
“launch” into the air.
Activity Lab Book

251
Teacher’s Notes
The Light We Cannot See
Flipchart p. 85
Background Before starting this activity, you may wish to show students a
diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum. Draw their attention to the differ-
ences in frequency and wavelength among the different segments. Focus on
ultraviolet light, and discuss how exposure to it can cause sunburn, increase
the risk of skin cancer, and contribute to premature aging of the skin.
Methods Emphasize to students that they should never look directly at the
Sun, with or without sunglasses.
• Students should observe the UV beads changing from white into a variety
of rich colors when in sunlight without protection from ultraviolet light.
• Note that there are degrees of protection. The paleness or richness of the
colors of the UV beads reflects the degree of protection from ultraviolet light.
• Encourage students to try different pairs of sunglasses and to observe
differences in the different sunglasses’ ability to block ultraviolet light.

Results If the sunglasses are UV-protective, then the beads will, in large part,
remain white. There may be some pale colors, especially around the edges of
the lenses.
Conclusions Because the beads each contain a pigment that changes color
when exposed to ultraviolet light, they are a good indicator of the protection
offered by various UV-protective products. Emphasize with students that
ultraviolet protection may be complete or partial—a matter of degree. If the
beads are covered with sunglasses and they mostly do not change color,
then the UV-protective lenses block ultraviolet light from the Sun. Changes
from white to pale colors reflect a lesser degree of protection.

1 Degrees of protection may be demonstrated using
sunscreens with different SPF (sun-protection factor)
ratings if beads remain in sunlight for various periods
of time. Students may wish to test and document the
performances of various sunscreen products.
Activity Lab Book

252
Teacher’s Notes
How can you build a living ecosystem
in a container?
Learning Lab Activity
Flipchart pp. 86–87
Student Thinking Helping students understand Earth’s complex ecosystems
requires a sophisticated yet accessible teaching model. It is often difficult for
students to grasp the idea that energy on Earth derives primarily from the Sun
and that plant life provides the crucial link between the Sun and the energy
that supports almost all living organisms. By helping students understand the
complex interdependence of ecosystems, they will be better prepared to have
direct contact with and meet the needs of living things.
Any model is limited, however. Without this understanding, students may
develop false perceptions, such as thinking that animals are bad for plants
because they eat them or that plants are not the basis for most food webs
in Earth’s ecosystems. Although physical models of life do support the idea
of interdependence, they do not explain the photosynthetic process. Most
students know what photosynthesis is but still believe that dirt is the basic
food for plants.
Learning Outcomes These inquiries will help students explore how the
different parts of an ecosystem interact. Students will gain an understanding
of how producers transform sunlight into chemical energy via photosynthesis
and how this chemical energy then passes from organism to organism
through food webs. You should assess students on the following criteria as
they do their investigations:
• making predictions
• recording data
• making accurate observations
• communicating the steps and results of investigations
• using evidence from models to create explanations
• recognizing the limits of models
Activity Lab Book

253
Teacher’s Notes
Structured Inquiry
Create a Producer Habitat
Students need assistance in identifying and meeting the needs of
plants—such as water, air, light, soil, space, and an appropriate range of
temperatures. Students may want to give plants direct sunlight because
they believe plants need light to grow. In these plant habitats, however,
direct sunlight can produce extreme temperatures and cause harm. Indirect
sunlight is better. Students tend to overwater plants. They need to realize
that too much water can drown some plants. While studying growing plants,
students should observe the following:
• plants grow quickly after sprouting;
• constant care is necessary to grow a plant successfully;
• mold forms on dead leaves, especially if the soil is soaked with water;
• proper water balance is critical to plant growth.
Issues and Answers Note the following points.
• It is to be expected that some habitats will grow plants more successfully

than others. It is important not to convey the idea that any student effort
is a failure. Indeed, “failure” can be an important lesson, as students can
discover much about the needs of living things, the balance of abiotic and
biotic factors, and the delicate nature of life by examining what went wrong.
• Because this is an artificial ecosystem, some of the needs, such as water,
sunlight, and proper temperature, were provided for the organisms.
Although plants can make their own food, the necessary ingredients must
be accessible. Water and minerals are obtained from the soil, carbon
dioxide from the air, and light energy from the Sun.
Guided Inquiry
Building an Ecosystem
Adding animals to the ecosystem helps students see how the ecosystem must
have a balance among producers, consumers, and decomposers and how this
balance completes the model of a living system. The introduction of animals
into the ecosystem must be carefully planned. It is recommended that worms
be added initially and that other animals, such as common insects, isopods,
or snails, be added later. After they are introduced into the ecosystem, the
animals should be monitored regularly, especially as they cannot produce their
own food. A small water container should be made available.
Activity Lab Book

254
Teacher’s Notes
• Guided discussions will help students discover the interactions between
biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem. You may wish to draw a
T-chart on the board and have the students classify parts of their model
ecosystems as biotic or abiotic.
• Student observations may include the following: Worms prefer dark places
and come out at night. They make tunnels and aerate the soil. They eat
dead plants and help with decomposition. Insects need places that provide
cover such as leaves and twigs.
• Students should be encouraged to do Internet research to find the needs
of common small animals.
Open Inquiry
Design Your Own Ecosystem
After carrying out the Structured Inquiry and Guided Inquiry activities,
students should be able to design and build a better ecosystem on their own.
They should have a better sense of the needs of living plants and animals. If
students choose to develop a classroom aquarium for a water habitat, they
should be able to design a system that will support living organisms at least
as successfully as their land-based habitat did.
• Be sure to encourage students to plan and design their ecosystem before
setting it up. They should identify the needs of each living thing and how
these needs will be met.
• If they are setting up an aquarium, students must do research and be
careful in planning aquarium size and aeration and selecting the organisms
to include. Many fish species do not interact well with others.
Activity Lab Book

255
Teacher’s Notes
How can you model the energy
of moving fluids?
Student Thinking Exploring air is particularly difficult for students. Because air
cannot be seen, it is especially difficult to build an understanding of how air inter-
acts with other things, transfers energy, and moves from one location to another.
Learning Outcomes These investigations help students trace how air moves
and build models to help explain the forces and energy transfer when air
is heated or cooled. Teachers should support and assess the following
processes and procedures:
• developing hypotheses
• using appropriate tools
• recording data

• using evidence to create explanations
Structured Inquiry
Tracking the Movement of Wind
Helium balloons can float or sink in the atmosphere, and they have long been
used to track air movements. Students using the balloons should be able to
create a map of air movement in the classroom. In almost every classroom,
air is moving for many reasons, and in multiple tests students should be able
to provide enough data to find a pattern that relates to the forces making the
air move. When students know how to use the balloons, ask other questions
such as “What if we put the balloon in the doorway of the classroom?”
• Encourage students to consider what is pushing the balloon around the
room. Help them to develop a definition of what air is and what it is made of.
• Areas in a room that are hot, such as a shelf in the sunlight, may cause the
air to expand and rise. Areas that are cold, such as the windows on a cold
day, may cause the air to contract and sink. Air vents may be forcing air
into or out of the classroom. Open windows or doors may cause drafts
because of temperature differences or outside air movement.
Activity Lab Book
256
Teacher’s Notes
Guided Inquiry
Warm and Cold Water
Air and liquid are both fluids. Because of this we can use water to build a
model that will help explain how heating and cooling can make water or air
move. There are, of course, many factors that cause air to move. Among
these are heating and cooling of the air, changing humidity, deflection by the
rotation of Earth, and high- and low-pressure areas. In this activity students
will explore the effects of density differences in warm and cool fluids.
• Use guided discussions to help students understand that when warm
fluids rise, cooler fluids move in to take their place. When warm air rises, it
reaches cooler temperatures, cools, and then sinks. This constant cycle of
rising and sinking is what creates convection currents.
• Demonstrate to students on a world map how warm water from the
equatorial areas moves toward the poles. In the cooler temperatures of the
poles, the water loses heat energy, becomes colder and denser, and sinks.
This cold water from the poles then circulates back toward the equator,
where it is warmed again. The rising and sinking of water in the oceans
and of air in the atmosphere creates convection currents. These currents

distribute thermal energy from the Sun around the globe.
Open Inquiry
Keep It Moving
Students should invent other models to explore their own questions about
interactions caused by heating and cooling fluids or tracking air movement.
They can look at weather maps to observe wind patterns across the United
States and can apply what they have learned in these activities to explain
what is happening. Students should be able to make predictions based on
their prior experiences.
• A balloon filled with hot or cold water (and no air) will sink or float in water
of another temperature.
• Try tracking the movement of air in a gymnasium. You may find complete
convection currents in the room. However, you may lose the balloon in the
ceiling structures.
Activity Lab Book

257
Teacher’s Notes
How can you find out what
happens to thermal energy?
Student Thinking Most students are probably aware that we can change the
temperature of things by placing them in locations with different temperatures.
Students have more difficulty understanding the concept that energy transfer
causes changes in temperature. From the perspective of many students, hot
and cold are two different things, and materials can warm up simply by being
wrapped in a blanket or covering.
Learning Outcomes These investigations help students to explore
phenomena where thermal energy is transferred and temperatures are
changed as a result. Students will develop ideas to help them understand
how heat flows and thermal energy is transferred. The following should be
emphasized as students do these investigations and experiments:
• developing hypotheses

• using evidence to create explanations
Structured Inquiry
Mixing Warm and Cold Water
When cold and warm water are mixed, the temperature change depends on
both the volumes and the temperatures of the water. When equal amounts of
cold and warm water are mixed, the resulting temperature will be an average of
the two initial temperatures. The cold water warms, and the warm water cools.
Mixing 100 milliliters (or 1 part) of cold water with 200 milliliters (or 2 parts) of
warm water will produce a temperature closer to that of the warm water.
• Students should discover that when warm and cold water are mixed, the
temperature change will depend on water volumes and temperatures.
• Students may need guidance through class discussions to understand
the relationship between temperature and heat energy. Temperature is
the measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a substance.
When warm water and cold water are mixed, the higher energy of the
molecules in the warm water is transferred to the cold water molecules.
Activity Lab Book
258
Teacher’s Notes
Guided Inquiry
Warming Up or Cooling Down
When warmer and colder objects are brought together in such a way
that heat can move between them, they will eventually reach the same
temperature. The faster the heat can transfer, the faster things cool down or
warm up. In this experiment students will explore how well different materials
conduct heat as they measure the heating or cooling rate of water. Students
will find that keeping things warm and keeping things cold are similar,
in that both processes require slowing down heat transfer. On the other
hand, students will see that speeding up the warming or cooling requires
increasing the rate of heat transfer. Metals are very good conductors of
heat, and materials that have air trapped inside—such as house insulation or
bubble wrap—are very good insulators.
Issues and Answers Students should understand that heat moves in a
predictable flow from warmer to cooler until all objects are at the same
temperature. Some materials are excellent conductors of heat, and some are
very poor conductors. The very poor conductors make the best insulators.
Open Inquiry
More Cool (and Hot) Experiments

Students should think about the everyday applications of heat transfer
and use these experiences to develop a question, a prediction, and an
experiment. They should be able to recognize the three ways in which heat is
transferred—conduction, convection, and radiation.
• Ice cubes melt faster where heat can be easily transferred, and they stay
frozen longer where heat is not easily transferred.
• The ability of materials to conduct heat can be tested by feeling
different materials of the same temperature. Guide students toward an
understanding that objects that feel the coldest are simply doing a better
job of conducting heat away from the body.
• Students should arrive at the conclusion that placing heat-conducting
materials in water can speed up heat transfer to or from the water.
Activity Lab Book

259
Materials List
Pupil Edition Materials List
Consumable Materials
MATERIALS QUANTITY KIT CHAPTER/ Ice 5/1

PER GROUP QUANTITY LESSON
Ice cubes, 5/1
Antacid 6 packages 3/2 dyed with
tablets blue food
coloring
Aluminum foil 1 roll 2/1
Index cards 1 package 1/3
Baker’s yeast 1 package 1/2 of 100
Balloon, light 1 4/5 Index cards 3 1 package 7/2
colored of 100
Balloon, 6/1 Leaves, 2/1
22.5 cm variety
Balloons 1 package 6/2 Magazines 3/3
35
Marker, black 1 4/2, 4
Brine shrimp 1 vial 1/2
Markers, 1/3
Bromothymol 1 2/3 colored
blue
Masking tape 1 roll 1/3; 6/1, 2
Butcher paper 4/1
Matches, long 5/2
Cardboard 1 sheet 6 sheets 4/1; 5/1 safety
Cardboard, 6/2 Newspaper 3/1
lightweight
Notebook 1 5/1
Cardboard 1 6/2
box Paper 1/2, 3; 3/1;
4/2, 3;
Chart paper 1/3 5/1, 2
Clay 4 pieces 1 lb. 4/3

Paper, white 2/1
Coffee filters 4 1 package 1/1, 2 Paperclips 2/1; 6/3
of 100
Paper cups 2 1 package 7/1
Colored 1/3 25
markers
Paper spiral 5/2
Construction 2/2; 3/2;
paper 4/4 Paper towel 1/3
Construction 3 pieces 7/2 Paper towel 3/1
paper tube
Crayons 1/3; 2/1 Pencil 1/2,3; 3/1;
4/1–4; 5/3
Cup, plastic 1 package 1/3, 4; 2/3;
of 50 4/4 Pencils, color 5/1
Drawing 3/3; 4/1 Plant food 2/3
paper
Plant, house 2 1/4
Drawing 3/3
pencils Plant, large- 2/1
leafed
Drink mix, 2 packets 1/4
tinted, Plants, water 2/3
powdered (elodea)
Drinking 1 package 6/1 Plant food, 1/1
straw, plastic of 50 water soluble
Foam balls, 3 6 of each 4/2 Plastic cups 1 package 5/2
different sizes size 50
Foam cups 2 7/3 Plastic 3/1
sheet, thin,
Food 1 bottle 5/1 tinted and
coloring, red transparent
Fruit, with 3 1/2 Powder 1 bottle 7/2
seeds
Sandpaper, 6 sheets 6/3
Gloves, plastic 1 pair 2/3 medium grain
Graph paper 1 pad 1/1, 2; 4/3 Sea salt 1 1/2
Houseplant 2/3 Shoebox 1 3/1
food
260 Activity Lab Book

Materials List
Consumable Materials, (continued)
Quantity Kit Chapter/ Quantity Kit Chapter/
Materials per group Quantity Lesson Materials per group Quantity Lesson
Soda bottle, 1 2/2, 3 Toothpicks 1/2

2L
Water 1/1, 2, 4;
Soil, potting 8lbs. 1/1; 2/3 2/1; 7/1; 7/3
Soil, sandy 1 cup 2.5 kg 1/1 Water, cold 5/2
Soil, clay 1 cup 1/1 Water, warm 5/2; 7/3
Soil samples 1/4; 2/4 Water sample 2/2, 3
(pond,
Spoon, plastic 1/2 stream, or
aquarium)
Straw 1 package 2/3
of 50 Water sample 1/4
(aquarium,
String 200 feet 1/1; 3/2; pond, or
6/1, 3; 7/1 ocean)
Talcum 1 bottle 7/2 Waxed paper 1 roll 6/3
powder
Wooden 5/2
Tape 4/1, 4; 6/1, safety
3; 7/2 matches, long
Tape, clear 1 roll 3/1, 2; 7/4 Yarn 1 2/2
Thread 1 spool 6/1
Non-Consumable Materials
Atlas (or 1 5/4 Dropper 1 1 package 1/4

Internet) of 6
Baking pan, 1 6 7/1 Field guides 1 1/1
rectangular
Film canister 1 24 3/3
Balls, various 3 6 of each 4/2 with lid
sizes size
Flashlight 1 6 4/1, 2, 4;
Balls, foam, 2 6 of each 4/2 7/2
different sizes size
Flashlight, 1 6 4/4
Batteries 2 7/4 pocket-size (or
penlight)
Beaker 1 12 1/1
Galaxy diagrams 4/5
Beaker, 400-mL 2 12 7/4 (shown in text)
Binder clip 1 6 6/1 Gloves 1 pair 2 2/3; 3/3
Books 4/1; Goggles 1 per student 2/3; 3/2
6/2, 3
Graduated 1 6 2/3
Bowl, clear 1 1/2 cylinder
Bowl, large 2 7/3 Graphs (shown 5/4
in text)
Calculator 1 4/3; 6/1
Jars 2 12 5/1; 7/3
Clipboard 1 4/1
Hand lens, 1 package 1/2; 2/1;
Clock 1 1/1 variety of 6 3/1
Coin 1 6/1, 2 Hole punch 1 2/2
Compass 1 4/3 Ice cube tray 1 5/3
filled with ice
Container, clear 2 6 1/2, 4
Lamp 1 2/3
Container, clear 1 6 5/1
plastic, 8 in. x Light bulb 1 7/4
10 in.
Map and chart 5/2
Cork 1 6 3/2; 7/1 (shown in text)
Coverslip 1 1 set 1/4; 2/2 Map, Mt St 2/4
Helen’s area
Dowels 10 4/4
packages
of 6
Activity Lab Book 261

Materials List
Non-Consumable Materials, (continued)
Marbles 4 6 4/3; 6/2 Ruler with 1 6/2
groove
Marker, black 1 4/2, 5
Scissors 1 2/2;
Measuring cup 1 1/1 3/2, 3;
4/1; 6/2;
Measuring tape 1 1 package 6/1 7/2, 3
of 6
Slide with cover 1 1 set 1/4
Meterstick 1 1/1, 2;
4/1, 4; Spool of thread 1 1 6/2
6/1, 2, 3;
7/2 Spray bottle 1 6 2/3
Metric ruler 1 1/2 Spring scale 1 6 6/3
Microscope 1 3 1/4 Stakes, wooden 30 1/1, 2
Microscope slide 1 1 set 1/4; 2/2 Stopwatch 1 6 5/1, 3;
6/1; 7/3
Mirror, concave 1 6 3/1
Straight pin 1 7/2
Mirror, flat 1 2 packages 3/1
of 6 Strainer 1 6 1/1
Mirrors 2 2 packages 7/2 Survey ribbon 1/2

of 6
Tape measure 1 1 4/4, 5
Modeling clay 1 lb. 7/2
Tennis ball 1 6/2
Pencil with 1 7/1
eraser Test tube with 1 6 2/3
cap
pH test kit 1 2/4
Thermal gloves 1 pair 2 pairs 7/3
Photos, Mt St 2/4

Thermometer 1 4 packages 1/1; 5/1;
Helens, before of 6 7/3; 7/4
and after
Thermometer 2 12 5/3
Pictures of 4/5 strips, liquid
various galaxies crystal
Plastic bottle 1 5/2 Tripod, small 1 4/1
with twist-on
cap Toy cars 2 12 6/1
Plastic tub 2 6 5/1 Toy cars, 2 12 6/2
balloon-
Playing card 1 1 set 6/1 powered
Refracting 1 1 4/1 Water bottle 1 3/2
telescope
Wax 7/1
Rubber ball 1 6 4/1
Weather map, 5/3
Rubber ball, 1 6 6/2 national
high bounce
Wire 25m 7/4
Rubber band, 1 1 package 6/1; 7/1
large
Ruler 1 6/2; 7/1
262 Activity Lab Book

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EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

Lesson 2 The Design of Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Activity Lab Book iii

Dear Parent or Guardian,

1. Listen carefully and follow directions.

7. Do not eat, drink, or chew gum in the laboratory.

I have read and reviewed the science safety rules with

Parent/Guardian Signature: ___________________________

I know that it is important to work safely in science

Student Signature: __________________________________

Activity Lab Book v

Estimados padres o tutor:

1. Escucha con atención y sigue las indicaciones.

Copyright © Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

He leído y examinado las reglas de seguridad de

Firma de uno de los padres o tutor: ___________________________

Sé la importancia que tiene trabajar con seguridad

Firma del estudiante: __________________________________

vi Activity Lab Book

What do you know about stars? Materials

2 Record Data In the chart below, take notes on the details of

Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

3 Communicate Prepare a report for the class on what is

Copyright © Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2 Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

Orsola learn about stars from their different methods of

▶ How I can test it:

Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

What do you know Materials

about studying the stars? • encyclopedia,

3 How does Mordecai-Mark Mac Low investigate the

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4 Activity Lab Book Be a Scientist

How does sunlight affect life Materials

Choose one area that receives full sunlight and

2 Use Numbers Measure the air temperature at

3 Observe Use graph paper to record the Step 3

Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

4 Classify Use field guides to help you identify the

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Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

▶ How I can test it:

Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

Do plants need nutrients to grow? Materials

1 Measure Record the heights of all the plants in • ruler

3 Observe After one week measure the heights of the

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Time Elapsed Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3

Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

Properties of Soil Materials

1 Experiment Place a small amount of soil in a • soil samples

3 Measure Which soil sample allowed more water to pass

4 Predict Which of the soil types would be best for shallow-

Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 1

What are some characteristics Materials

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Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 2

2 Observe Using a hand lens, watch the brine shrimp

3 Measure Look at the millimeter marks on your ruler, and

4 Communicate Record your observations, and compare

Chapter 1 • Ecology Use with Lesson 2