A science teacher wants to provide students with experience in the skill of identifying and controlling variables. What would be the most appropriate activity?
A) Ask students to list the factors that affect the quality of reception on a cell phone, and describe how they could tell which has the greatest effect.
B) Ask students to name factors that can influence a person's weight and describe how they could tell which has the greatest influence.
C) Provide students with a prism and a source of light and ask them to list the factors that affect the location and strength of the resulting spectrum, describe how they could tell which has the greatest effect, and then try each.
D) Provide students with a beaker of water, a hot plate, a stirring rod, and some Epsom salts. Ask them to list the factors they need to take into consideration when they use the materials to grow crystals of Epsom salts, describe how they could tell which has the greatest effect, and then try each.
E) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Each option involves students actively engaging in identifying variables that could affect an outcome and considering how to control or test these variables to determine their effects, which are key skills in scientific inquiry.

A Science Teacher Wants to Provide Students with Experience in the Skill