Scientific Method Stations Lab Practice

Master the scientific method with hands-on lab stations! Practice identifying variables and controls.

Station#1 Megan wants to see if playing her favorite music to plants will affect their growth. She buys 20 tomato plants from Walmart. She waters and fertilizes all 20 plants.Megan places 10 plants along a windowsill in a quiet room. She puts the other 10 plants along a window in the next room with music playing. Both of these rooms are facing south and both are kept at a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Each day she equally waters the plants. She also records the growth of every plant each day. Independent variable Presence of music Dependent variable Plant growth Experimental group Plants in the room with music Control group Plants in the quiet room Constants 72 F South facing rooms Amount of water Number of plants Station#2 Ryan wants to see if storing his batteries in the refrigerator will make them last longer. He goes to Target and buys 4 batteries of the same brand that have the same “best if used by” date.Ryan keeps 2 batteries in his desk drawer for 12 months and puts the other 2 batteries in the refrigerator for 12 months.He then puts the batteries from the desk drawer in an Xbox controller and plays Fortnite continuously until the batteries die. He then records the length of playing time. He repeats the experiment with the batteries from the refrigerator and plays Fortnite continuously until the batteries die.He then compares the length of playing time. Independent variable Battery location (Refrigerator vs Desk draw) Dependent variable Length of playing time (battery longevity) Experimental group Batteries in refrigerator Control group Batteries in desk draw Constants Brand (type) of batteries 12 month duration Type of video game played Station#3 Justin believes that the decreasing temperature during the fall months is what causes the color of the leaves to change. He sets up an experiment where he places:● 10 oak trees seedlings in a greenhouse set at 80 degrees● 10 oak trees seedlings in a greenhouse set at 50 degrees● 10 oak tree seedlings in a greenhouse set at the average climate of the areaAll trees received the same amount of light, fertilizer, and water. He then observed the color of the leaves for a total of 1 month. Independent variable Temperature Dependent variable Color of leaves Experimental group Trees in 80 F Trees in 50 F Control group Trees in avg. climate Constants Number of trees 1 month duration amount of light amount of fertilizer amount of water Station#4 Jenna wants to know how different colors of light affect the growth of plants. She believes that plants can survive the best in white light.She buys 6 ferns of the same species, which are all approximately the same age and height. She places one in white light, one in blue light, one in green light, one in red light, one in the sun and one in the closet.All of the ferns are planted in Miracle-Grow soil and given 20mL of water once a day for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, Jenna observes the plants and makes measurements. Independent variable Color of light Dependent variable Plant growth (height of plant) Experimental group Plant in white light Plant in blue light Plant in red light Plant in green light Plant in sunlight Control group Plant in closet Constants Species height of plant Miracle grow soil Amount of water 2 weeks duration Station#5 Mary wanted to know if seeds needed water to grow or if any type of liquid would work. She thought apple juice would cause the plants to grow the best.Mary put 3 radish seeds into a plastic bag with a type of liquid. The different liquids were: water, soda, milk, and apple juice. She gave each group 30mL of liquid and put them on the same table next to a window so they could receive the same amount of sunlight.She waited 3 days and then measured the height of the plants. Independent variable Type of liquid Dependent variable Plant height Experimental group Plastic bag with soda Plastic bag with milk Plastic bag with apple juice Control group Plastic bag with water Constants Number of radish seeds Amount of liquid added Amount of sunlight