Unlike an outdoor field study, a controlled experiment is an experiment done inside when you want to see how things work in a small, controlled environment. How would it be different studying plants outside in their natural environment, compared to studying them in an enclosed building?

Plan a controlled experiment to answer the question below. You may use any materials and equipment in your procedure. Be sure your procedure includes  Logical steps to do the experiment  Two controlled (kept the same) variables  One manipulated (independent) variable  One responding (dependent) variable  How often measurements should be taken and recorded Question: Does playing different kinds of music for houseplants make them grow taller? Procedure:

Question: Does playing music for houseplants make them grow taller? Procedure: Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb 1.Put two groups of plants (same kind of plants) in the same kind of pots with the same amount of soil and same amount of light. Make sure they get same amount of water and are kept at same temperature. 2.Put a music player next to one group of plants and play classical music for them all day and night. Make sure the other plants aren’t exposed to the music. 3.Measure height of each plant every day for a month. Compare results from each group.

1. Manipulated variable refers to the one thing that’s changed in an experiment. What was the manipulated variable in your experiment? Playing of music Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb

2. Responding variable refers to the thing that’s measured to see how it responds to the manipulated variable. What was the responding variable in your experiment? Height of plants Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb

3. Controlled variables refer to all the things that are kept the same between experimental groups to make sure that it’s a fair test, to make sure the experiment is valid. What were three controlled variables in your experiment? All same kind of plants. Same amount of light, same amount of water, same amount of soil, same temperature. Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb

4. Validity refers to whether or not an experiment was effectively designed to answer the research question. Take a look at one of your classmate’s experimental designs. Is it a valid experiment? Explain why or why not. No. Group A and B plants not getting the same amount of light. Not a fair test. Cardboard box music player window Group A Group B Is this a valid experiment? Explain why or why not.

5. Reliability refers to how to much confidence you can have that the results of an experiment are accurate. What should you do to make sure the conclusions of your experiment are reliable? Repeat the experiment, do more trials. Put more plants in each experimental group. Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb

Alicia wanted to find out if playing music helps plants grow taller. She set up two plants as shown below: Repeat experiment or use more plants. Cardboard box music player Group AGroup B Light bulb What should Alicia do to make sure the results of her experiment are reliable?

1.Do question 4 of “It’s in the Genes” 2.If you finish before 12:45, go ahead and open “Banana Slugs” and do question 1. 3.If you don’t think 10 minutes is enough time to answer 4 questions, DON’T OPEN IT! 4.Period ends at 12:57

Moths and white light bulb

Banana slug