For each entry, write the parts in your own words. Then circle your verdict.
| Entry | Independent variable (what changed?) |
Dependent variable (what was measured?) |
Control (compared to what?) |
Trials (how many?) |
Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · PriyaCalm music and heart rate | fair test — flawed | ||||
| 2 · DiegoWhich sanitizer kills germs | fair test — flawed | ||||
| 3 · AmaraSlow breathing and heart rate | fair test — flawed | ||||
| 4 · KenjiIce water and body temperature | fair test — flawed | ||||
| 5 · LucasJogging and breathing rate | fair test — flawed |
Hint: "the same amount every time" is something kept the same — it is not a control. A control is the thing you compare the result to.
The most important part of an experiment is ______ because without it ______.
Name the ONE biggest flaw in each entry and how to fix it. Exactly one entry has no flaw — for that one, write "No flaw" and say what it did right.
The biggest flaw is ______, so we cannot tell ______. To fix it, Priya should ______.
The biggest flaw is ______, so we cannot tell ______. To fix it, Diego should ______.
The biggest flaw is ______, so we cannot tell ______. To fix it, Amara should ______.
The biggest flaw is ______, so we cannot tell ______. To fix it, Kenji should ______.
The biggest flaw is ______, so we cannot tell ______. To fix it, Lucas should ______.
because its design has ______, ______, and ______. Even though its result was ______, we can trust it because ______.
| Entry | IV | DV | Control | Trials | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Priya | calm music (but ALSO dark room, eyes closed, slow breathing) | heart rate, bpm | resting heart rate before | 3 before + 3 after, 3 partners | flawed |
| 2 Diego | brand of sanitizer (A/B/C) | colonies on the plate | none — "2 pumps every time" is a constant | 3 rounds | flawed |
| 3 Amara | one minute of slow breathing | heart rate, bpm | 3-trial resting baseline before | 3 + 3, 5 participants | fair test |
| 4 Kenji | drinking 8 oz of ice water | forehead temperature, °F | temperature before | 1 trial, 1 person | flawed |
| 5 Lucas | jogging | breathing rate (no units, no numbers) | breathing before | "a few" — unknown | flawed |
Students often pick Entry 1 or 2 for the ribbon because the results look bigger. Use the rule of the fair: judge the design, not the ending. Entry 3's small drop (84 → 79 bpm) is the only number in the room anyone can trust. Exit ticket: any of the eight parts is acceptable if the "because" explains what goes wrong without it.