Understanding Hypotheses
This worksheet introduces grade 5 students to the concept of a hypothesis in scientific inquiry, including how to form and test one.
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Understanding Hypotheses
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Remember, a hypothesis is an educated guess based on observations that can be tested.
What is a Hypothesis?
In science, a hypothesis is a testable explanation for an observation. It's an educated guess, usually written as an 'If...then...because' statement. It's not just any guess; it's a guess based on what you already know or have observed. After you form a hypothesis, you design an experiment to test if your hypothesis is correct.
1. Which of the following best describes a hypothesis?
A proven fact
A random guess
A testable explanation based on observations
The result of an experiment
2. A good hypothesis is usually written as an 'If... then... ' statement.
3. After forming a hypothesis, the next step in the scientific method is to design an to test it.
4. A hypothesis must be something that can be tested.
True
False
5. You observe that plants near a window grow taller than plants in a darker corner of the room. Form a hypothesis using the 'If...then...because' format to explain this observation.
6. Sarah thinks that playing classical music helps her dog sleep better. Write a simple experiment that Sarah could do to test her hypothesis.