What’s Your Prediction?

6th Grade Science

Spring 2004

Answer the questions using the data from each table.Use your best judgment with your predictions.

SCENARIO #1:The 6th grade class at FleminationMiddle School conducted an experiment testing the insulating properties of different materials.In several groups, they first heated up several jars of water and measured their temperatures at each trial.Then, the groups wrapped the jars in each of the materials listed below.The class then set the timer for 10 minutes.After the time had passed, each group took the temperature of their jar.They then found the difference between the temperatures at the very beginning of the 5 minutes and after the 10 minutes had passed.They repeated their steps 5 times.Here is the class data showing how much the temperature changed over the 10 minutes.


 
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Your prediction for the next trial
Cotton (t-shirt)
52
48
60
55
56
Wool (sweater)
44
45
50
38
43
Polyester (grandpa pants)
59
67
66
61
63
Plastic(Wal-mart bag)
76
71
69
70
70
Aluminum foil 
66
64
65
61
68
Fleece (old sweatshirt)
40
33
36
34
34
Newspaper 
60
58
61
55
56
Thinsulate**
37
33
36
38
34
No insulation
77
73
78
75
78

Thinsulate is a brand of special insulator used in various winter clothing.

  1. Put an “x” through each piece of data that may be invalid.

  1. Using the graph paper provided, construct a bar graph of the data.

  1. Write your predictions for the next trial in the blank column on the table.

SCENARIO #2:The 6th grade class at FlemingoMiddle School conducted an experiment comparing the bouncing properties of different basketballs.They measured the height of a single bounce after dropping the ball from 1 meter (100 centimeters).Each ball was inflated to the same air pressure using an air pressure gauge.Each bounce height is measured in centimeters.Here is the data:


 
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Range of the data
Prediction for the next trial
Wilson Jet
57
57
58
56
58
Wilson Jet 285
54
55
56
56
55
Wilson Youth Composite
54
58
57
53
57
Spalding Pro Youth
56
55
57
55
56
Spalding NBA 
57
56
56
58
57
Nike All Surface
56
56
55
58
56
Biaden Indoor/Outdoor
52
51
58
59
53
Joe’s economy Bazquetball 
58
51
52
49
53
Wal-mart Sam’s choice
56
46
51
54
42
Kmart Blue light special
50
53
46
57
55

  1. Write the range of each set of data in the column provided.

  1. What does the difference in the range tell us about the basketballs?

  1. Write your predictions for the next trial in the column provided.