Resource: One Tree(s)

One of the major characteristics separating human beings from the animal kingdom is our ability to solve complex problems. As long as humans have existed we have sought to explore our surrounding environment and find answers to the interesting questions that it presents

All science is founded upon the need to answer questions about the world around us. Why is the sky blue? Why are leaves green? Why does the sun set? These questions may seem simple enough to answer now, but that’s only because at some point in the past someone asked a questions about our environment and sought the answers to them.

The scientific method is the process that scientists use to investigate different phenomena, such as the question of the color of the sky. The scientific method is also used as a way to better understand and sometimes correct more established theories. The scientific method is founded on the ability to make observations based on available data, or evidence, that can be measured. After making observations and gathering information, scientists make a prediction. That prediction is called a hypothesis and it forms the basis for experimentation. A hypothesis, like an educated guess, can be right or wrong

Experiments are used to test a hypothesis and determine its accuracy. There are many different factors that can affect the accuracy of an experiment. These factors, called variables, are the elements of the experiment that can change, such as weight, color or speed.

• What hypothesis would you make about the color of the oceans?
• Why do you think Natalie use cloned trees in her experiment?
• What do you think are the variables involved in this experiment? How will they affect the data that she collects?
• Towards the beginning of the video, Natalie makes a hypothesis about her experiment. Do you agree with Natalie’s hypothesis?