Question

A student observes an unusually high number of acorns falling on her family’s driveway during the month of October. She asks, “Why do more acorns fall in some years than in others?”

How could the student investigate her question?

Responses

The student could go online or go to the library to research an answer to her question.
The student could go online or go to the library to research an answer to her question.

The student could gather acorns, put them in a bowl, and observe them over a period of two weeks.
The student could gather acorns, put them in a bowl, and observe them over a period of two weeks.

The student could find a scientific investigation in a book and change a variable.
The student could find a scientific investigation in a book and change a variable.

The student could design a scientific investigation to test her question.

Answer 1

The best option for the student to investigate her question about why more acorns fall in some years than in others is:

**The student could design a scientific investigation to test her question.**

This approach allows her to formulate a specific hypothesis and design an experiment to collect data, analyze patterns, and draw conclusions based on empirical evidence. For example, she could investigate factors such as weather patterns, soil conditions, or the age of oak trees to see how they impact acorn production. This method is more systematic and scientific compared to merely researching online or observing acorns.