Do Your Observations

Strategies for succesful observations:
Your observations are perhaps the most important and most difficult part of your project. What you see will allow you to compare your hypothesis to what is actually happening.

If you've been following our friend Jenna, she thinks the dirt will grow the best grass. She must treat all four samples the same.
      They have to have the same light and the same amount of water.
      The real secret is doing the things the same.
      You need to have a routine.
      You need to write your observations down accurately.

Science is not a guess, but a step-by-step process. In this part of your project, you just need to pay attention.

For example, Jenna used a notebook and wrote down every day what she saw. Her project is fairly simple; she just needs to measure how tall the grass is every day. Your project may require more difficult observations.

The key is to do it everyday, so when it comes time to compare your hypothesis to your observations you have something to compare.

Jenna's dad got busy after they collected the soil. Jenna didn't actually plant her grass until today.

Let's sneak a peak at her notes:

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Jenna's Diary — January 26th
	Filled four flowerpots, each one with a different kind of soil to within one half inch of the top.
	Measured out the same amount of grass seed and mixed it in each pot.
	Mom let me have an old measuring cup, and I put 25 ml. of water in each pot. I put all four pots on the desk in front of the south window of my room. I didn't want to put them on the windowsill, because it's cold out and I thought that might effect the growth of the grass. My brother let me use his camera to take a picture of when I started. I will take more pictures to use in my display.
January 27th
I felt the soil today and it was still damp. I didn't add any water because my mom said that too much water is as bad as not enough water. No grass growing yet.
January 28th
The soil had dried out, so I put 25 ml. of water in each pot. No grass growing yet.
January 29th
Soil still damp - no water added. No grass growing yet.
January 31st
Soil dry, added 25 ml. of water to each pot. No grass growing yet.
February 1st
	I took four more pots and started again so if the first ones get messed up I will have a backup. I put them next to the first ones on my desk. I wonder if it is too cold in my room because nothing is growing yet.
February 2nd
	WOW, there is a little grass peaking up in the good dirt SOIL pot, but nothing in the others! It is too short to measure, but I can see it peeking up. This is so cool! I took a picture and hope that the little bit of green will show up.
February 3rd
No water today. The good dirt SOIL pot is longer I think, still too short to measure.
February 4th
Forgot to look today.
February 5th
Watered today - 25 ml. The good dirt SOIL pot has grass almost 4 ml. tall, I could measure it. Took another picture.
February 6th
No water, but the good dirt SOIL pot keeps growing. The SANDY pot has a little green but not enough to measure.
February 7th
Watered today - 25 ml. Good dirt SOIL - 6 ml., SANDY - 1 ml., GRAVEL green, CLAY nothing - I took another picture.
February 8th
No water today. Good dirt SOIL - 7 ml., SANDY - 2 ml., GRAVEL - 1 ml., CLAY nothing
February 9th
Watered today - 25 ml. Good dirt SOIL - 8 ml., SANDY - 3 ml., GRAVEL - 1 ml., CLAY nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - nothing, SANDY - nothing, GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing
February 10th
No Water today. Good dirt SOIL - 8 ml., SANDY - 3 ml., GRAVEL - 2 ml., CLAY nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - green, SANDY - nothing, GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing
February 11th
Watered today - 25 ml. Good dirt SOIL - 9 ml., SANDY - 4 ml., GRAVEL - 2 ml., CLAY nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - 1 ml., SANDY - nothing, GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing Took another picture.
	February 12th
	No Water today. Good dirt SOIL - 9 ml., SANDY - 4 ml., GRAVEL - 3 ml., CLAY - nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - 2 ml., SANDY - nothing., GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing
	February 13th
	Watered today - 25 ml. Good dirt SOIL - 10 ml., SANDY - 5 ml., GRAVEL - 3 ml., CLAY - nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - 2 ml., SANDY - green, GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing
February 14th
No Water today. Good dirt SOIL - 12 ml., SANDY - 5 ml., GRAVEL - 3 ml., CLAY - nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - 3 ml., SANDY - 1 ml., GRAVEL - nothing, CLAY - nothing
	February 15th
	Watered today - 25 ml., Good dirt SOIL - 12 ml., SANDY - 6 ml., GRAVEL - 5 ml, CLAY - nothing SECOND SET: Good dirt SOIL - 4 ml., SANDY - 2 ml., GRAVEL - green, CLAY nothing
	February 16th
	I think I have all the information I need to do my report. There is no question the good dirt soil produced better grass. I got some grass to grow in the sand and gravel mixtures, but they didn't grow as tall. I now need to write my report. I am also going to take my film to be developed.

 

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