Year 10 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 10
Apply Worksheet
Learning Goals
Judge the question
For each research question, tick whether it is a good (testable, measurable) scientific question or a poor one, then write one reason for your choice.
| Research question | Good or poor? | One reason |
|---|---|---|
| Is climate change bad? | ||
| How has the mean annual sea surface temperature of the Great Barrier Reef changed between 1992 and 2022? | ||
| What is global warming? | ||
| How does the frequency of category 4 to 5 cyclones reaching the Queensland coast (BOM, 1980 to 2020) relate to mean sea surface temperature? |
Real-world context
A Year 10 student wants to investigate whether the Great Barrier Reef has warmed over the last 30 years and whether this is linked to coral bleaching. She cannot dive on the reef herself, so she plans to use the AIMS Long-Term Monitoring Program (coral cover and bleaching records since 1985) and Bureau of Meteorology sea surface temperature data. She will calculate the mean sea surface temperature for each year and plot it against the number of recorded bleaching events.
(a) Write a testable, measurable research question for this investigation. Include what is being measured, the location, and the time period.
(b) Write a directional hypothesis for this investigation using the "If...then...because..." format. Make sure it states a direction and includes a scientific mechanism.
(c) Identify the independent variable, the dependent variable, and one controlled variable for this investigation.
(d) Why is using AIMS and BOM data (rather than the student's own one-day measurements) appropriate for this investigation? Give two reasons.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?
For teacher or self-marking use. Accept reasonable wording that shows the same understanding.
Warm Up, Judge the question
"Is climate change bad?" Poor, because "bad" is a value judgement, not a measurable variable.
"How has the mean annual sea surface temperature of the GBR changed between 1992 and 2022?" Good, because it names a measurable variable, a location, and a time period, and is answerable with data.
"What is global warming?" Poor, because it asks for a definition rather than investigating a measurable relationship.
"How does the frequency of category 4 to 5 cyclones... relate to mean sea surface temperature?" Good, because both variables are measurable from BOM records and the question specifies a place and time period.
Your Turn
(a) Model answer: "How has the mean annual sea surface temperature of the Great Barrier Reef changed between 1992 and 2022, and how does this correlate with the frequency of mass coral bleaching events?" Award 1 mark for a measurable variable and 1 mark for naming location and time period.
(b) Model answer: "If the mean annual sea surface temperature of the Great Barrier Reef increased between 1992 and 2022, then the frequency of mass coral bleaching events will also have increased, because bleaching is triggered when sea surface temperature exceeds the coral's thermal tolerance by about 1C for several weeks, which expels the zooxanthellae the coral depends on." Award marks for: direction stated (1), correct "If...then..." structure (1), and a valid scientific mechanism (1).
(c) Independent variable = year / time (1992 to 2022) or mean annual sea surface temperature. Dependent variable = frequency of mass coral bleaching events (or sea surface temperature if year is the IV). Controlled variable = same reef region, same data source, and same measurement method each year. Award 1 mark each.
(d) Any two of: the data spans decades, far longer than a student project; it is collected by credible scientific institutions using consistent methods; it covers the whole reef rather than one spot; it removes the need for equipment the student does not have. Award 1 mark each.