Which Design Works Best? Comparing Test Results - 1st Grade Science

SECTION 1

Why Do We Test Different Ideas?

Long ago, people had to figure out the best way to do things. They would try different ideas to see which one worked better. For example, they tested different ways to build bridges that wouldn't fall down. They tested different ways to grow food to get more to eat. Testing helps us find the best answer!

Long Ago • First Tests

People tested which rocks made the best tools

100 Years Ago • Building Things

Workers tested different materials to build strong houses

50 Years Ago • Flying High

Scientists tested different rocket shapes to go to space

Today • Your Turn

You can test different ideas to solve problems too!

When we have more than one idea, we need to test them to see which one works best. This helps us make good choices and solve problems!

SECTION 2

What Does It Mean to Test and Compare?

When we test something, we try it out to see what happens. When we compare things, we look at how they are different. Testing and comparing helps us pick the best choice!

Make a Plan

Think of different ideas to try. Write them down or draw pictures of them.

Test Each Idea

Try each idea one at a time. Watch what happens and write it down.

Look at Results

Compare what happened with each idea. Which one worked best?

Pick the Winner

Choose the idea that worked the best. This is your best design!

✦

KEY TAKEAWAY

Testing different ideas is like trying on different shoes to see which ones fit best. You wouldn't pick shoes without trying them on first! Scientists and engineers test their ideas the same way to find the best solution.

SECTION 3

How Testing Works

This diagram shows how we test two different ideas and write down what happens. Then we look at our results to see which idea worked better!

Look at the diagram above! We start by testing each idea. We write down what happens when we try each one. Then we compare the results to see which idea worked best. The paper airplane that flew farther is the better design!

SECTION 4

Steps for Fair Testing

To make sure our test is fair, we need to follow special steps. A fair test means we only change one thing at a time. Everything else stays the same!

Keep most things the same - Use the same materials, same place, same person doing the test
Change only one thing - This is what we want to test (like the shape of our airplane)
Test each idea the same way - Throw the airplanes from the same spot with the same force
Write down what happens - Measure how far each airplane flies

This shows how to make a fair test. We keep the person, place, and throwing force the same. We only change the airplane shape to see which design works better.

SECTION 5

How to Write Down What Happens

When we test our ideas, we need to write down what happens. This helps us remember which idea worked best. We can use pictures, numbers, or words to keep track of our results!

What We Tested	What Happened	Which Was Better?
Paper airplane with pointed nose	Flew 8 feet	✓ Winner!
Paper airplane with flat nose	Flew 4 feet	Not as good
Tower made with blocks	10 blocks tall before falling	✓ Winner!
Tower made with cards	3 cards tall before falling	Not as good

Example of how to record test results

💡

Good Recording Tips

Use numbers when you can measure things (like how far or how tall). Use pictures to show what happened. Use simple words to describe what you saw. Always test each idea more than once to be sure!

SECTION 6

Testing Paper Boats

Let's work through a real example! Maya wants to find out which paper boat design can hold the most pennies without sinking. She has two different boat designs to test.

Testing Paper Boats

1
Step 1 — Make a Plan

Maya decides to test two boat designs: one with high sides and one with low sides. She will put pennies in each boat until it sinks.
2
Step 2 — Keep Things Fair

Maya uses the same size paper, the same water container, and the same pennies for both tests. She only changes the height of the boat sides.
3
Step 3 — Test Boat 1

Maya puts the high-sided boat in water. She adds pennies one at a time. The boat sinks when she puts in the 8th penny.

High-sided boat: 7 pennies
4
Step 4 — Test Boat 2

Maya puts the low-sided boat in water. She adds pennies one at a time. The boat sinks when she puts in the 5th penny.

Low-sided boat: 4 pennies
5
Step 5 — Compare and Decide

Maya looks at her results. The high-sided boat held 7 pennies. The low-sided boat held 4 pennies. The high-sided boat is better!

Winner: High-sided boat design

SECTION 7

What Makes a Good Test?

Some tests work better than others. Here are the things that make a test really good and helpful for finding the best design.

Good Test	Not So Good Test
Test each idea more than once	Test each idea only one time
Keep everything the same except one thing	Change many things at once
Write down numbers when you can measure	Just remember in your head
Test in the same place each time	Test in different places

🎯

KEY TAKEAWAY

Testing ideas is like being a detective! You need to be very careful and fair. Just like a detective looks for clues the same way each time, we test our ideas the same way each time to find the truth.

SECTION 8

Where Do We See This in Real Life?

Testing and comparing happens everywhere! People use these skills to make better cars, tastier food, stronger buildings, and even better toys for kids.

Who Tests Things?	What They Test	Why It Helps Us
Car makers	Different car designs for safety	Cars that keep people safe
Toy makers	Which toys are most fun	Toys that kids really enjoy
Doctors	Different medicines	Medicine that helps people feel better
Farmers	Different ways to grow plants	More food for everyone

When you grow up, you can use testing and comparing too! You might test different ways to solve problems at work or at home. These skills help you make good choices your whole life!

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Sam wants to find out which crayon color shows up best on black paper. He tries red, yellow, and white crayons. Which one do you think will work best and why?

Show answer

Yellow and white will probably work better than red on black paper. Light colors show up well on dark backgrounds. To find out for sure, Sam should test all three colors on black paper and see which one is easiest to see. He should draw the same picture with each color to make it a fair test.

Question 2: BASIC CALCULATION

Emma tested two different paper airplane designs. Airplane A flew 6 feet. Airplane B flew 9 feet. How much farther did Airplane B fly than Airplane A?

Show answer

Airplane B flew 3 feet farther than Airplane A. We find this by subtracting: 9 feet - 6 feet = 3 feet. This means Airplane B had the better design because it flew farther. When we compare test results, we look for which one had better numbers.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

Lily wants to test which shape of ice cube melts fastest: round, square, or triangle. What steps should she follow to make her test fair? List three important things she needs to keep the same.

Show answer

Lily should keep these things the same: (1) Use the same amount of ice for each shape, (2) Put all ice cubes in the same temperature room, (3) Start timing all ice cubes at the same time. She should only change the shape of the ice cubes. She should write down how long each shape takes to melt completely, then compare the times to see which shape melted fastest.

Question 4: APPLIED

Your class wants to find the best way to clean dirty pennies. You have three ideas: soap and water, lemon juice, or vinegar. Design a fair test to find out which cleaner works best.

Show answer

Get pennies that are equally dirty and use the same amount of each cleaner. Clean one penny with soap and water, one with lemon juice, and one with vinegar for the same amount of time (like 2 minutes). Then compare how shiny and clean each penny looks. The cleaner that makes the penny look most shiny and new is the winner. Test more than one penny with each cleaner to make sure the results are right.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Alex tested two different plant foods. He gave Plant A regular water and Plant B special plant food. After one week, Plant B was taller. Alex says the plant food is better. Do you agree? What might be wrong with Alex's test?

Show answer

Alex's test might not be fair. Maybe Plant B was already bigger to start with, or maybe it got more sunlight, or maybe it's a different type of plant that grows faster. To make the test fair, Alex should use two plants that are exactly the same size and type. He should put them in the same spot with the same amount of sunlight. Then he should give one regular water and one the plant food. Only then can he be sure the plant food made the difference.

SUMMARY

Key Points About Testing and Comparing

Summary

When we have different ideas to solve a problem, we need to test each idea and see what happens. A fair test means we keep everything the same except one thing we want to test. We write down our results so we can remember what happened with each idea.

After testing, we compare the results to see which idea worked best. The idea that gives us the best results is our winning design! Scientists, engineers, and many other people use testing and comparing every day to make things better for everyone.