Test two designs made to solve the same problem. - Kindergarten Science

SECTION 1

People Have Always Tested Ideas!

People love to build things. But how do we know if something works? We test it! That means we try it out and see what happens.

For a long, long time, people have tested their ideas. Let's see how!

Long Ago • Building Shelters

Long ago, people tried sticks and mud to build homes. They tested which one stayed up!

Old Times • Building Bridges

People tried logs and stones to cross rivers. They tested which was safer.

Not Long Ago • Building Planes

The Wright Brothers tested many wing shapes. They picked the best one to fly!

Today • You Are a Tester!

You can test ideas too. You try things, watch, and learn!

So here is our big question: If we have two ideas, how do we find out which one is better?

SECTION 2

What Does It Mean to Test a Design?

A design is a plan for how to make something. That means it is your idea for solving a problem.

When we test a design, we try it out. That means we see if our idea really works.

Find a Problem

Something needs to be fixed or made better. What is the problem?

Think of Two Ideas

Come up with two different ways to solve it. Two designs!

Build Both

Make both designs. Use things you can find around you.

Test Both

Try each one. Watch carefully. What happens?

Compare and Pick

Which one worked better? Tell why you think so.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Testing is like tasting two flavors of ice cream. You try both. Then you pick the one you like best! When we test two designs, we try both and pick the one that works better.

SECTION 3

Let's Look at Two Designs!

Imagine this: A toy bear needs to get down a ramp. We want to keep the bear from sliding too fast. We try two ideas!

Design A is a smooth ramp. Design B has bumps on it. We test both to see which slows the bear down.

Look at the picture. Design A is smooth. The bear goes fast! Design B has bumps. The bear goes slow. We tested both and now we can compare!

SECTION 4

How Do We Test Fairly?

When we test two designs, we need to be fair. That means we keep some things the same.

If we test two ramps, we use the same bear. We drop it from the same spot. We only change one thing — the ramp!

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Fair Test Rule

Change only ONE thing. Keep everything else the same. This helps us see which design is really better!

After we test, we observe. That means we watch very carefully. We look with our eyes and listen with our ears.

Then we compare. That means we think about both tests. Which one worked better to solve our problem?

Use the same bear and the same start spot. Only change the ramp. Then watch carefully!

SECTION 5

How Do We Compare Our Results?

After testing, we need to compare what happened. We use our eyes and our words!

What We Noticed	Design A (Smooth)	Design B (Bumpy)
How fast did the bear go?	Very fast! 🏎️	Slow! 🐢
Did the bear stay on?	It fell off at the end!	Yes, it stayed on.
Did it solve our problem?	No, too fast.	Yes! It slowed the bear down.

Comparing the two ramp designs after testing

Look at the chart. Design B worked better! The bumps slowed the bear down. That solved our problem.

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Scientist Tip

It is okay if one design does not work. That is how we learn! Every test teaches us something new.

SECTION 6

Let's Walk Through a Test Together!

Here is a new problem. Rain is getting your chalk drawings wet. You want to keep them dry. Let's test two designs!

Testing Two Chalk Covers

1
Step 1 — Find the Problem

Rain washes away our chalk drawings on the sidewalk. We need something to keep them dry.

Problem: Rain wets the chalk!
2
Step 2 — Think of Two Ideas

Design A: Hold a big leaf over the chalk. Design B: Put a plastic plate over the chalk.

Two designs: leaf and plate
3
Step 3 — Make It Fair

Use the same chalk drawing each time. Pour the same amount of water. Only change the cover!

Fair test: only change one thing
4
Step 4 — Test Both

Pour water on the leaf cover. The water drips through! The chalk gets a little wet. Pour water on the plate cover. The water rolls off! The chalk stays dry.

Leaf: a little wet. Plate: stays dry!
5
Step 5 — Compare and Pick

The plate kept the chalk drier. Design B works better for this problem!

Winner: Design B — the plastic plate!

SECTION 7

Why Testing Two Designs Is Great!

Sometimes one design is good at one thing but not another. That is okay! Testing helps us find out.

Good Things About Testing	Hard Things About Testing
We find the best idea!	It takes more time.
We learn from what does not work.	We need enough things to build both.
We can tell others what we found.	Sometimes both ideas need more work.

Good things and hard things about testing two designs

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think about picking shoes for a rainy day. You could try rain boots or sneakers. You test both outside. The boots keep your feet dry! Testing helps you make a smart choice.

SECTION 8

What Comes After Testing?

After you test and pick the best design, you can make it even better! This is what real engineers do.

What We Do Now	What We Can Do Later
Test two designs	Test three or more designs
Pick the better one	Make the best one even better
Talk about what we saw	Write down and draw what we learned

How testing grows as we get older

When you grow up, you can be an engineer. That means a person who designs and tests things. You are already starting!

SECTION 9

Practice Time!

Here is a new problem! A ball keeps rolling off the table. Mia and Leo each build a wall to stop the ball. Let's think about their test.

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Why should Mia and Leo test BOTH walls instead of just one? A) Because testing is fun B) So they can find out which wall stops the ball better C) Because they like building

Show answer

B is correct! When we test both walls, we can compare them. Then we know which one really stops the ball better. Just testing one would not tell us if the other one was even better.

Question 2: BASIC OBSERVATION

Mia builds a wall with blocks. Leo builds a wall with books. They roll the same ball at each wall. What should they watch for? A) What color the ball is B) If the wall stops the ball or if the ball goes past it C) How tall they are

Show answer

B is correct! We need to watch if the wall stops the ball. That is the whole problem we want to solve. The color of the ball and how tall they are do not help us compare the walls.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

To make the test fair, what should stay the same each time? A) The ball and how hard they roll it B) The wall material C) The day of the week

Show answer

A is correct! For a fair test, we use the same ball and roll it the same way each time. The only thing we change is the wall. If we changed the ball too, we would not know if the ball or the wall made the difference.

Question 4: APPLIED

The block wall falls over when the ball hits it. The book wall stays up and stops the ball. Which design solves the problem better? Why? A) The block wall, because blocks are more fun B) The book wall, because it stopped the ball C) Both are the same

Show answer

B is correct! The problem was that the ball keeps rolling off the table. The book wall stopped the ball, so it solved the problem. The block wall fell over, so it did not work as well. We pick the design that does the job!

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Think and share: What if BOTH walls fell over? What could Mia and Leo do next? Talk about your idea with a friend or grown-up.

Show answer

Great thinking! If both walls fell over, they could try again with new ideas. Maybe they could make the walls thicker, use heavier things, or try a totally new design. Engineers do not give up! They learn from what did not work and try again. You could also think about what made both walls fall — maybe the ball was too heavy or too fast.

SUMMARY

Let's Remember What We Learned!

Summary

When we have a problem, we can think of two designs to solve it. We build both and test them. We make a fair test by keeping everything the same except the one thing we are testing.

Then we observe what happens and compare the two designs. We pick the one that works better. If neither works, we try again with new ideas. You are thinking like an engineer!