Starter:

9Ab-2 Variation Practical

How are these leaves different?
What might have caused the variation?
9Ab-2 Variation Practical
Learning objectives:
You are going to look at:
a) variation in plant seedlings
b) variation in human characteristics

You should be able to:

a) identify variables for an experiment
b) correctly record results from your experiment
c) describe the results
d) give possible explanations for the results
 Variation in plant seedlings
Method
1. Label four Petri dishes with “Conc”, “Med”, “Dil”
and “Water” – also add a label with your initials
2. Place some cotton wool or paper towel in each
dish
3. Add 30 cm3 of each acid or water to the dishes
4. Add 10 seeds to each dish using forceps. Space
the seeds evenly
5. Allow the seeds to germinate and grow in the
same well-lit, warm place (you may have to add
more of the same liquid to prevent drying out)
6. Measure the height of the seedlings in each dish

[Requires lesson for results gathering – Students complete worksheet section on variables - Extension work: final two questions on worksheet 9Ab-2]
Variation in human characteristics
Method – working in pairs
1) Measure your partner’s handspan

2) With your shoes off and heels

against the wall, get someone to
measure your height

3) Record all results on your

worksheets
Sample data available on VLE
Variation in human characteristics
Questions:
1) What type of variation does handspan show?

2) What types of factors might affect your handspan?

3) What type of variation does height show?

4) What types of factors might affect your height?

Extension:
a) Would you expect there to be a link between a
student’s handspan and their height? Why?
b) Plot a graph (scattergraph) to try and show this
BEFORE YOU LEAVE…
 BEFORE YOU LEAVE…
How good were you at the following key scientific skills?
(from the plant variation experiment)
• identifying variables in an experiment
• safely carrying out an experiment in an organised way

(from the human variation experiment)

• carefully recording your results
• drawing your own results table
• drawing a graph of your results
Which one/s do you need to improve on?
Write this down as a target from this lesson:
“The scientific skill/s that I need to improve is/are…”
Show this to your teacher before you leave.