Scenario+7

Sunflower Seeds

Mr. Toowise was having a difficult time getting his students to get good grades on quizzes. He was trying to think of a way he could positively reward his students. He read an article that said that lab rats that were rewarded with sunflower seeds ran through a maze faster than rats that were not rewarded with sunflower seeds. Mr. Toowise stated, "__I think that the more sunflower seeds I promise my students, the better they will do on a__ __quiz.__" He divided the class into __three groups__. __Group one__ was promised __zero sunflower__ __seeds__ if they did well on the quiz. __Group two__ was promised __25 sunflower seeds__ if they did well on the next quiz. __Group three__ was promised __50 sunflower seeds__ if they did well on the next quiz. The chart below summarizes the results from this experiment:
 * Group || # Sunflower Seeds Promised || Test Average ||
 * 1 || 0 || 70% ||
 * 2 || 25 || 73% ||
 * 3 || 50 || 71% ||

Complete each of the following:
 * 1) Identify the hypothesis: Students that are promised sunflower seeds will do better on the quiz than students without sunflower seeds.
 * 2) Identify the independent variable: The students promised sunflower seeds
 * 3) Identify the dependent variable: Whether or not the students will do well on the test they take when promised sunflower seeds
 * 4) Identify the other variables Mr. Toowise needs to consider/control during this experiment: Age of sunflower seeds, flavor of sunflower seeds, intelligence of students, allergic to seeds, grade the students are in, type of test, testing environment, the size of sunflower seeds, the size of the students, time they have for test, temperature of room, age of students, the supervisor of test, make sure no cheating, have no distractions, and brand of sunflower seeds.
 * 5) Identify the control group in this experiment: The students not promised sunflower seeds (Group 1)
 * 6) Identify the experimental group(s): The students promised 25 sunflower seeds (Group 2) and the students promised 50 sunflower seeds (Group 3)
 * 7) What conclusions might be drawn from this data?: Whenever students are promised sunflower seeds if they do well on a test, it doesn't dramatically effect the results of the test the students take.
 * 8) What recommendations might you suggest for further study or for improvement?: The students should be promised something that they enjoy instead of sunflower seeds which not many people enjoy. Also the students should be given the same test at the same time so the students don't tell the other students answers.