CITRUS SECTIONS

PROBLEM: Can I predict how many sections are in a citrus fruit?

RESEARCH: Use a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word predict.

HYPOTHESIS: Do you think there will be the same number of sections in each of the fruits?

MATERIALS:

lemon

lime

orange

grapefruit

sharp knife to cut citrus

PROCEDURE:

1. Predict how many sections are in the fruit. Write your predictions in a data table and have your teacher initial the data before you leave the room.

2. When you are home, obtain one of each kind of fruit and cut them in half.

3. Count the sections and record the numbers in the data table.

4. Gather the data from the rest of the class and graph the data for each type of citrus fruit.

DATA: (There should be 4 graphs in the data section.)

Type of citrus          -Predicted sections          -Actual sections

Lemon

Lime

Orange

Grapefruit

CONCLUSION: This is not optional. You must explain what you learned by doing this activity.

Remember that you must answer the question you asked in your original problem statement.

NOTE: BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNS YOUR WORK. PARENTS: YOUR SIGNATURE SHOWS YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE THE WORK.

TEACHER SECTION:

POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: Most people have no idea how many sections are in a piece of fruit. Accept any prediction that is not wild.

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: The conclusion should discuss the data as shown in the graphs.

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Judy Schneider

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