Consider the following scenario: A suburban park is known for its open green spaces, small patches of woods and scenic ponds. There are places for children to play. It is also loved by bird watchers because of the wide variety of birds that make their nests in the park.

After the introduction of a particularly noxious weed that spread rapidly, park officials treated the park with a herbicide that was claimed to be safe for people as well as birds. Several weeks after application of the herbicide, many of the bird species that frequented the park could longer be found.

1) Propose a hypothesis that explains the disappearance of many of the birds

2) Design an experiment that tests the hypothesis. What conditions would you be careful to control? What is the variable you are looking at in the experiment?

3) How would you interpret the results of your experiment? How would you know if your hypothesis was supported?

4) If your hypothesis was disproved, what would be the next logical step?