Asking Why Questions
Scientists are curious! They ask lots of questions to learn about the world. The best question word is "WHY?" Let's learn how to ask great questions like a scientist!
Learn
A question is something you ask when you want to learn more. Questions help us discover new things! Scientists ask questions every day.
Question Words
There are special words that help us ask questions:
Why Do We Ask Questions?
- To learn new things - Questions help us discover!
- To understand how things work - Why does a ball bounce?
- To solve problems - Why won't my toy work?
- To stay safe - Why should I hold hands crossing the street?
Good Questions vs. Not-So-Good Questions
Good questions help us learn something new:
- "Why do leaves fall off trees?" (You can find out the answer!)
- "What do caterpillars eat?" (You can observe and learn!)
Not-so-good questions have answers you already know:
- "Is the sky blue?" (Yes! You already know that!)
Try to ask questions that make you think and explore!
Examples
Let's look at some great "why" questions scientists might ask!
Example 1: The Melting Ice Cube
What you see: You put an ice cube on the table. It gets smaller and smaller, and there's a puddle of water.
The answer: Ice melts because the room is warm! Heat makes ice turn into water. When it's cold (like in the freezer), water stays frozen as ice.
Example 2: The Sleeping Cat
What you see: Your cat sleeps a lot during the day.
The answer: Cats need lots of sleep to have energy for playing and hunting! They sleep about 12-16 hours every day. That's a lot of naps!
Example 3: The Dark Sky
What you see: At night, the sky is dark. During the day, it's bright.
The answer: The sun gives us light during the day. At night, our part of Earth faces away from the sun, so it's dark. The sun didn't go away - we just turned away from it!
Example 4: The Falling Leaves
What you see: In fall, leaves change colors and fall off trees.
The answer: Trees get ready for winter by dropping their leaves. The leaves would freeze and break, so the tree lets them go. In spring, new leaves will grow!
Example 5: The Bouncing Ball
What you see: When you drop a ball, it bounces back up.
The answer: Balls are filled with air. When the ball hits the ground, it squishes a tiny bit, then the air inside pushes it back up! That's why flat balls don't bounce well.
Practice Problems
Let's practice asking "why" questions! For each picture, think of a good question to ask.
Problem 1
You see a rainbow in the sky after it rains. What "why" question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do rainbows appear after rain?" or "Why does a rainbow have so many colors?" Both are great scientist questions!
Problem 2
Birds fly south when winter comes. What question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do birds fly away in winter?" (Answer: They go somewhere warm where they can find food!)
Problem 3
Your shadow is long in the morning but short at noon. What could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why does my shadow change size?" (Answer: It depends on where the sun is in the sky!)
Problem 4
Plants need water to live. If you forget to water a plant, it droops. What question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do plants need water?" or "Why does a plant droop without water?"
Problem 5
Dogs wag their tails when they see you. What could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do dogs wag their tails?" (Answer: It's how dogs show they're happy!)
Problem 6
The moon looks different each night - sometimes big and round, sometimes thin like a banana. What question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why does the moon change shape?"
Problem 7
When you mix red and yellow paint, you get orange. What could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do colors change when we mix them?" or "Why does red and yellow make orange?"
Problem 8
Bubbles float up in the air. What could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do bubbles float?" (Answer: Bubbles are filled with air, and they're very light!)
Problem 9
Stars twinkle at night. What question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do stars twinkle?"
Problem 10
You feel hot after running around. What could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do I feel hot when I run?" (Answer: Your body works hard and makes heat when you exercise!)
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
What is a question?
Show Answer
A question is something you ask when you want to learn more. Questions help us discover new things!
Question 2
Why is "why" such a good question word?
Show Answer
"Why" helps us learn the REASON things happen. It makes us think deeper and discover more!
Question 3
Name three question words.
Show Answer
Any three of these: Why, What, How, When, Where, Who
Question 4
You notice that puddles disappear on sunny days. What "why" question could you ask?
Show Answer
"Why do puddles disappear in the sun?" That's a great scientist question! (The sun heats the water and it goes up into the air.)
Next Steps
Question of the Day!
Every day this week, ask at least ONE "why" question about something you notice. Ask a grown-up to help you find the answer!
Some ideas to get you started:
- Why is the grass green?
- Why do I need to sleep?
- Why does soap make bubbles?
- Keep asking questions - that's what scientists do!
- Use your senses (from the last lesson) to notice interesting things
- Then ask "WHY?" to learn even more
- Ready for more science? Check out our lesson on Types of Weather!