In the backyard, Raven watches moths flutter around white flowers that just opened at dusk.
"Those flowers stayed closed all day," Rocket says. "Why open at night?"
Raven writes three words in her notebook: claim, evidence, reasoning. "Let's argue it like scientists. What do you notice about who is visiting?"
Nova dims her glow so she will not confuse the moths. "Here is a clue," she whispers. "Flowers help a plant make seeds. Visitors help flowers."
Scientists build an argument in three parts.
A claim is your answer. Evidence is what you observed or read. Reasoning explains how the evidence supports the claim.
Example claim: The moonflower's white petals help it attract moths.
Evidence: The large white flowers open in the evening. Moths visit them at night.
Reasoning: Moths fly at night, so flowers that open at night are ready for them.
Flowers are structures that help plants reproduce, which means make new plants.
Some seeds have light, fluffy puffs. These structures help seeds catch the wind and travel far.
| Part of an argument | Is it evidence? |
|---|---|
| Moths visited the flowers at night. | ? |
| The petals help the plant attract moths. | ? |
| The flowers opened at dusk. | ? |
Let's build one more argument together.
Claim: A saguaro's pleats help it survive in the desert.
Evidence: The pleats stretch when it soaks up rain and shrink as it uses the water.
Reasoning: Stored water helps the cactus live through dry times.
You argued like a scientist! Tomorrow at Launch Lab, your family goes on a structure hunt.