"Careful observing and testing—whether practicing a rocket launch, watching the night sky safely, or studying animals—helps scientists learn new things and keep people and nature protected."
Ask the class before watching:
"When you want to be really sure you’re right about something (like a tricky answer, a new animal, or what you see in the sky), what kinds of evidence or checks could you use to prove it?"
A set of numbers said in order to get ready for something to start.
Before the rocket rehearsal, the team practiced the countdown to make sure every step happened at the right time.
A tool you look through to see faraway things bigger and closer.
With a grown-up’s help, you can use binoculars to spot a bright planet like Jupiter in the night sky.
Groups of stars that make patterns people recognize in the sky.
We tried to find constellations by looking for Orion’s three stars that line up like a belt.
Tiny instructions inside living things that help tell what they are like.
Scientists compared DNA to check if the Madagascar frog was truly a new species.
Have students answer these questions after watching the episode.