Amy Vedder - Pet Detective

	www.iwaswondering.org © 2005 National Academy of Sciences
PRINT THE PET DETECTIVE DATA SHEET TOO! You also need to print the Pet Detective Data Sheet for a full set of Science Lab instructions.

Wildlife biologist Amy Vedder observed mountain gorillas to find out how they interacted, what they ate, and where they went. In this activity you will be the wildlife biologist! You will pick a pet to observe and come to a conclusion about the pet's behavior. Whether you observe a dog, cat, rabbit, bird, ferret, or fish, you can study animal behaviors in different situations or conditions by using some of the same techniques Amy Vedder used in the African jungle.

Bring a fellow scientist to help, take pictures if you can, and always have an adult nearby for safety. It's time to head into the field!


	Pet Detective Data Sheet Watch/timer Writing utensils Camera (optional) Pet Detective Journal A fellow scientist

1. Choose a question.

When scientists do experiments, they start by asking questions. What would you like to know about your pet? Pick a question below.

2. Develop your hypothesis.

What do you think the answer to your question will be? Consider what you already know about the pet and animal behavior. Type in what you expect will happen and why it might happen. For example: My dog will bark before it is fed because that's how it announces it's hungry. It will take a nap after it is fed because eating makes it sleepy.

Type your hypothesis here.

3. Find a pet, a fellow scientist, and an adult.

Find a pet to observe. Remember, Amy's research subjects were wild, but your subject is not. Even if your dog is your best friend, in this experiment you will just observe its behavior. No petting or "Good boy!" allowed! Call up a friend and invite her over. Invite an adult to join you or monitor you for safety. Then get to work!

4. Print this activity.

Print this page and the Pet Detective Data Sheet. Examine them carefully with your scientist friend.

5. Organize your supplies.

Get everything on the "What You Need" list.

6. Pick a spot.

Find a place where the pet won't notice you.

7. Do Observation A.

This will be your first observation. If you chose the first question, do your observation before the animal is fed. If you chose the second question, do your observation in the morning. Write the details on your Pet Detective Data Sheet.

8. Do Observation B.

This will be your second observation. For the first question, you will observe your pet after it has been fed. For the second, you will observe your pet in the afternoon. Write the details on your Pet Detective Data Sheet.

9. Analyze your data.

Now it's time to answer your question. Compare the results in Observation A and Observation B. Review your original question and your hypothesis. Were you correct? Record your observations in your Pet Detective Journal.

When a scientist has finished an experiment, she always writes up her notes and analyzes her data. Write your analysis here, starting with a few simple questions. If you took pictures, organize them in sequence and give each photo a title that relates to what you were testing and what you observed.

Did changing the independent variable have an effect on the animal's behavior? Compare your results from your two Pet Detective Data Sheets to find out.

What behaviors did the pet exhibit during Observation A and Observation B?

Were your pet's behaviors the same or different?

How much time did the pet spend doing each behavior?

Was it the same amount of time in Observations A and B?

Did the other variables stay the same? Check your variable sheet.

Did the constants stay the same from Observation A to Observation B? If not, how do you think they affected your results?

Look back at your hypothesis. Was it correct? Why or why not?

What's the most interesting thing you observed?

Did anything you learn surprise you? Write it down here to keep a scientific record.

What question would you like to explore next? Here are some you might consider:

How does the pet behave indoors compared to outdoors?
How does the pet behave when people are around compared to when they are not?

Based on what you have learned, make up a new question, form a hypothesis, create a new Pet Detective Data Sheet, and start again. A good scientist's work is never done, and one experiment always leads to more questions.