The Case of the Crooked Carnival (7 page)

3. No top-notch scientist is complete without a lab coat. You can use a white button-down shirt (ask first!), and write your name on the front with a permanent marker.

4. Last but not least, you’ll need a lab notebook. Any spiral or bound notebook is good. Jot your name in pen on your notebook, sharpen your pencil, and you’re ready for your next brilliant idea! Observations, calculations, hypotheses, and results—record everything in your lab notebook.

A good lab notebook contains

1)
Experiment title

2)
Method (what you plan to do)

3)
Hypothesis (what you think will happen)

4)
Procedure (what you did, step by step)

5)
Observations (what you saw)

6)
Results (what actually happened)

7)
Conclusion (based upon the results, was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not?)

T
hat’s right, there’s a method to the madness. It’s called the
scientific method
, to be precise. In fact, scientists all over the world use the same method.

First, scientists observe. They examine. They peer. They scribble their observations in their lab notebooks (or type them into their computers, as the case may be).

Second, based on their observations, scientists develop a
hypothesis
, like Drake and Nell did in trying to determine the identity of the ghosts and ghouls haunting Edgar’s house. Drake and Nell’s hypothesis was simply their best guess as to what was causing the noise. It probably sounded something like this: “We believe the haunting of Edgar’s home is being caused by the amplification of sound through the old pipes. We further believe that Poe is the culprit.”

Third, scientists test their hypothesis. (After all, maybe the hypothesis is correct, but maybe it isn’t. Maybe there really
are
ghosts and ghouls! Yikes!) In testing their hypothesis, scientists follow a
procedure
. In the following experiments and activities, you will also follow a procedure. It is important to read through the instructions and set out all of the needed materials before beginning the experiment. So whip out your lab notebooks, sharpen those pencils, put on those lab coats, and prepare to join the masses of scientists everywhere!

Good Science Tip

To avoid mixing things up, all brilliant scientists label what they are working on. Usually masking tape and a pen or marker work fine for labeling. But if an experiment or the equipment gets wet or collects moisture, the ink might smudge or run or disappear entirely. To prevent that from happening, many scientists use a fine-point permanent marker, which won’t wipe off except with alcohol.

E
gads! Your #1 enemy is holding a top secret meeting with your #2 enemy! Unless you listen in and stop their dastardly plot, horrible things are bound to happen. There’s no time to lose! Build a Snoop-O-Scope so you can listen around corners.

MATERIALS

•  4-foot section of ¾-inch-diameter PVC pipe

•  large funnel, such as the kind used for draining the oil from a car (make sure it’s clean)

•  duct tape

•  two ¾-inch-diameter PVC elbows

PROCEDURE

1. Have an adult cut the pipe into two lengths: 1 foot and 3 foot (doesn’t have to be exact).

2. Insert the pointed end of the funnel into one end of the 1-foot section of pipe. Secure with tape.

3. Insert one of the elbows onto the other end of the 1-foot pipe.

4. Fit the 3-foot section of pipe into the remaining hole of the same elbow and secure with tape. The pipe sections should now form a right angle to each other.

5. Finally, fit the last elbow onto the open end of the 3-foot pipe. This is for your listening pleasure and comfort. (Spy work should be comfy whenever possible.)

6. To activate, simply stick the funnel end around a corner, and fit your ear snugly against the open hole of the elbow. Listen carefully and be prepared for action. (Beware: Do not alert archenemies to your presence.)

More Cool Stuff:
Have a friend stand around the corner and whisper softly as you listen without using your Snoop-O-Scope. How well can you hear her? Then, have her whisper the same thing at the same volume, except now use your Snoop-O-Scope. Is there a difference? (If you are sad and lonely and have no friends, try this activity using a radio, stereo, or iPod.)

Did You Know?

Before electronic hearing aids were invented, people who were hard-of-hearing used
ear trumpets.
An ear trumpet was a trumpet-shaped device designed to amplify sound waves by funneling sound into the ear of the listener. Your Snoop-O-Scope works by the same principle.