Science in real-life applications and contexts

¶ … students' absence. My first hypothesis is that the food was contaminated. I base my evidence on the following: Spikes of absence for band class in all four schools fall generally in the middle of the month and towards the ends of the month with a wide outbreak of the flue occurring during that time as well as evidence indicating that the food was improperly cared for.

For at least three schools (Roosevelt, Truman and Jackson) spokes of absence seem to be highest in the Band class particularly around 5/18 (with Jackson showing 33.3 absences on that day, 23.3 and 17.3 on consequent days until gradual reduction is again achieved. In Roosevelt, there are a similar high number of absences on 5/18 with 25.0. Truman's band class shows a huge number of absence on 5/18 (33.3; with 23.3 and 16. 3 on consequent days. Looking at the information on the school site tells me that problems with food being improperly monitored occurred during that month. I suggest that all three schools in question, where absence was high likely share the same cook, or had a substitute cook during that month, and that food poisoning occurred which led to outbreak of disease and high range of absence.

My hypothesis can be tested in the following way:

1. Was the cook absent during that month

2. Was there a substitute cook

3. Did all absent students have one type of food

4. How was that food cooked

5. If portions of food are left, examine it for food contamination

6. Did any of the non-absent student partake of that food too

My second hypothesis for this spoke of absences is the following: a fever-related disease- swine flue for instance. The school site shows that the same incident happened a year ago. Even thoguh the case focuses on the band students, it may be that students of other classes were absent too. Or that the band students involved themselves in some activity or became infected by some substance related to their band practice that caused them to become infected with this specific fever.

In this case, my six testable questions would be the following:

1. Were any students from other classes absent during this period too

2. Were absent students suffering from fever

3. The reason for absences of students form other classes (if there were absences)

4. Was there a high number of band students absent the year before too

5. Is this ration of absence of band students higher than that of students form other classes

6. Is there any specific activity during this month that differs from the rest of the year? May this be linked to outbreak of fever?