Science Process Skills

How do scientists look at the world they study? Through observation and experimentation in a step-by-step process called the scientific method The abilities required to complete a scientific investigation are referred to as science process skills

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Science Process Skills OBSERVATION CLASSIFICATION MEASUREMENT COMMUNICATION INFERENCE PREDICTION

OBSERVATION NOTING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OBJECTS AND SITUATIONS THROUGH THE USE OF THE SENSES

MEASUREMENT TYPE OF OBSERVATION THAT EXPRESSES PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS/DATA IN QUALITATIVE OR QUANTITATIVE WAYS GOOD SCIENTIFIC DATA IS EMPIRICAL: REPEATABLE VERIFIABLE UNBIASED.

CLASSIFICATION GOES BEYOND OBSERVATION BY GROUPING TOGETHER OBJECTS OR SITUATIONS BASED ON SHARED CHARACTERISTICS

INFERENCE EXTRACTING MEANING FROM RESULTS OF REPEATED OBSERVATION OR EXPERIMENTATION

PREDICTION USING THE RESULTS OF OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENTATION TO FORM NEW HYPOTHESES

COMMUNICATION REPORTING TO OTHERS THE RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTATION IN AN EMPERICAL MANNER

ALL OF THE SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS CONTRIBUTE TO A LARGER PURPOSE THAT OF PROBLEM SOLVING THAT REQUIRES CRITICAL THINKING INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: WHAT’S TESTED PROBLEM: How do environmental conditions affect water loss in leaves of a pea plant? HYPOTHESIS: If the plant is placed in a windy environment more water will be lost than in a misty or bright environment. CONTROLS: CONSTANTS DEPENDENT VARIABLES: WHAT’S MEASURED