Introductory Science Ideas Basic Information

AVID Strategies Cornell Notes. Graphic Organizers. Interactive Notebook. Socratic Seminar.

Learning Style Inventory Take the Learning Style Inventory and discover which type of learner you are. What were your results? Were you surprised? Were values close between any of the different types? What is your opinion about the Inventory? How could this be used properly?

Areas of Science

Science Processes Observing: using senses to get infor. Classifying: imposing order on items/events. Communicating: transferring infor. Measuring: using an instrument to find a value.

Science Processes Using Numbers: to express ideas, values, & relationships. Controlling Variables: managing factors so the effect of that factor can be learned. Designing Experiments: so you may test a hypothesis and answer specific questions.

Scientific Processes Defining Operationally: creating definitions of an idea that give it a physical description. Formulating Models: creating a structure that acts as if it were a real object. Inferring: explaining an observation in terms of a previous experience. Interpreting Data: finding meaning in a collection of data.

Scientific Processes Predicting: making a projection of future observations based on previous infor. Questioning: expressing doubt that is based on the difference between what is known and what is observed. Hypothesizing: explaining a large number of events through a generalization and is subject to testing.

Scientific Method It’s Dynamic!!

Scientific Method Must be able to report results! Must be able to have your experiment duplicated by other scientists far away.

Theory vs. Law Theory: summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid as long as there is no evidence to dispute it. Theories can be disproven if evidence accumulates to support a hypothesis, then the hypothesis can become accepted as a good explanation of a phenomenon. One definition of a theory is to say it's an accepted hypothesis.

Theory vs. Law (Both from Chemistry.com) Law: generalizes a body of observations. At the time it is made, no exceptions have been found to a law. Scientific laws explain things, but they do not describe them. One way to tell a law and a theory apart is to ask if the description gives you a means to explain 'why'. Example: Consider Newton's Law of Gravity. Newton could use this law to predict the behavior of a dropped object, but he couldn't explain why it happened.

Measurements Estimation & Calculation of Error. Accuracy vs. Precision. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cl5CeiT7hU Base Units vs. Derived Units. Metric System vs. Standard System. Metric Prefixes.

Measurements Scientific Notation. Significant Figures (sig figs). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwmJ5nMmigQ Significant Figures (sig figs). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuVPkBb-z2I Conversion Factors & Factor-Label Method. Graphing Relationships. (MY SONG!!) Independent vs. dependent variables. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxbz656Euyw Constants. Understanding charts, tables, and graphs.

Measurements Calculator Use. Equation Use, Changing Formulas, and substitutions for using 2 or more equations. Lab Safety, Safety Symbols, and 1st Aid.

Measurements Lab Report Format Calculating Percentage (%) Error. Absolute error Lab Safety Agreement.

Study Skills, Test-Taking Strategies, & Test-Taking Anxiety Don’t cram or study the night before a test; review a little every day. Eliminate the obviously wrong answers. Knowledge is power—study and know what to expect. Look over the test before you start to see how long it is and keep track of time. Skip questions you don’t know and come back to them—answer what you know 1st.

Pre-Test & Post-Test Assessment to see where you are with your knowledge. To be given at the start of the semester; Post-test will be towards the end to assess how far you’ve come.

Interactive Notebooks Use your 3-ring binders so you may change the order of your papers. Use the Table of Contents worksheets I give you & we will create this in class. Consider your own glue sticks and creative items like colorful pens/pencils if you prefer yours over mine. Use this as a study tool and it will be a project grade each marking period.