The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators The Processes of Science Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Exploring Science Scientists ask questions and solve problems to understand the world around them better. This is referred to as scientific inquiry. There are many processes used in inquiry. In the field of science, people explore the world around them. Scientists seek to answer questions and solve problems that are presented to them or that they observe. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Basic Processes Observing Predicting Classifying Measuring Communicating Experimenting Inferring The basic processes are used in science to answer questions and solve problems. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Observing Looking for characteristics, similarities and identifying features of objects Using the five senses to discover information Sight Hearing Smell Touch Taste Observation is used in all aspects of science. Scientists use observations to recognize a problem, form a question, collect data, and predict what may happen. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Predicting Developing an assumption of the expected outcome Extension: Form a hypothesis In order to design an experiment, one must make some predictions or assumptions about what will happen. The experiment will then prove or disprove those predictions. A formal prediction is a hypothesis. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Classifying Grouping and ordering objects Sorting by similar characteristics Scientists use observations to classify objects into similar groups. Ask students: What are three ways to classify these objects? Possible answers include: Size Shape Color Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Measuring Comparing unknown quantities to a standard of reference Length Mass Temperature Volume Precision and accuracy are important when conducting experiments. For an experiment to be valid and reliable, you must be able to repeat the procedures. Accurate measurements are essential to successful repetitions of an experiment. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Experimenting Following clear procedures. Verifiable Repeatable Provides data. Qualitative – descriptions, observed, but not measured Quantitative – uses numbers, measured Experiments are what many people think of when they hear the terms science or scientist. However, this is just one component of solving problems. When designing and conducting experiments, clear procedures are very important. They allow you to complete the experiment correctly and allow others to repeat your experiment. When conducting an experiment, you will collect data. Data can be divided into two categories. Qualitative data is observed information such as color or other physical changes. Quantitative data is measurable such as height, mass, and temperature. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Communicating Sharing findings and results Graphs Charts Reports Presentations Once you have designed and conducted an experiment, you should share your results. This can be done in many forms such as charts, graphs, reports, and presentations. All of these forms of communication will be used throughout this course. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011

The Processes of Science Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Unit 3 and Lesson 3.1 Agriscience Investigators Inferring Forming ideas to explain observations Analyzing the results to form conclusions Scientific knowledge does not end with the experiment. Once you have completed an experiment, you will infer what the results mean by analyzing data and forming conclusions. An experiment may even raise additional questions. Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Copyright 2011