Table of Contents Skills of Science Measurement in Science Math in Science Graphs Doing Experiments Practicing Science Chapter 1 Lessons 1-6 Thinking like a Scientist

Ch. 1.1 Skills of Science

What Skills Do Scientist Use? Pg. 7 Science is a way of learning about the natural world. Science also includes all the knowledge gained by exploring the natural world. Skills used by Scientists: observing, inferring, predicting, classifying, evaluating, and making models to study the world. Observing means using one or more of your senses to gather information. It also means using tools to help your senses. A quantitative observation deals with numbers, or amounts. A qualitative observation deals with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers.

Predicting Whale Behavior Humpback whales eat krill, tiny shrimp-like animals. These panels show a sequence of humpback whale feeding behavior. What do you think will be happen next? Skills of Science

What Skills Do Scientist Use? When you explain or interpret the things you observe, you are inferring, or making an inference. (Inferring is not guessing.) Inferences are based on reasoning from what you already know. Example: has four legs, has fur, use as a house pet, loves wagging their tail, ___________(inference) Predicting means making a statement or claim about what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence. Example: Looks grey and cloudy-  it’s going to rain (prediction).

What Skills Do Scientist Use? Predictions and inferences are closely related. While inferences are attempts to explain what is happening or has happened, predictions are statements of claims about what will happen. Classifying is the grouping together of items that are alike in some way. Evaluating involves comparing observations and data to reach a conclusion about them

What Skills Do Scientist Use? Pg. 11 Making Models involves creating representations of complex objects or processes. Some models can be touched, such as a map. Others are in the form of mathematical equations or computer programs. Models help people study things that can’t be observed directly.

Planning and Carrying Out an Investigation pg. 12 Planning and carrying out an investigation may use many of the scientific skills (observing, inferring, predicting, classifying, evaluating, and making models.) It may also involve identifying: variables (a factor that can change in an experiment) Independent variables (the one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment)are changed to test a hypotheses. Hypothesis: A possible explanation for a set of observations or answers to a scientific question(must be testable) Dependent variables (the factor that changes in an experiment) change in response to the independent variables.

Ch. 1.2 Thinking Like a Scientist

Ch. 1.2 Vocabulary Skepticism- An attitude of doubt. Personal bias- An outlook influenced by a person’s likes and dislikes. Cultural bias- An outlook influenced by the beliefs, social forms, and traits of a group. Experimental bias- A mistake in the design of an experiment that makes a particular result more likely. Ethics- The study of principles about what is right and wrong, fair and unfair. Objective- Describes the act of decision-making or drawing conclusions based on available evidence. Subjective- Describes the influence of personal feelings on a decision or conclusion. Deductive reasoning- A way to explain things by starting with a general idea and then applying the idea to a specific observation. inductive reasoning- Using specific observations to make generalizations.

What Attitudes Help You Think Scientifically? Pg.15 An attitude is a state of mind. Scientists possess certain important attitudes such as: Curiosity honesty creativity open-mindedness skepticism good ethics and awareness of bias.

Pg. 17 Aware of Bias What scientists expect to find can influence, or bias, what they observe and how they interpret observations. Personal bias comes from a person’s likes and dislikes. Cultural bias stems from the culture in which a person grows up. Experimental bias is a mistake in the design of an experiment that makes a particular result more likely.

Recognizing Bias These people are making biased statements. What type of bias is each person showing? Scientific Thinking

Scientific Reasoning pg. 18 Scientific reasoning requires a logical way of thinking based on gathering and evaluating evidence. Being objective means that you make decisions and draw conclusions based on available evidence. i.e. Dinosaurs In contrast, being subjective means that personal feelings have entered into a decision or conclusion.

Discuss the comic about measuring height. Is the conclusion that Pedro is the tallest boy in class based on subjective or objective reasoning? Explain your answer. Scientific Thinking

Deductive Reasoning Vs. Inductive Reasoning pg. 19 & 20 There are two types of scientific reasoning. Deductive reasoning is a way to explain things by starting with a general idea and then applying the idea to a specific observation. Inductive reasoning uses specific observations to make generalizations. Scientists must be careful not to use faulty reasoning, because it can lead to faulty conclusions.

Faulty Reasoning pg. 21 Faulty reasoning = wrong idea Last week I went to NY and it was snowing. Friend went to NY not too long ago and it was snowing too. Conclusion= it always snows in NY Why is this a faulty reasoning?

Chat Room Controversy Read the chat room conversation. Why has Jeff has shown faulty reasoning? Scientific Thinking

Ch. 1.3 Measurement in Science

Common SI Prefixes The metric system is used to measure things like length, mass, and volume. How would you complete the chart of SI prefixes?

Why Do Scientist Use a Standard Measurement System? Pg. 23 Standard measurement allows scientists everywhere to repeat experiments. In the 1790’s, scientists in France developed a universal system of measurement called the metric system. The metric system is a system of measurement based on the number 10. SI (International System Units) Modern scientists use a version of the metric system called the International System of Units, or SI. Using SI as the standard system of measurement allows scientists to compare data and communicate with each other about their results.

Measurement in Science Conversions for Length A meter (m) is the basic SI unit used for measuring length.

What are Some SI Units of Measure? Pg. 24 Scientist measure things regularly such as: Length, mass, volume, density, temperature, and time. They are all measured in SI unit. In the SI system, the basic unit for measuring length is the meter (m). SI unit Length= (M) Meter Mass= (Kg) Kilograms For lengths smaller than a meter, the centimeter (cm) and millimeter (mm) are used. The kilometer (km) is used for measuring long distances.

What are Some SI Units of Measure? Pg. 23 Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. Mass is measured with a balance (comparing the mass of an object to a known mass) In SI system, the basic unit for measuring mass is the kilogram (kg). SI unit Mass= (Kg) Kilograms To measure smaller masses= grams (g) and milligrams (mg) are used. Unlike mass, weight is a measure of the force of gravity acting on an object. A scale is used to measure weight. Triple beam balance used to measure mass 

Measurement in Science Conversions for Mass In SI, the basic unit for measuring mass is the kilogram (kg) SI unit Mass= (Kg) Kilograms.

Volume pg. 26 Volume is the amount of space an object or substance takes up. In SI, the basic unit for measuring volume is the cubic meter (m³). SI unit Volume  the cubic meter (m³) A cubic meter is equal to the volume of a cube with 1-meter sides. Use cubic meters to measure the volume of solids. To measure the volume of a liquid, use the liter (L), and read the level at the bottom of the meniscus, or curve. To measure the volume of an irregular solid, use the displacement method  Displacement Method: immerse the object in water and measure how much the water level rises.

Formula to calculate the volume of a rectangular solid Volume= Length x width x height

What are Some SI Units of Measure? Pg. 28 The density of an object is the object’s mass divided by its volume. Formula to find density of an object: Density= _Mass (amount of matter) Volume (space of an object) Density, a measure of how much mass(the amount of matter in an object) much is contained in a given volume (is the amount of space an object or substance takes up) is expressed as a relationship between two units. In SI, the basic unit for measuring density is kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³) SI unit Density  kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).

What are Some SI Units of Measure? Pg. 29 In addition to the Celsius scale, scientists sometimes use another temperature scale, called the Kelvin scale. In fact, the Kelvin (K) is the official SI unit for temperature. A thermometer is used to measure temperature. SI unit Temperature  The Kelvin scale (K) The second (s) is the SI unit used to measure time. SI unit Time  The Second (s)

Measurement in Science Conversions for Volume This table shows how to convert between the volume of solids and the volume of liquids.

Measurement in Science Densities of Some Common Substances The density of water is 1 g/cm 3. According to the chart, which substances will float in water?

Measurement in Science Conversions for Temperature The Kelvin scale is the basis for the SI temperature units.

Measurement in Science Temperature Scales Which thermometer is Kelvin? Which is Celsius? What is the freezing point on the Kelvin thermometer?

Math in Science Accuracy and Precision In a dart game, accurate throws land close to the bull’s-eye. Precise throws land close together. Are these darts thrown accurately or precisely?