1. What is Science
Ch 1 Vocabulary words

2. Science
Science is a way of learning about the natural word through observation.

3. Science Scientists use skills such as Observing Inferring Predicting
Classifying
Making models
To learn more about the world

4. Using one or more of your senses to gather information
Observing
Using one or more of your senses to gather information

5. Quantitative vs Qualitative observations
Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Deal with the number, or amount
Example: Seeing that you have eight new s in your inbox is a quantitative observation.
Deal with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers
Example: noticing that a bike is blue or that a grape tastes sour are qualitative observations.

6. Inferring
When you explain or interpret the things you observe, you are inferring
Making an inference
It does not mean guessing wildly
Inferring are base on reasoning from what you already know
Inference are not always correct

7. Predicting
Making a forecast of what will happen in the future based past experience or evidence.
Are not always correct
You would probably move away if you saw a dog, growling or baring its teeth. Why? Because predicting is part of your everyday thinking.
You might predict, for example, that your basketball team will win tonight’s game if you have always beaten the other team in the past.

8. Predictions & inference are closely related
Inference is typically an attempt to explain what is happening or has happened.
Prediction is a forecast of what will happen.
Example: You see a broken egg on the floor by the table, you might infer that the egg had rolled off the table.
However, you see an egg rolling toward the edge of a table, you can predict that it’s about to create a mess

9. Classifying
Process of grouping together items that are alike in some way
To help stay organize
Easily find and use later
Example: classify papers by subject or date
Classify draw one for t-shirts another for socks

10. Making models
Involves creating representations of complex objects or process
Models help people to study and understand things that are complex or can’t be observe directly
They are all around you
Some are generated by computer
Example: Globe

11. Life Science Study of Living things Also know as biology
Scientist who study living things are known as biologist

12. Scientific Inquiry or Scientific Method
Refers to the divers ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence they gather.

13. Step 1: Questions
Begin with a problem or question about an observation
Curiosity plays a large role as well
Example:
Does my dog eat more food than my cat?
Which makes a better pet- a cat or a dog?
The 1st question is scientific question because it can be answered by making observations and gathering evidence.
You can measure the amount of food your cat and dog each eat during a week.
The 2nd is just personal opinion or value
Scientific inquiry can’t answer questions about personal tastes or judgements

14. Step 2: Hypothesis
Possible explanation for a set of observations or answers to a scientific question.
It must be testable
Scientists must be able to carry out an investigation and gather evidence that will either support or disprove the hypothesis
Many trials will be needed before a hypothesis can be accepted as true
Example: Perhaps, crickets chirp more when the temperature is higher.
If it’s cooler tomorrow night, the crickets will be quieter.

15. Step 3: experiment
Variables: or factors that can be change in an experiment
Must be exactly the same
Controlled experiment: an experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time
Manipulated variable: (independent variable) the one variable that is purposely changed to test a hypothesis
Responding variable: (dependent variable) the factor that may changed in response to the manipulated variable

16. Step 3: experiment Example: Cricket experiments
Manipulated variable: air temperature (dif temp)
Responding variable: # of crickets chirps
Controlled experiment: only one variable is been tested, the air temp
Containers re the same, environment is the same, same species, same amount of light, same food, etc..
By keeping all these variables the same, you will know that any difference in cricket chirping must be due to temp alone

17. Step 4: Collect & Interpret Data
Data are facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations
A data table is an organized way to collect and record observations
After data have been collected, they need to be interpreted.
A graph can help to interpret the data

18. Step 5: Draw conclusions
Conclusion is a summary of what you have learned from an experiment
To draw a conclusion you must ask yourself whether the data support the hypothesis
Considerer if you collect enough data
After reviewing data, decide if evidence supports your original hypothesis
Scientific inquiry (SI) does not end once a set of experiments is done
Often, SI raises more questions
It is a process

19. Step 6: Communication Very important to communicate the results
Communicating is the sharing of ideas and experimental findings with others through writing and speaking
Scientist communicate their research in full detail, so others can repeat their experiments

20. Scientific Method or Scientific Inquiry
Question
Hypothesis
Experiment
Data
conclusion
communication