1. Grade 4 Nature of Science Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science
Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support Specialist – Science Keisha kidd, Curriculum Support Specialist – Science Dr. Millard Lightburn, District Supervisor Department of mathematics and Science
office of Academics and transformation office of Academics and transformation

2. Practicing Science What is Science?
Engage: Ask students to write what is science in their notebooks. Students can also make and read the AIMS Gr. 4 Science of Science. Share out/discuss within their group and then with the whole class.

3. What do all scientists do?
Engage: Have students look at the clip art and make a list of what scientists do. Pass out the AIMS foldable: Scientists at Work for students to fold, read and discuss.
Explore: Click on the hyperlink: What do all scientists do? To play a 2 min. video of a scientist at work. You can also share the book , Scientists Ask Questions by G. Garrett.

4. Scientists at Work 1. Look/watch things with a purpose Process Skills:
2. Think ahead about what might happen
3. Use tools to make precise or specific
information with numbers
4. Put things into definite categories by common
properties
5. Use reasoning to draw conclusions
6. Describe and share information with others
Process Skills:
Observe
Predict
Measure
Classify
Infer
Communicate
Optional: More Exploring with Discovery: Click on the hyperlink and open Scientists at Work: Ask Questions and Make Observations during Fast Plants Investigations
Explain: Have students share things that they do when they are working as scientists. Then reveal the 6 process activities shown. Then have students identify the process skill that goes with each one at a time. Clicking for accuracy. Remind students that using these process skills as scientists do will lead to the development of their scientific knowledge.

5. How do Scientists get precise or specific size information about objects?
Scientists use measurement tools
to make observations
that involve numbers or quantities.
Scientists at Work:
Measurement Stations
Explain: Ask question - How do Scientists get precise or specific size information about objects? After students respond click and show Scientists use measurement tools… Then ask what tools do scientists use to measure length… (ruler, tape measure, meter stick) Click for clip art. What else can these tools measure? (width, height, volume) What metric units are used? (meter, centimeter, millimeter) Continue in same format for mass, weight (Newtons, grams), volume (liters), temperature(Celsius, Fahrenheit and time.
Explore/Explain/Evaluate: Pass out the lab sheet for Measurement Stations hands-on activity.

6. Scientists Use Measurement Tools
Name of Tool
Use of Tool
(Quantitative Observation)
Metric Units
Ruler, tape measure, meter stick
Explain/Evaluate: Students copy chart in their notebooks and keep a record of tools as they use them. (See slide for 4 for tool images.)

7. How do Scientists Make Observations?
Scientists at Work – They…
look closely at something
use any of their five senses to
collect information
make qualitative observations
use measurement tools to collect information
make quantitative observations
Explain/Evaluate: Ask How do Scientists Make Observations? Have students share ideas. Students can list and take notes in their notebooks.

8. Making Observations Lab
Scientists at Work:
Making Observations Lab
Explore/Explain, Evaluate: Pass out the Making Observations Lab directions. Students complete the lab in their notebooks. See lab sheet for materials needed. Candy can be a tootsie roll, caramel, Now and Later, Star Burst, etc. After students complete the lab, they make reflections. See next slide.

9. Making Observations Lab
Reflection Questions
Which of the senses was best for making observations about the candy? Explain your answer.
Is the sense listed above always the best one to use?
Why or why not? Give reasons to support what you
think.
Use evidence to explain why using tools to make
observations is useful to scientists.
Based on your observations, write at least three new
questions you could ask about the candy.
Explain/Evaluate: Have students share reflections focusing on the new questions.

10. Scientists at Work: What do you see when you observe the apple?
Write in your notebook.
Look over your list. Are they all observations?
Remember, observations use the senses to gather information.
Is there anything on the list that is what you think or infer?
Engage: Show a model of an apple that looks real.
Explore: Then ask them to write down their observations in their notebook.
Explain and Evaluate: Have students share out their observations. Ask and discuss are the observations only observations or did they make any inferences and possibly an opinion. Why do think some of you were fooled? Why does being fooled by what you think is real affect what you think you observed?

11. Observations Compare and Contrast
Senses
Inferences
Observations Compare and Contrast
Inferences
Observation
To observe is to look closely at something using any of the five senses and/or measurement tools.
To infer is to use observations to reach a conclusion based on evidence.
Opinion
A personal belief that does not need proof.
Explain: Compare and contrast observations, inferences and opinions. Students can give examples.

12. Observations Versus Inferences
Explore/Explain/Evaluate: Have students share observation lists after they’re finished. The class can check if anyone included inferences by mistake which will reinforce their observation skills. Next have students share their inferences and
describe how the observations were used to support the inferences.
Make Five Observations
Make Five Inferences

13. Scientists at Work: Write one observation, one inference and one opinion about what you see in the photo.
Explain/Evaluate: Have students write responses in their notebooks and share out their responses with the class.
Remind students that making observations and inferences is commonplace in everyone’s life. In fact we make observations and inferences so readily that we seldom notice when we are doing so. In fifth grade we must learn to go beyond the casual observations of everyday life to move to more accurate and formal observations used in science. Review definitions of both (see slide 10)
Evaluate: Ask students to describe an example of how scientists use observations and inferences to understand some aspect of the natural world.

14. Scientists at Work: Classify Objects
Look at the
shells in this
photograph.
What are some
ways you could
group them by
their properties?
Explore/Explain/Evaluate: First have students discuss with a partner, next within their group and last share out with the class.

15. Classify Objects 1. You and a partner get a set of objects.
2. Identify properties they share.
3. Organize them into categories by ways they are similar or related.
4. Share how your classification system with another pair of students.
5. Ask them to infer how you classified the objects.
6. Together, try other ways to classify the objects.
7. Discuss when each method could be useful.
Explore: hands-on activity

16. Scientists Communicate in Many Ways
List several ways to communicate.
What did you write?
Telephoning
ing
Texting
Blogging
Body Language
Using Models
Message boards
Giving talks
Sharing drawing
Making posters
Making charts or graphs
Writing papers or articles
Explain/Evaluate

17. Practicing Science Processes Match Up
1. Observing
2. Predicting
3. Measuring
4. Classifying
5. Inferring
6. Communicating
A. Putting things into definite
categories by common properties
B. Looking/watching things with a
purpose
C. Using reasoning to draw conclusions
D. Describing and sharing information
with others
E. Thinking ahead about what might happen
F. Using tools to make precise or specific information with numbers
Evaluate: Quiz

18. Brain Check Quiz 1. Collecting information using the senses
2. To put thing in groups
3. Collecting information using
measurement tools
4. The sharing of information
5. An idea or a conclusion
based on an observation
6. The study of the natural
world
7. A personal belief or
judgment
8. Facts and information
collected
A. evidence
B. science
C. qualitative
observations
D. quantitative
E. inference
F. opinion
G. classify
H. communication
Evaluate: Quiz

19. Apply Concepts
1. Compare these two animals. List how they look similar and different.
2. Imagine you are on a camping trip. Upon waking up you notice a garbage can tipped over outside your cabin. Plastic bags are torn open. What could you infer?
Explain and Evaluate