Science Vocabulary and Process Skills

Inferring Developing ideas based on observations. Requires evaluation and judgment based on past experience.

Forming an idea of an expected result. Based on inferences. Predicting Forming an idea of an expected result. Based on inferences.

Hypothesis An educated statement which attempts to answer a question and/or tells others what the result of an experiment might be.

Investigation Using observations to collect and analyze data to draw conclusions in order to solve problems.

Procedure Detailed step-by- step instructions that will tell others how you completed the experiment.

ONE thing that is changed in an experiment. Independent Variable ONE thing that is changed in an experiment. Example: The type of liquid given to the various plants.

Control Variables (Constant) The parts of an experiment that are not changed and kept the same to ensure a fair test. Need this in order to compare results and to see how the independent variable affected your experiment. Examples: The type of plant, how much liquid, the amount of sunlight, the same soil

The response that can be observed and measured in the experiment. Dependent Variable The response that can be observed and measured in the experiment.

To determine the size of an object. Measuring To determine the size of an object.

Using common sense to get an approximate answer. Estimating Using common sense to get an approximate answer.

Grouping or ordering objects or events. Based on observation. Classifying Grouping or ordering objects or events. Based on observation.

Recording information from an experiment in a systematic way. Collecting Recording information from an experiment in a systematic way.

Qualitative Observations, Describe using five senses

Quantitative Observations Things you measure

Communicating To share information

State what the data means. Lists any variables affected the results. Analysis State what the data means. Lists any variables affected the results.

Conclusion States whether or not your hypothesis was correct or incorrect and why.

Extra Credit: 5 points Obtain an object such as a pencil or book. Describe in writing this object using the properties of size, shape, color, and texture. Don’t use vague terms like large or small. Estimate the size using metric measurements. Use complete sentences.