Becoming a Scientist Skills and Tools

Questioning  Being curious about the world. What questions do you have about this photograph?

Observing  Using the senses to collect information. If you were here, what do you think you would see? Hear?Feel?Smell?

Tools to Observe What are these tools called? What could you observe with them?

Measuring  Determining length, volume, mass/weight, or time of objects or events by using instruments that measure these properties. What could you measure in This picture? What tools would you use? What units would you use?

Tools to Measure What are these tools called? What could you measure with them?

Classifying  Sorting or ordering objects or ideas into groups or categories based on their properties. What groups would this animal fit into? Why does it belong in these groups?

Investigating  Designing a safe, fair test to answer a question. What does this animal eat? How could you find out?

Predicting  Guessing what the outcome of an event will be based on observations and background knowledge of similar events. What will this caterpillar become? Why do you think so?

Communicating  Using pictures, words, numbers, or models to describe an event, action, or object. How could you tell others what you learned about this frog?

Inferring  Making statements based on observations and background knowledge of similar events. What is this bird doing? doing? Why do you think so?

Multipurpose Tools What are these tools called? What could you do with them?

Now you are ready! Get busy, scientists!