1. Date: September 22, 2016
Aim #5: What are skills scientists use?
HW:
Worksheet- Observation, Inference, Prediction
Do Now: Take a worksheet “Test Your Powers of Observation” and challenge yourself!

2. 1) What is Science
Science: a way of answering questions about the natural world
Our collection of knowledge about the natural world

3. 2) What skills do scientists depend on?
Observation: An observation is the gathering of information by using our five senses:
Seeing, smelling, hearing, feeling, tasting

4. Senses can be extended using tools

5. Recorded observations are called data
Types of Data:
Quantitative Data: deals with numbers or amounts

6. Quantitative Observations
These observations use numbers to measure something in a quantitative way.
Example: The flower has seven petals.
Example: You have 8 new s.

7. Qualitative Data: deals with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers

8. Qualitative Observations
These observations use adjectives to describe something.
Example: The flower has white petals.
Example: The lemon tastes sour

9. 1 = Least Smelly 5 = Most Smelly
Scientists sometimes need to quantify qualitative observations
Set up a scale or rating system
1 = Least Smelly 5 = Most Smelly

10. Qualitative or Quantitative?
There are 15 flowers with white petals
The is long
The surface feels rough
The leaf is 9 cm long

12. Inference: explaining or interpreting what you observe based on logical thinking
Observations are used as evidence for your inference

13. Observations are information we gather directly through our five senses….Inferences help explain those observations!

14. Here are some examples!
Observation: The grass on the school’s front lawn is wet.
Possible inferences:
It rained.
The sprinkler was on.
There is dew on the grass from the morning.
A dog urinated on the grass!
All of these inferences could possibly explain why the grass is wet. They are all based on prior experiences. We have all seen rain, sprinklers, morning dew, and dogs going to the bathroom.

15. Here are some examples!
Observation: The school fire alarm is going off.
Possible inferences:
The school is on fire.
We are having a fire drill.
A student pulled the fire alarm.
Again, these are all logical explanations for why the fire alarm is going off.

16. Last one! Observation: A student is sitting in the main office.
Possible inferences: Why might a student be sitting there?

18. Why is this a bad prediction?
Prediction: A forecast of what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence
Why is this a bad prediction?

20. Classifying: grouping together items that are alike in some way

21. Classifying Helps you stay organized
Organizing a notebook by subject and date helps you find things later

23. Making Models: creating simplified representations of complex objects or processes

24. Examples of Models Globes Charts Movie sets Pictures Maps Diagrams
Computer models