Science Skills

Skills Needed For Science Class First week of content Good luck…

Materials • Every day that you are in class you must have: – Composition book – Pen AND pencil – Folder

Aim • What are skills we need to develop to make learning science easier?

Do now • In your notebooks: – Write 3 ways that you can measure your desk.

Skills • Before we do anything in this class we need to develop some skills. • Developing these skills now will allow us to focus on content as the year progresses.

Skills • Measurement – A VERY IMPORTANT SKILL TO LEARN!

Measurement • What system of measurement do scientists around the world use? – A) English – B) Metric – C) Dewey decimal system

Metric system • What aspects of an object can we measure? – Length – Weight (mass) – Volume (liquid) • What do we mean by length? – Distance • Height, width, etc… • What is mass? – Mass is similar to weight • What is volume? – How much of a substance fits in a certain space…

Units of measurement • What do we use to measure length in every day life? – Inches, feet, miles, yards, etc…

• What do we use to measure mass in every day life? – Pounds, ounces, tons, etc…

• What do we use to measure liquid volume in every day life? – Gallons, ounces, cups, pints, liters, etc…

Metric units of measurement • What do scientists use to measure length? – The METER

• What do scientists use to measure mass? – The GRAM

• What do scientists use to measure volume? – The LITER

Metric measurement • The metric system is much, much easier to use and calibrate.

Metric measurement • Abbreviations – Meter = m – Gram = g – Liter = L

Metric measurement Prefix

How much is it? Abbreviation

Kilo Hecto Deka Deci Centi

1000 units 100 units 10 units 0.1 (1/10) units 0.01 (1/100) units

k h D d c

Milli

0.001 (1/1000) units

m

How can we remember these? • King Henry Died Upon Drinking Chocolate Milk »King = Kilo »Henry = Hecto »Died = Deka »Upon = Unit »Drinking = Deci »Chocolate = Centi »Milk = Milli

Conversion Kilo Hect Dek UNI Deci Cent Milli o a T i

Conversion • To convert all we have to do is move the decimal point! • 1 meter = 1.0 meter = 1.0 m • 1.0 m = 1000.0 mm • 1.0 m = 0.001 km • 1.0 m = 100 cm

Conversion • OMG HOW DID HE KNOW ALL OF THAT?!?

Conversion Kilo Hecto Deka UNIT Deci Centi Milli

Conversion • How many milligrams are in 1 gram? • 1 gram = 1.0 g Kilo Hect Deka UNIT GRAM Deci Centi Milli o • To go from Gram (UNIT) to mg how many times do we have to move the decimal point?

Conversion Kilo Hect Deka UNIT GRAM Deci Centi Milli o

• Move the decimal point 3 times to the right! • So, 1.0 g = 1000.0 mg!

Conversion • How many dekaliters are in 2.3 liters? Kilo Hect Deka UNIT Liter Deci Centi Milli o

• To go from Liter (UNIT) to DL how many times do we have to move the decimal point?

Conversion Kilo Hect Deka UNIT Liter Deci Centi Milli o

• Move the decimal point 1 time to the left! • So, 2.3 L = 0.23 DL!

Conversion • How many millimeters are in 8.79 kilometers? Kilo Hect Deka UNIT Meter Deci Centi Milli o • To go from km to mm how many times do we have to move the decimal point?

Conversion Kilo Hect Deka UNIT Meter Deci Centi Milli o

• Move the decimal point 6 times to the right! • So, 8.79 km = 8790000.0 mm!

Practice • Work BY YOURSELF to complete Metric Mania Conversion Practice sheet. • WORK QUIETLY. • When you are finished DO NOT TALK. You can work on other assignments, BUT DO NOT TALK

• Try these conversions, using the ladder method. g • 1000 mg = _______ 1.0 • 1 L = _______ 1000.0 mL • 160 cm = _______ mm 1600.0 • 14 km = _______ m 14000.0 • 109 g = _______ kg 0.109 • 250 m = _______ km 0.250

• Compare using <, >, or =.

<

• 56 cm

6m

• 7 g 698 mg

>

Skills to develop • Aim: How do we use a ruler in science class? • Do now: –In your notebook convert: • 8.3 L into DL • 770 mm into m

Do now • 8.3 L converted to DL – King Henry Died Upon Drinking Chocolate Milk – Kilo Hecto Deka Unit Deci Centi Milli

• Move the decimal point 1 time to the left. – 8.3 L = 0.83 DL

Do now • Convert 770 mm into m • 770 mm = 770.0 mm • Move the decimal point 3 times to the left • 770.0 mm = 0.770 m

Rulers • A ruler is a tool used to measure distance or length. • Rulers are used very often in science and you must know how to use a ruler in order to succeed on the regents exam!

Rulers • The rulers we will use in class will have numbers on both sides. • One side will be labeled “INCHES” • One side will be labeled “CM”

Rulers • What side of the ruler will we ALWAYS use in science? – THE SIDE THAT SAYS “CM”!

• What does “cm” stand for?

Using a ruler • How long is this object?

Using a ruler • What do we have to do first?

Using a ruler • We have to use the metric side!

Using a ruler • Then, we must move the ruler so it is next to our object

Using a ruler • Then, we must move the ruler so it is next to our object

• This object is 16.5 cm long!

Using a ruler

Using a ruler • Measure the dog’s length from head to tail • 11.5 cm!

Independent practice • Working ALONE answer the questions on the handout. • RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION!

How do we do this one?

How do we do this one? • The cow goes from 3.4 cm to 8.8 cm on our ruler.

How do we do this one?

8.8 cm - 3.4 cm 5.4 cm

Graphing • Throughout your science career you will be expected to read and interpret many different graphs. • This skill is important outside of science as well. – Where do you see graphs in your every day life?

Graphing and Variables • Most of the graphs you will see plot 2 different variables – Independent variable – Dependent variable

• What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?

Graphing and Variables • Independent variable – The variable that can be changed by the experimenter

• Dependent variable – The variable that is effected by the independent variable

Graphing and Variables • If a scientist is trying to figure out how the amount of light plants are exposed to effects their growth then: • The INDEPENDENT variable is the amount of light. – The scientist can change this one…

• The DEPENDENT variable is the amount of growth – An experimenter cannot change this variable

Graphing and Variables INDEPENDENT

DEPENDENT

Graphing and Variables • On a graph the dependent variable is plotted on the Y (vertical) axis • On a graph the independent variable is plotted on the X (horizontal) axis Y A X I S X AXIS

Types of Graphs You Will Use

• Bar graphs • Line graphs

Types of Graphs You Will Use • Bar graphs (histograms) – a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. Bar graphs are used for comparing TWO OR MORE VALUES. The bars can be horizontally or vertically oriented.

Types of Graphs You Will Use • Line graphs – These are some of the most COMMONLY USED graphs in science. Line graphs compare two variables. Each variable is plotted along an axis. A line graph has a vertical axis (y – axis) and a horizontal axis (x – axis). So, for example, if you wanted to graph the height of a ball after you have thrown it, you could put time along the X-AXIS, and height along the Y-AXIS.

Making a Graph # of days Students’ students grades come to class

• How would I graph this following data set?

0–5 6 – 10 • Which column is the 11 – 15 INDEPENDENT 16 – 20 VARIABLE? 21 – 25 26 – 30 31 – 35 36 – 40

0 10 20 30 55 65 70 83

Making a Graph # of days Students’ students grades come to class

• How would I graph this following data set?

0–5 6 – 10 • Which column is the 11 – 15 DEPENDENT 16 – 20 VARIABLE? 21 – 25 26 – 30 31 – 35 36 – 40

0 10 20 30 55 65 70 83

Making a graph attendance and grades 90 80 70 60 50

) (% e d ra G

D E P E N D E N T

40 30 20 10 0 0.0-5.0

6.010.0

11.015.0

16.020.0

21.025.0

26.030.0

31.035.0

36.040.0

# of days students come to class ON TIME

INDEPENDENT

Making a graph What can we guess about students who come to class 40 – 50 days a semester?

attendance and grades 90 80

Grade (%)

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0.0-5.0

6.010.0

11.015.0

16.020.0

21.025.0

26.030.0

31.035.0

# of days students come to class ON TIME

36.040.0

attendance and grades 100 90 80

Grade (%)

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0.05.0

6.010.0

11.015.0

16.020.0

21.025.0

26.030.0

31.035.0

36.040.0

41.045.0

# of days students come to class ON TIME

We can predict (hypothesize, infer) that the grades will keep going up. That’s the beauty of line graphs!

46.050.0

Graphing practice • On the sheet provided create a line graph for the following data

Amount of Growth of light (%) Plant (cm) 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

2.5 3.8 5.5 6 7.5 6 3

Graphing practice 8

H

6

E

4

I

2

G

0 0

20

40

H T (cm) Percentage of light

60

80

Observations vs. Inferences “You can observe a lot just by watching.” -Yogi Berra

Observations • An observation is the gathering of information by using our five senses:  Sight  Smell  Hearing  Taste  Touch

• There are two types of observations  Qualitative  Quantitative

Qualitative Observations • Qualitative observations describe what we observe. • “Qualitative” = quality (descriptive) • These observations use adjectives to describe something. • Example: The flower has white petals. • Example: Mr. Lapsley has blue eyes.

Quantitative Observations • Quantitative observations measure what we observe. • “Quantitative” = quantity (numerical) • These observations use numbers to measure something in a quantitative way. • Example: The flower has seven petals. • Example: Mr. Lapsley has two eyes.

Which is better? • Both types of observations are valuable in science. In an experiment though, quantitative observations can be precisely and objectively compared. Qualitative: The road is long. (describes) Quantitative: The road is 5 km long. (measures) • Some things are easier to quantify than others. Scientists use innovative ways of turning qualitative into quantitative.

Which is better? • For example, someone might say that a dead fish is smelly. • It is hard to know just how smelly the fish is though. • To make this quantitative, the scientist could ask the person to rate the “smelliness” on a scale of 1-5. • This would then allow you to compare how smelly the fish is!

Inferences • Inferences are an explanation for an observation you have made. • They are based on your past experiences and prior knowledge. • Inferences are often changed when new observations are made. • Again, observations are information we gather directly through our five senses….inferences help explain those observations!

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.

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.

Last one! • Observation: A student is sitting in the deans’ office. • Possible inferences:

? Why might a student be sitting there?

Candle • In your notebook:  Write as many observations you can make about the object Mr. Lapsley will be showing you  Make 3 observations about the object  Make 3 inferences about the object

Observation • 5 senses  SIGHT  TOUCH  HEAR  SMELL

• What sense are we missing?  Taste