Grade 7 Science Pictionary
Dictionary
Ms. Wolfe/Mr. Skinner/Ms. Casey/Mr. Hayes
Looking at the world like a Scientist.
An Observation is an activity conducted by a
living organism (such as a human), that
involves receiving knowledge from the outside
world through the 5 senses (Touch, taste,
Hearing, Smell and Sight).
Example 1: Billy could see that his experiment
was not producing any bubbles.
Example 2: Lisa touched the toad and could
feel its bumpy skin .
Example 3: Jack could hear the ringing bell in
the hallway. He knew that something was
going on.
Inference: using your observations to make a
guess about an object or an outcome
THIS CAN BE A SCIENTIFIC OPINION
Example 1: Jill saw that her favorite shirt now
had little nibbles in the fabric. She inferred that
her hamster had gotten out of the cage.
Example 2: Dockeem could smell burning
tomato sauce; he inferred that his brother was
cooking dinner tonight.
Example 3: Sarah knew she hadn’t studied
enough and when she didn’t know the answers
she inferred that she would get a bad grade.
The Scientific Method – Steps used
to answer your questions.
Experiment: In science it is the act of
conducting a controlled test or investigation.
Experiments are also used to test hypotheses.
Variable: a part of an experiment that can
change.
Example 1: We are experimenting with the
new drug in order to fight this disease"
Example 1: Cindy found that if she turned the
volume up, it created a louder sound. The
variables were the volume and the sound.
Example 2: Billy wanted to create an
experiment to see if his hypothesis, that
placing mentos candy into a bottle of coke
would cause an explosion, was correct.
Example 3: Stephen’s experiment proved that
when you combine red and blue spray-paint it
creates the color purple.
Example 2: Jackie found that her weekly pay was
directly related to how many hotdogs she sold. The
variables were the amount of hotdogs she sold and
her pay because they both changed.
Example 3: Deshawn found that the more he
studied, the better he did on his test. The Variables
were the amount of study time and his grades.
Testing your observations.
Independent Variable – Something YOU
change in the experiment.
Dependant Variable – Something that
happens because of your change.
Example 1: The coyote thought that if he oiled the
trap, it would close better. (Adding oil is the
independent variable)
Example 1: Kayla exposed the plants in group B to
twice as much sunlight because she believed they
would grow twice as tall. (Dependant Variable = Height
of plants after the experiment)
Example 2: Mr. Skinner decided to see if opening
more windows in the classroom would keep more
people awake. (Independent Variable = opening
the window.)
Example 2: Mr. Skinner decided to see if opening more
windows in the classroom would keep more people
awake. (Dependant Variable = The amount of people
staying awake)
Example 3: Richard threw a ball of paper across
the room and received a detention. (Independent
Variable = throwing the paper.)
Example 3: Richard threw a ball of paper across the
room and received a detention. (Dependent Variable =
the detention.)
Testing your observations.
Control (or control group) –a part of an
experiment that is kept the same.
Example 1: Kayla exposed the plants in group B to
twice as much sunlight because she believed they
would grow twice as tall. Nothing was changed for
group A because it was the control group.
Example 2: Mr. Skinner decided to see if sugar helped
kids complete more work. He divided the class in half,
and gave chocolate bars to the kids on the left side of
the room. The kids on the right side were given
nothing so that they could serve as the control within
the experiment.
Theory – A hypothesis that has withstood
(been proven correct repeatedly) extensive
testing by a variety of methods. A theory is
NEVER a fact, but instead is an attempt to
explain one or more facts.
Example 1: The theory of evolution, which suggests
that the genetic material (blue prints) of a species
changes from one generation to the next; has been
proven repeatedly by laboratory experiments as well as
by fossil evidence collected by scientists.
Example 2: Most scientists believe that the moon was
created when our planet collided with another planet
billions of years ago. There is now enough evidence
gathered from both the Earth and the moon to make
this a theory instead of just a proven hypothesis.
The Scientific Method
STEP 1: THE QUESTION
STEP 2: OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH
The scientist identifies the question or subject
that he/she wishes to study
The scientist researches the subject that he/she is
studying.
OR
The scientist makes detailed observations of what
he/she is studying.
Example 1: Imani wondered whether sharks
stayed together in schools like other fish.
Example 2: Lisa thought that she might have more
energy if she ate better foods.
Example 3: Simon noticed that students who
always behaved received less of the teachers time
than students who consistently acted out.
Example 1: Imani went to her school Library to
research sharks using an encyclopedia.
Example 2: Imani then watched a documentary on
YouTube about sharks.
Example 3: Finally, Imani went to the aquarium to
observe how sharks interact with each other.
The Scientific Method
STEP 3: CREATE A HYPOTHESIS
STEP 4: DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT
A hypothesis is the scientist’s educated guess about
what will happen in the experiment.
It usually has the words “If... Then” or “Believe and
because”.
Scientists develop a way to test their hypothesis and
record their data.
Example 1: John hypothesized that IF he ate too much,
THEN he would get sick because he observed his brother
getting sick after he ate too much last thanksgiving.
Example 2: Lisa stated her hypothesis, “IF I run 2 miles
every day, THEN I will lose weight BECAUSE research says
running can help burn additional calories.”
Example 3: Mikey thought, “IF I sleep 10 hours a night
THEN I will get better grades BECAUSE I will not be tired.”
Example 1: Billy decided that he would create an
experiment to prove that eating extra calories made
you gain weight. To do this he created two groups.
Group 1 would eat 500 additional calories each day.
Group 2 would be the control during the two weeks of
the experiment and eat what they normally would.
Example 2: Shaniqua decided that in order for her to
test her hypothesis about the amount of sleep a person
has each night, and its effect on grades, she would
need to create an experiment that recorded how much
her classmates slept..
The Scientific Method
STEP 5: ANALYZE THE DATA
STEP 6: DRAW CONCLUSIONS
Scientists study and then compile data into charts and
graphs. This helps make sense of the information taken
from the experiment.
Scientist decides whether the original hypothesis was
correct.
If the answer is “YES” then you are done
If the answer is “NO” then a new hypothesis is
made and you repeat the experiment
Example 1: When he analyzed the data, Billy found
that those in Group 1 had on average gained more
weight than those in Group 2. He decided to graph his
results.
Example 2: Desiree analyzed the data she had
collected and found that the amount of sleep didn’t
seem to have a major effect on student grades. She
still graphed her results to prove that her hypothesis
was not correct.
Example 1: Billy concluded that his experiment was a
success because he had proven that his hypothesis was
correct. Students who consume 500 additional calories
each day will gain weight.
Example 2: Shaniqua concluded that her hypothesis was
incorrect and decided that she would have to create a new
hypothesis to explain failing grades in her class.
Science Process Skills
Measurement: Numbers plus units, such as
Procedures: A particular method for performing a
5 cm. A Measurement must always have both
a number and a unit.
task; A series of small tasks or step taken to
accomplish an end.
Example 1: My hand is 20 cm long.
NUMBER
UNIT
Example 2: Brandon realized that he weighed
125 lbs, which was equal to 57 kg.
NUMBER
UNIT
NUMBER
UNIT
Example 3: While driving in Canada Lisa
realized that she was speeding. Although she
was only driving 60 mph, this meant she was
driving 97 km/h, 7 kilometers over the speed
UNIT
limit.
NUMBER
Example 1: Here's an example using an ice cube
experiment.
1. Put two identical bowls on the counter.
2. Take two ice cubes out of the freezer and place one in
each bowl.
3. Break one of the ice cubes into smaller pieces that are
no larger than 1/4 the size of the whole ice cube.
4. Time how long it takes for all the ice to melt.
Example 2: Procedures for placing a specimen on the stage
of a microscope.
1. Lift Stage clips and place the slide on the stage.
2. Move the scanning (objective) lens into place.
3. Turn on the light and open the diaphragm.
Classifying Living Things
Biology:
The science of life and of living things. It
originates from the Greek word bios "life" and the
Greek word logia "study of."
Example 1: Aristotle was a great Biologist and he
passed his interest in Biology onto his most famous
student, Alexander the Great, who collected animals
and plants from all over the world.
Example 2: There is a biology lab for analyzing the
animal specimens.
Example 3: Students who study Biology in college
often have the opportunity to work in the field studying
living things all over the world.
Classification:
the act of distributing things into
classes or categories of the same type
Example 1: Gillian classified the animals into those
who eat meat (Carnivora) and those who eat plants
(Herbivora).
Example 2:Brittney classified her music into stuff she
used to listen to and stuff she currently listens to.
Example 3: Ashley classified her food into things that
go into the fridge, things that go into the cupboard and
things that go into the deep freeze.
Classifying Living Things
Environment:
Everything that surrounds what
you are studying.
Dichotomous Key:
A dichotomous key is a
method for determining the identity of something (like
the name of a butterfly, a plant, a lichen, or a rock) by
going through a series of choices that leads the user to
the correct name of the item. Dichotomous means
"divided in two parts".
Example 1: As the environment surrounding the
swamp became more polluted, the amphibians began
to die off.
Example 2: It was very hard for Lisa to finish the class
work with so much noise in her immediate
environment.
Example 3: An environment can be made up of Living
(Biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things. For example,
the environment that surrounds a frog might contain
water (abiotic) and trees (biotic).
Example 1: Mr. Hanselman showed us how to sort
minerals by using a Dichotomous key.
Example 2: In Mr. Skinner’s class we used a
Dichotomous key to classify jelly beans and find out
what flavors we were about to eat.
.
Classifying Living Things
Taxonomy:
A science and method of classifying
organisms based on physical and other similarities.
Taxonomists classify all organisms into a hierarchy,
and give them standardized Latin or Latinized names..
Asymmetry:
The organism has no symmetry.
Parts may spread in multiple directions and vary in
size. These are the simplest organism.
Example 1: The cactus seemed to stretch in many
different directions, it was definitely asymmetrical.
Example 1: In Science we used taxonomy to discuss
how humans were similar to killer whales and why both
species were part of class Mammalia.
Example 2: We also used to taxonomy to discover
why Reptiles and Amphibians have unique classes.
.
Example 2: The single celled amoeba was clearly
asymmetrical. To Billy, its shape reminded him of
when he had splattered paint on the floor.
Example 3: Lisa realized that most plants grew in an
asymmetrical fashion but most flowers were
symmetrical.
Classifying Living Things
Radial Symmetry:
Body parts are arranged
around a central point. A line may be drawn from one
side to the other and divide the organism equally.
Example 1: Jackie noticed that the organism appeared
to stretch its arms out like the spokes of a bicycle.
Thus, it was demonstrating radial symmetry.
Example 2: Aney realized he could cut the starfish
vertically or horizontally and he would still get two
identical halves. This was an example of radial
symmetry.
Bilateral Symmetry:
Bilateral Symmetry
An organism is divided into two mirror images. These
are the more complex Organisms
Example 1: Robert realized that the best example of
Bilateral symmetry was himself. Humans can are
symmetrical when cut vertically but not horizontally.
Example 2: Juan remembered hearing that, although
humans are considered bilaterally symmetrical, there
are very small differences between the right side of our
bodies and the left.
.
Classifying Living Things
Vertebrate:
animals having a bony or cartilaginous
skeleton with a segmented spinal column (separated
vertebrae) and a large brain enclosed within a skull.
Example 1: Our spines allow us to stand, walk and
rotate our torso’s. It is because we have spines that
humans are considered vertebrates.
Example 2:All mammals are vertebrates, but not all
vertebrates are mammals. Reptiles, birds, fish and
amphibians are also examples of vertebrates.
Example 3: Many vertebrates are also endothermic,
which means they make their own heat (warm
blooded).
Invertebrate:
An invertebrate is an animal without
a vertebral column (spine). The group includes 95% of
all animal species and represents both animals with no
skeleton (Jellyfish) and animals with exoskeletons
(insects).
Example 1: Insects are considered invertebrates
because their skeleton is on the outside of their bodies.
Jellyfish are considered invertebrates because they
have no skeleton at all.
Example 2: All living things on earth were originally
invertebrates and they existed for billions of years
before the first vertebrates arrived 560 million years
ago.
Classifying Living Things
Amphibians:
Reptiles:
Amphibians are…
• Reptiles are cold-
o
Cold blooded
o Moist skinned
o Lay jelly-covered creatures- they do
not have scales!
eggs
o Breath with their o Water or moist
environment
gills, lungs, or
lovers.
through their
skin
Example 1: Amphibians are known for their ability to
breath both in the water and on land. They use gills
while in the water and lungs for when they are out.
Example 2:Unlike the snake, Jack realized the
amphibian had moist skin.
Example 3: Lisa knew it was an amphibian because it
laid soft jelly-like eggs in the water.
blooded animals
• Reptiles do not eat
• Many Reptiles hatch as often as other
from eggs when born, mammals.
but others like snakes
are sometimes born • Dinosaurs that lived
long ago were
alive.
Reptiles.
• The Reptile’s skin is
usually dry and also • Many Reptiles when
Example 1: Reptiles lay hardthey
eggs grow
that help
protect
will
shedthe
scaly.
fetus from both drying out and physical danger.
their skin.
Example 2: Reptiles are covered in scales which serve
as interlocking armor plates that protects the reptile
from harm and keep the water out,
Example 3: Since Birds, Reptiles and Dinosaurs all laid
hard shelled eggs; scientists believe they have a
common ancestor.
Classifying Living Things
Birds:
• Birds are warm blooded animals.
• Birds have wings, and most have the ability to fly.
• Birds lay eggs that eventually hatch.
• Some birds will migrate south in the fall and migrate north
in the spring.
• There are different groups of birds:
Arctic
Tropical
Land
Water
Example 1: There is a theory that birds are
descended from dinosaurs because some Dinosaur
fossils have been found with feathers. Dinosaurs also
laid hard eggs like birds do today.
Example 2:Birds have hollow bones that help them
obtain flight by reducing the birds weight.
Fish:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fish are cold blooded animals.
Fish use their gills in order to breath.
Fish are covered in scales rather than skin.
Fish move around using their fins.
All fish must live in water, but not all things that
live in the water are fish.
There are fresh water fish, marine fish, aquarium
fish, and tropical fish.
Example 1: Fish are a very diverse group with some
species able to survive in salt water, others in fresh
streams and some in the deep darkness found 15,000
feet below sea level.
Example 2: Fish possess gills which allow them to filter
out the oxygen from the water. Like us, without oxygen
fish would not be able to survive,
Classifying Living Things
Insects:
• Insects are cold-blooded creatures.
• Insects have three main body parts: head, thorax, and the
abdomen.
• Their exterior is their skeleton; it is called an exoskeleton.
• Insects have antennas or feelers to help with finding food.
• Insects are the largest group in the animal kingdom.
• Insects can be both harmful and helpful for humans.
Example 1: Ladybugs are helpful insects that assist us
by eating insect herbivores that would graze on our
food crops.
Example 2: Leaf cutter ants are harmful to us due to
their ability to consume massive amounts of foliage. A
Leaf cutter colony can strip an orange tree in 24 hours.
Example 3: Insects account for 95% of Animal life on
this planet.
Mammals:
• Mammals are the most intelligent animals on Earth!
• Mammals are warm-blooded.
• Mammals have hair or fur to keep themselves warm.
• Some mammals include wild cats, dolphins, rodents,
apes, and HUMANS!
• Most baby mammals will drink from their mother.
•Mammals can either be carnivores, herbivores, and/or
omnivores.
Example 1: Mammals are phenomenally diverse with
some species living in the sky, deep in the ocean and
on land.
Example 2: Mammals are endothermic which means
they convert food into heat. This allows Mammals to
inhabit both the warmest as well as the coldest regions
on the planet.