What Is Science?
Table of Contents
Thinking Like a Scientist
Scientific Inquiry
Why Study Science?
Careers in Science
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Chimp Food
This graph shows the diet of
chimps at Gombe National Park
during May of one year.
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Chimp Food
Reading Graphs:
According to the graph, what
foods do chimps eat?
Fruit, seeds, leaves, meat,
insects, blossoms, and other
foods
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Chimp Food
Interpreting Data:
Did chimps feed more on
seeds or leaves during this
month?
Seeds
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Chimp Food
Calculating:
What percentage of the diet
did blossoms, seeds, leaves,
and fruit make up?
95%
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Chimp Food
Predicting:
Suppose you learn that
November is the main
termite-fishing season, when
chimps spend a large part of
their time eating termites.
Predict how the chimp diet
might change in November.
Insects will constitute a much
greater portion of the chimps
diet, with other food
diminishing proportionately.
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Making Models
Making models involves creating representations of complex
objects or processes. This model traces a chimp’s journey
through the forest.
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
Asking Questions
Before you read, preview the red headings. In a graphic
organizer like the one below, ask a what, how, or why
question for each heading. As you read, write answers to
your questions.
Question
Answer
What does observing involve?
Observing involves using one or more of your senses
to gather information.
What is inferring?
Inferring means to explain or interpret the things you
observe.
What does predicting mean?
Predicting means making a forecast of what will happen in
the future based on past experience or evidence.
What does making models involve?
Making models involves creating representations of
complex objects or processes.
What is classifying?
Classifying is the process of grouping together items
that are alike in some way.
What do scientific attitudes include?
Scientific attitudes include curiosity, honesty, openmindedness, skepticism, and creativity.
What Is Science? - Thinking Like a Scientist
More on Scientific Thinking
Click the PHSchool.com button for an activity about
scientific thinking.
What Is Science?
End of Section:
Thinking Like a
Scientist
What Is Science? - Scientific Inquiry
Collecting and Interpreting Data
A data table helps you organize
the information you collect in
an experiment. Graphing the
data may reveal any patterns in
your data.
What Is Science? - Scientific Inquiry
The Nature of Inquiry Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and
access Active Art about the nature of inquiry.
What Is Science? - Scientific Inquiry
Building Vocabulary
A definition states the meaning of a word or phrase by telling
about its most important feature or function. After you read
the section, reread the paragraphs that contain definitions of
Key Terms. Use all the information you have learned to write
a definition of each Key Term in your own words.
Key Terms:
communicating
responding
variable
scientific inquiry
controlled experiment
hypothesis
scientific
theory
operational definition
scientific law
variable
data
manipulated variable
Examples:
Communicating
The
responding
isisthe
sharing
is thethat
ofvariable
ideas
and
thatthe
changes
Scientific
inquiryvariable
a process
includes
in
experimental
response
tofindings
changes
with
in the
others
manipulated
through
variable.
and
different
ways
that
scientists
find
out
aboutwriting
the natural
speaking.
A
controlled experiment is an experiment in which
world.
only
one variable
is manipulated.
A scientific
hypothesis
theory
is one
ispossible
a well-tested
answer
explanation
to a scientific
for a
question.
wide
range of observations
An
operational
definition isoraexperimental
description ofresults.
how to
measure
variable
define
a term.
A scientific
variablea is
law
something
is aorstatement
that can
that
change
describes
in an what
Data are the
facts,
other
experiment.
scientists
expect
to figures,
happenand
every
timeevidence
under a that a
scientist
collects
through is
observing.
particular
set of variable
conditions.
A manipulated
the variable that is
changed on purpose during an experiment.
What Is Science?
End of Section:
Scientific Inquiry
What Is Science? - Why Study Science?
Identifying Main Ideas
As you read about the importance of studying science, write
the main idea in a graphic organizer like the one below. Then
write four supporting details that give examples of the main
idea.
Main Idea
Understanding science can help you…
Detail
Detail
Detail
Detail
figure out how
things work
evaluate claims
in
advertisements
weigh the pros
and cons of
public issues
answer
questions
about the best
use of Earth’s
resources
What Is Science? - Why Study Science?
Links on Scientific Literacy
Click the SciLinks button for links on scientific literacy.
What Is Science?
End of Section:
Why Study
Science?
What Is Science? - Careers in Science
Using Prior Knowledge
Then write what you know about scientists in a graphic
organizer like the one below. As you read, write what you
learn.
What You Know
1.
2.
3.
There are different fields of science.
Scientists work together.
Knowledge of science is used in nonscience careers.
What You Learned
1.
2.
3.
The three main branches of science are Earth and space science, life
science, and physical science.
Most scientific questions being investigated today span the different
fields of science, including questions related to exploring beyond Earth
and developing new sources of energy.
In many nonscience careers, a knowledge of science is essential in
order to perform the job.
What Is Science? - Careers in Science
Links on Branches of Science
Click the SciLinks button for links on branches of science.
What Is Science?
End of Section:
Careers in
Science
What Is Science?
Graphic Organizer
Main Idea
Scientists use many different skills to learn more about the world.
Detail
Detail
Detail
Detail
Detail
Observing
Inferring
Predicting
Classifying
Making
models
What Is Science?
End of Section:
Graphic Organizer