What is
Science
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Introduction
Before we dive into science, we need to think
about what makes something scientific. This song provides an introduction to
the scientific method. Students will
learn about making observations, asking questions, forming hypotheses, running
experiments, drawing conclusions and sharing results.
Vocabulary
1.
conclusion
noun
a judgment that you
form after considering all the evidence.
After
carefully analyzing all the evidence, the judge came to a conclusion about what happened.
Synonyms judgment
2.
data
noun
facts or information
that can be used to analyze, discuss or calculate something.
They organized all
the data they collected from studying the
rainforest into a series of graphs and charts.
3.
experiment
noun
a test or procedure
done for the purpose of learning or proving something.
Scientists performed
an experiment to study the effects of daily exercise
on dogs.
4.
hypothesis
noun
an idea or theory that
is based on some evidence but has not yet been proven.
Scientists have a
new hypothesis about how sugar affects behavior. They
are testing it in a lab to see if their prediction is correct.
5.
measure
verb
to find the size or
weight of something.
I want to know for sure if
my brother's room is bigger than mine, so I will measure both
rooms today.
6.
method
noun
a way of doing
something.
Sally
has his own particular method for studying for an
exam, which includes putting flashcards on his forehead.
7.
observation
noun
the act of paying
close attention to someone or something in order to learn.
The astronomer looked at
the stars through the telescope and made an observation about their positions.
8.
science
noun
the study of the
natural world through observations and experiments.
What we understand about
our natural world is thanks to the careful methods of science.
9.
scientist
noun
a person who studies
or is trained in one or more sciences.
The scientist is still testing his theory about chemical
reactions.
10.
test
verb
to examine something
to get information.
The
doctor tested Selina's ears to see if she needed a
hearing aid.
What is Science?
Science is a huge field of
study. It deals with the search for knowledge about the universe and
all that is in it. People who work in science are called scientists.
Scientific Method
Scientists believe there is a natural explanation
for most things. For any problem they see, they try to understand the cause so
they can come up with a solution. By learning what causes a
disease, for example, scientists can work to control its spread.
The process that scientists use to solve
problems is called the scientific method.
Scientists start by finding out as much as possible about a problem.
Then they make a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an attempt to explain
the problem. They test the hypothesis with an experiment. If the
experiment does not support the hypothesis, the scientists think about the
problem again and develop a new hypothesis. They then test that hypothesis with
a new experiment. If the experiment supports the hypothesis, other scientists
repeat the experiment to make sure that they get the same results. If they do get
the same results, the hypothesis will be accepted as true until it can be
proven false.
Scientists use the information they learn from
testing many hypotheses to develop scientific
theories. A theory is a much broader explanation than a hypothesis.
Scientists consider theories to be the best explanations for why some things
happen in the natural world. A theory may later need to be changed if
scientists discover new information about the subject.
