STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY

SCIENCE :: 2004 :: GLOSSARY

GLOSSARY

tendency to respond positively or negatively to an idea, object, or person; influences ability to succeed in science; attitude towards science is influenced by how science is experienced

the sorting or ordering of objects according to their properties or similarities and differences; based on observational relationships that exist between objects or events

the study of how learning takes place

the transmission of observable data; examples include spoken or written words, graphs, drawings, diagrams, maps, mathematical equations; skills such as asking questions, discussing, explaining, reporting, and outlining can aid in the development of communication skills

includes the body of scientific knowledge that students draw upon when conducting a scientific investigation or engaging in scientific reasoning; involves a variety of information, including events from science instruction and experiences with the natural environment; scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories that scientists use to explain and predict observations about the world

managing the conditions or factors in an experiment necessary for the results of experimentation to be reliable

what students should understand and/or be able to do

stating definitions in working terms

change over time; may refer to biological changes, geological changes; and/or technological changes

testing a hypothesis under controlled conditions; basic to the total scientific process; uses all process skills

forming a generalization / question based on observations; involves asking questions, making inferences and predictions; must be testable/tested to establish credibility

using logic to draw conclusions from observations; suggests explanations, reasons, and/or causes for events; based on judgments; and may not always be valid

a set of interrelated processes by which students and scientists pose questions about the natural world and investigate phenomena; a critical component of a science program at all grade levels and in every domain of science; allows students to learn science in a way that reflects how science actually works (NSES, p. 214)

methods used to structure learning opportunities to teach concepts

integrated process skill; involves making predictions, inferences, and hypotheses from a set of data; revision of interpretations may be necessary when additional data are obtained

Conducting a search or examination of evidence so as to understand a concept; inquire into systematically

ordering of things by magnitude, such as area, length, volume, mass; processes to quantify observations; involves the use of instruments and the skills needed to use them effectively

useful way of describing and explaining interrelationships of ideas; can be mental, physical, and/or verbal representation of an idea; represent what we know about an idea or concept; under constant change as new data are obtained

incorporates the historical development of science, habits of mind that characterize science, and methods of inquiry and problem solving

encompasses the issues of design, application of science to real-world problems, and trade-offs or compromises that need to be considered for technological solutions

using one or more of the senses in perceiving properties or similarities and differences in objects and events; can be made directly with the senses or indirectly through the use of simple or complex instruments; influenced by the previous experience of the observer

probing students' ability to use and apply science understanding in new, real world applications

suggesting what will occur in the future; based on observations, measurements, and inferences about relationships between or among observed variables; speculation of what will happen based on past experiences; accuracy of a prediction is affected by the accuracy of the observation; conjecture about how a particular system will behave, followed by observations to determine if the system did behave as expected within a specified range of situations

probes students' ability to use the tools of science, including both cognitive and laboratory tools; students acquire new information, plan appropriate tests, use a variety of scientific tools, and communicate the results of the investigations

criteria used to judge quality

complete, predictable cycles, structures, or processes occurring in natural phenomena; may also be an artificial construction created to represent or explain a natural occurrence; system boundaries and interrelationships of subsystems exist; input to and outputs from.

abilities that include identifying appropriate problems, designing a solution or product, implementing a proposed design, evaluating completed solutions or products, communicating the process of design.

big ideas of science that transcend various scientific disciplines

an always tentative explanation of phenomena that we observe; never proven; representative of the most logical explanation based on currently available evidence; becomes stronger as more supporting evidence is gathered; provides a context for predictions.

quantifying variables, measurements, and/or comparisons; needed to manipulate measurements and to order and classify objects.

describing the spatial relationships of objects and their change with time; examples are motion, direction, spatial arrangement, symmetry, and shape.