Science notes, unit 1

Scientific skills

Textbook Science Year 1 (DLP), pages 1–10

What this chapter covers

You can observe things using your five senses (1.1.1)
You can tell others what you find out by speaking, drawing and writing (1.1.2)
You can make a model from simple materials (1.1.2)
You can use and handle science apparatus and specimens with care (1.2.1, 1.2.2)
You can sketch, clean and store science apparatus correctly (1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.5)

Scientists find out about the world with scientific skills. In Year 1 you learn two groups: science process skills (thinking skills) and manipulative skills (hand skills).

1.1Science process skills

Observing

Observing means using our senses to find out about things.

Sense	Body part	Example
Sight	Eyes	We see a green leaf.
Hearing	Ears	We hear the clock go tik, tik, tik.
Smell	Nose	We smell a rose.
Taste	Tongue	We taste a sweet.
Touch	Skin	Ice feels cold.

Five pupils use touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing — The five senses: touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing.

Five musical instruments labelled A to E — Close your eyes and listen. Which instrument is played? You use your sense of hearing.

Do not play a musical instrument close to a friend's ear. It is too loud.

Which sense do you use to smell a flower?

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The sense of smell, with our nose.

Communicating

Communicating means telling other people what we find out.

We can communicate in three ways: oral (say it), sketch (draw it) and writing (write it).

Alia tells her friend about a ladybird by speaking, by drawing a sketch and by writing — Alia tells her friend about a ladybird: oral, sketch and writing.

Example: the ladybird

Oral: "A ladybird is red with black spots."
Sketch: draw a red ladybird with black spots.
Writing: write a sentence about the ladybird.

Creating a model

We can also share an idea by making a model. A model looks like the real thing.

A cauliflower and grapes are joined with toothpicks to make a sheep model — A sheep model made from a cauliflower, grapes and toothpicks.

Name two ways to communicate.

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Any two: oral, sketch, writing.

1.2Manipulative skills

Manipulative skills are the ways we use our hands to handle science things correctly.

Use apparatus and science materials correctly.
Handle a specimen with care. A specimen is a thing we test or study.
Sketch a specimen or apparatus.
Clean apparatus after use.
Store apparatus safely in the right place.

A boy uses a magnifying glass to look at a small leaf — Using a magnifying glass to look closely.

A potted plant for handling a specimen and a leaf being sketched on paper — Handle a plant gently. Sketch a leaf.

A leaf is put in the dustbin and a glass dish is washed in a sink — Clean apparatus: put waste in the dustbin and wash the dish.

A pupil puts a tray of apparatus into a drawer — Store apparatus where it belongs.

A cutter cuts a red onion in two and a magnifying glass shows the onion — Cut the onion in two. Look at it with a magnifying glass. Sketch it. Then clean and store the apparatus.

Be careful with a cutter. Your teacher must watch you.

We clean and store apparatus so that it is safe and ready to use again.

After the onion activity, what should we do with the apparatus?

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Clean it and store it in the right place.

Pictures: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, pp. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Summary

Skill	What we do	Example
Observing	Use our senses	Hear a clock
Communicating	Oral, sketch, writing, model	Draw a ladybird
Manipulative skills	Use, handle, sketch, clean, store	Store magnifying glasses in a drawer