Science notes, unit 1

Scientific skills

Textbook Science Year 2 (DLP), pages 1–16

What this chapter covers

You can observe things using your five senses (1.1.1)
You can sort things into groups by how they are the same and different (1.1.2)
You can measure with the right tool and write the number and unit (1.1.3)
You can share information in a table, picture, chart, graph or model (1.1.4)
You can use, handle, sketch, clean and store science apparatus and specimens correctly (1.2)

Scientists find out about the world with scientific skills. In Year 2 you learn four science process skills (thinking skills) and some manipulative skills (hand skills).

1.1Science process skills

Observing

Observing means using our senses to find out about things around us.

Sense	Body part	Example
Sight	Eyes	We see the dough rise.
Hearing	Ears	We hear the oven timer.
Smell	Nose	The bread smells nice.
Taste	Tongue	The bread tastes good.
Touch	Skin	The bread is soft and fluffy.

Nisa and her brother smell, hear, taste and touch the bread that their mother baked — Nisa and her brother use their senses when mother bakes bread.

Do not touch a hot oven. Never taste or smell things in the Science Room unless your teacher says it is safe.

Which sense do you use to hear a bell?

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Hearing, with our ears.

Classifying

Classifying means putting things into groups. We look at how they are the same (similar) and how they are different.

A duck, a tiger, a penguin, a tapir, an eagle and a goat — Look at these six animals. What is the same? What is different?

Duck, eagle and penguin in one group; goat, tapir and tiger in another group — Group 1 has wings. Group 2 has no wings.

Same: the duck, penguin and eagle all have wings.
Different: the goat, tapir and tiger have no wings.

Did you know? You can sort the same animals in another way. Try sorting them by number of legs.

A cat and a rabbit both have fur. Is "fur" a similarity or a difference?

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A similarity. Both animals have it.

Measuring and using numbers

Measuring means using the right tool and writing a number with a unit.

We measure	Tool	Unit
Length or height	Ruler, measuring tape	centimetre (cm)
Body weight	Weighing scale	kilogram (kg)

A weighing scale dial with the red pointer at 35 — The pointer is at 35. The body weight is 35 kg.

A crayon from 0 cm to 6 cm on a ruler — The crayon starts at 0 and ends at 6. It is 6 cm long.

Write the unit too. "6" is not enough. Write 6 cm.

Which tool do you use to find your body weight?

Show answerHide answer

A weighing scale. The unit is kg.

Communicating

Communicating means sharing what we find out. We can write it, say it, or show it in a picture, chart, graph or model.

A picture of a fish, an organisation chart, a bar graph and a model of a lion — Ways to share information: picture, chart, graph and model.

A table helps us find answers fast. A bar graph is easy to read: the taller the bar, the bigger the number.

Example: duty roster

A duty roster is a table that shows who does each job on each day. We can read it to find out who sweeps on Monday.

1.2Manipulative skills

Manipulative skills are the ways we use and handle science apparatus and things correctly with our hands.

Use apparatus and substances correctly, such as pouring a liquid.
Handle specimens with care, such as a live snail.
Sketch specimens and apparatus, and label them.
Clean apparatus correctly.
Store apparatus safely in the right place.

A boy pours green liquid into a measuring cylinder; a gloved hand holds a garden snail, puts it in a tray and releases it — Pouring a liquid, and handling a live garden snail.

Use a magnifying glass to see small parts.
Wear gloves and be gentle with a live specimen.
Release the snail back to its home after the activity.
Wash your hands and the apparatus after the activity.

A hibiscus flower and a beaker are sketched, then the parts petals, hibiscus, beaker and water are labelled — Sketch what you see. Then label the parts.

A test tube is rinsed, scrubbed in the sink and put on a rack — Wash the test tube, then put it on a rack.

A pupil puts a beaker on a labelled shelf and magnifying glasses in a drawer — Store apparatus where it belongs.

Pictures: Science Year 2 (DLP) textbook, pp. 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13. The crayon ruler is drawn for this site.

Summary

Skill	What we do	Example
Observing	Use our senses	The bread smells nice.
Classifying	Group by same and different	With wings, without wings
Measuring	Use a tool, number and unit	Weight 35 kg
Communicating	Share information	Table, chart, graph
Manipulative skills	Use, handle, sketch, clean, store	Wash a test tube