Strategies in

Acquisition of

Science Process Skills

Yu Neng Pri Sch

14 March 2015

The concept

is not

present in

the answer.

The

answer is

not to the

point.

The answer is not structured well.

This is a result of your

children understanding a

concept or topic but being

unable to express

themselves to attain the

marks they deserve.

My answer was

right yet no mark

was awarded?

mark

again!

The focus of learning science is not on giving standard answers or keywords but on developing students ability to inquire, understand and explain scientific phenomenon.

Students responses that show evidence of understanding of relevant concepts and

mastery of skills would be carefully evaluated

and awarded due credit.

Answers that deviate from the marking scheme but demonstrate the right understanding would

be accepted.

YU NENG PRIMARY SCHOOL

SCIENCE TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

Semestral One 2014 - Resilience 6

Relativ

e

Weight

ing in

(marks

) %

SECTION A : MULTIPLE CHOICE SECTION B : OPEN ENDED

TOPICS Total

no. of

Qns

Knowledge

with

Understan

ding

Appln. Of

Knowledge Total

no. of

Qns

Knowledge with

Understanding Appln. Of Knowledge.

No.

of

Qns

Qn

No.

No.

of

Qns

Qn

No.

P.S.

Type

No.

of

Qns

Qn No. Marks

No.

of

Qns

Qn

No. Marks

P.S.

Type

THEME -

Energy

Light 5 1 0 1 Q20 A/An 0 0 0 1 Qn 37 3

Heat &

Temperature

5 1 0 1 Q21R Com/I 1 0 0 1

Q38 3 Com/G

Energy

Forms and

Uses

5 1 0 1 Q22 An/I 1 0 0 1 Q39 3 Com/G

E

Energy and

Photosynthe

sis

5 1 0 1 Q23 Com/I 1 0 0 1 4Q0 2 An

Workshop Outline

1) Strategies in answering Process Skill(PS)

questions

Knowing the different process skills (15mins)

Identifying terms used in Science Open-

ended questions (15mins)

Answering Process Skill Qns using RIP (30 mins)

2) Developing a passion for Science learning (30 mins)

Environment Web of Life Adaptation Mans Impact on the Environment

12 qns K/U

18 qns PS

16m K/U

24m PS

understanding 40%

60%

With understanding

understanding

Themes Skills

Diversity

Cycles

Systems Interactions

Energy

1) Observing

2) Comparing

3) Classifying

4) Using apparatus 5) Communicating

6) Analysing

7) Generating

8) Evaluating 9) Inferring

10) Generating Possibilities

Basic

Process

Skills

9) Creative Problem Solving 10) Decision-making

11) Investigation

Integrated Processes

Summary of

Process Skills

Science

Process

Skills

Observing

This is the skill of using our senses to gather information

about objects or events. This also includes the use of

instruments to extend the range of our senses.

Comparing

This is the skill of identifying the similarities and

differences between two or more objects, concepts

or processes.

Classifying

This is the skill of grouping objects or events based on

common characteristics.

Process Skills

Observing / Comparing

Study the two plants shown below.

Based on the above diagrams, write a similarity and a

difference between the two plants. (Do not mention their colours, sizes and shapes.) [2m] a) Similarity :

b) Difference:

Both of them are flowering plants. (1m)

Both have leaves/ petals/ flowers / stems.

(No partial marks. Comparison must be shown to get 1m.)

The water lily grows in water but the sunflower

grows on land.

Sunflower Water Lily

Observing / Comparing

John set up an experiment to find out about the needs of living things.

Each mouse was given some water and food and placed in different

containers as shown below.

(a) Which mouse, A or B, would most likely stay alive after three days? [1m]

(b) Explain your answer in (a) [1m]

but mouse B does not have air.

Mouse A has air to stay alive

Mouse A

Classifying

The diagram below shows a glass tank with many different

things in it.

Six of the 7 items above have been classified in the table below.

Write suitable headings for X and Y. [1m]

b) In which group (X or Y) would you classify dried twigs? [1m]

Things

Y: _____________________ X:___________________

hamster

frog

plant

pebbles

soil

glass tank

Y

Living Things Non- Living Things

Communicating

This is the skill of transmitting and receiving

information presented in various forms - verbal,

pictorial, tabular or graphical.

Inferring

This is the skill of interpreting or explaining

observations or pieces of data or information.

Process Skills

Communicating & Inferring Ameer set-up the circuit tester

shown on the right. He placed different

materials in the gap marked A in the

circuit tester and recorded the brightness of the bulb in the table below. The term

lux is a unit used when measuring the brightness of an object: the higher the lux

value, the brighter the object.

Material

Brightness of Bulb (lux)

Reading 1 Reading 2 Reading 3

W 302 313 307

X 423 450 448

Y 328 336 324

Z 412 421 414

Which one of the above materials should Ameer choose to

make an electric wire in a circuit? Explain your answer. ( 2m )

A

X. The lux value of the bulb for Material X is the

highest (1/2m), indicating that the bulb was most

brightly lit with Material X. (1/2m)

Which one of the above materials should Ameer choose to make an electric wire in a circuit?

Explain your answer. (2m)

Communicating & Inferring

This shows that Material X allowed most electricity

to flow through it(1/2m), so Material X is the best

electrical conductor (1/2m), and hence most

suitable for making an electric wire in a circuit.

Predicting

This is the skill of assessing the likelihood of an outcome

based on prior knowledge of how things usually turn

out.

Analysing

This is the skill of identifying the parts of objects,

information or processes, and the patterns and

relationships between these parts.

Evaluating

This is the skill of assessing the reasonableness,

accuracy and quality of information, processes or

ideas. This is also the skill of assessing the quality and

feasibility of objects.

Process Skills

Predicting/Analysing

A mixture of ice and water was poured on the outer surface of

the round bottomed-flask.

Glass Delivery Tube

Ice and water Water level

Round-Bottomed

Flask

What will happen immediately to the water level in the delivery tube? Explain your answer. (2 m)

The flask loses heat when it comes into contact with the iced

water, causing the flask to contract, (1m) so the air in the flask

will be pushed into the glass delivery tube causing the water

level to fall or drop.(1m)

The water level will fall or drop.

Richard was trying to make a model of the water cycle to demonstrate

the formation of rain. He noticed that hardly any rain was formed under the watch glass or inside the beaker.

Watch glass

beaker

Ice cubes

Evaluating

Explain why Richards set-up did not work well. (2m)

The temperature at the bottom and the top of the watch glass

was the same as the surrounding. (1m) Therefore, water vapour

in the beaker would not lose heat and condense to allow rain to form. (1m)

Generating possibilities

This is the skill of exploring all the alternatives,

possibilities and choices beyond the obvious or

preferred one.

Using apparatus and equipment

This is the skill of knowing the functions and

limitations of various apparatus, and developing

the ability to select and handle them

appropriately for various tasks.

Process Skills

Generating possibilities/

Using apparatus & equipment

John was puzzled when his friends told him that plants give off

water vapour. He wanted to convince himself if it was true or not. He went to his garden and saw these things there.

Plastic bags Newspapers Strings A pot of balsam plant

a) Suggest what he could do to show that plants give off

water vapour.

He need not use all of the above things.

b) Explain your answer in (a).

a)John could wrap the leaves of the balsam plant with a plastic bag and tie it up using the string.

( Take note that he did not have to use the newspapers.)

b)The plant gives off water vapour (1/2m)

through tiny openings found on its leaves. The

water vapour condenses (1/2m) into water

droplets upon touching the cooler inner

surface of the plastic sheet. Therefore, he will

see tiny water droplets on the inner sides of

the plastic bag.

b) Explain your answer in (a).

RP3 Process Skills Package ( RIP )

Term Process Skills

Term 1 -

Term 2 Observation

Term 3 Comparing

Term 4 Classification

HP4 Process Skills Package ( RIP )

Term Process Skills

Term 1 Observation

Term 2 Comparing

Term 3 Classification

Term 4 Inferring

TW5 Process Skills Package ( RIP )

Term Process Skills

Term 1 Observation

Term 2 Comparing

Classification

Term 3 Inferring

Using Apparatus & Equipment

Term 4 Analysing

Communicating

RL6 Process Skills Package ( RIP )

Term Process Skills

Term 1 PS 1 Observation & Comparing

Term 1 PS 2 Classification

Term 2 PS 1 Using Apparatus &

Equipment

Term 2 PS 2 Inferring

Term 3 PS 1 Analysing

Term 3 PS 2 Communicating

Answering

Open-ended

Process Skill

questions

Words in the

questions that

indicate how they

should be answered

Some can be answered using only one word while

others may require several sentences.

It is important to know how much detail to give in your answer.

Writing more than is required wastes precious time

Writing too little causes you to lose precious marks.

There are words in the questions that indicate how they should be answered.

Answering OE questions

Terms used in questions

1. State Simply required to write down the

answer.

2. Describe To give relevant details about an object

or event. Not required to explain your

answer.

3. Explain To give reasons or make something

clear and simple to understand. It is not

enough to give only the key words as

the answer. Link the answer to at least one scientific concept.

State the conditions necessary for plants to carry out photosynthesis.

Carbon dioxide, water and light

State

Describe

The diagram below shows a strong magnet attached to each toy car, A and B.

S N N S

Car A Car B

Direction

Describe what happens to toy car B when toy car A is slowly moved towards it in the direction shown above.

Toy car B will move away from toy car A.

Two similar wet towels were hung out to dry in the sun. The diagram below shows how the towels were hung.

It has a larger exposed surface area, allowing the water in it to evaporate faster.

State which towel will dry faster. Explain why.

Explain

Towel B.

Answering Open-ended questions

Terms used in questions

4. What does this

experiment tell

you?

To interpret the results of the experiment

and state what the results mean. Do not

need to describe the results.

5. What is the

purpose of the

experiment?

To state the aim of the experiment. Do not

need to interpret the results or describe

them.

6. What would

happen?

To make logical prediction. No

explanations are required.

When object X is connected to the circuit, the bulb lights up.

Object X is a conductor of electricity.

What does this activity tell you about object X?

What does this

activity tell you

Jill poured equal amount of water at 850C into Glass A and Glass B. She wrapped Glass A with a cotton handkerchief and Glass B with a silk handkerchief. Both handkerchiefs were of the same size. After 15 minutes, Jill measured the temperature of the water in the glasses again.

The aim is to find out which material is a better insulator of heat.

What is the aim of her experiment?

What is the aim

A thick elastic band was stretched and attached to the wall at one end and a pole holding a basket of marbles at the other end.

The elastic band would stretch and become longer.

a) What would happen to the length of the elastic band if more marbles are added to the basket?

What would happen

A thick elastic band was stretched and attached to the wall at one end and a pole holding a basket of marbles at the other end.

Move the basket of marbles further away from the wall.

b) How can you make the elastic band stretch more without adding any more marbles to the basket?

How can you make

Dos and Donts

Weaknesses

in answers

Example 1 Roza and her classmates dug a hole in the school garden and set up an investigation to find out if it was possible to obtain fresh water from seawater. The diagram below shows their set-up.

After the set-up was left in the sun for a day, the pupils found some freshwater in the cup at night. Describe how water was obtained in the cup. [2m]

Describe

Answer 1

By evaporation and condensation. [0m]

Weakness : Answer is too general and vague. No description was given.

Answer 2

Water evaporates from seawater. [1/2m] The water vapour then condenses to form a liquid.

Weakness : Answer is not given in the context present in the question.

Answer 3

During the day, the heat causes water to evaporate from the seawater and changes it to water vapour. Water vapour is visible and does not have a definite shape. At night, when it is cooler, the water vapour condenses onto the plastic sheet as droplets of water. Water as a liquid can flow from a higher level to a lower level. The water droplets then run along the slope of the plastic sheet and drip into the cup.

Weakness : Answer is too long and includes unnecessary details.

Suggested answer

During the day, water gains heat from the Sun and evaporates [1/2m] and changes to water vapour.[1/2m] At night, when it is cooler, the water vapour loses heat and condenses on the cooler plastic sheet above.[1/2m] The water then drips from the plastic sheet into the cup.[1/2m]

Example 2 Mr Tan has a small aquarium with a few fish. Instead of an air pump, he places some water plants in the aquarium which was placed near an open window. How do the water plants help the fish in the aquarium? [1m]

Answer 1

For the fish to survive. [0m]

Weakness : Answer is too general and vague. No description was given.

Answer 2

The water plants produce oxygen. [1/2m]

Weakness : Answer is not given in the context present in the question.

Answer 3

When the water plants make food during photosynthesis using carbon dioxide and water, oxygen is produced for the fish to breathe.

Weakness : Answer includes unnecessary details.

Suggested answer

The water plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis [1/2m]which the fish in the aquarium need to breathe. [1/2m]

Key Concept : Living things need air to live.

Plants give off oxygen during photosynthesis.

Answering

challenging

questions

Require you to recall concepts learnt

Use multiple process skills and apply

the relevant concepts accordingly.

Step 1

R I P

Read the question

carefully and

highlight the

keywords.

(Reread if required)

Step 2

R I P

Identify the

1)Topic(T)

2)Sub Topic(ST)

3)Scientific Knowledge(SK)

4)Make an Inference(I) based on question and the scientific knowledge, if possible.

Step 3

R I P

Perform an analysis

To compose the answer by linking it to the concept tested and in the context present in the question.

David placed an inverted test-tube containing some water

and hydrilla inside a beaker of water as shown in the

diagram below.

After ten minutes, he counted the number of bubbles produced by

the water plants over 1 minute. He repeated the procedure 4 more

times, increasing the distance between the light source and the

beaker. He recorded his observations in the table shown below

Distance of light source from beaker (cm) Number of bubbles produced in 1 minute

30 60

40 50

50 40

60 30

70 20

The constants(C) are the

amount of carbon dioxide in

the water ,the water and the

hydrilla.

T: Energy and Photosynthesis

ST : Photosynthesis in Plants.

SK : Plants can make their

own food only in the presence

of light energy, carbon

dioxide and water.

I : The bubbles formed must

be oxygen

decreasin

g

Increasing

(a) Write down one observation David can make from the above experiment.[1m]

(b) Write down one conclusion David can make from the above experiment.[1m]

As the distance of the light source from the beaker

increases, the number of bubbles produced in 1

minute decreases.

The further the distance between the light source and

the hydrilla, the slower the rate of photosynthesis.

A B C D

When Bars A, B, C and D are hung from a rod using strings of the same

length, they move in the manner as shown in the diagram below. Some

of them are magnets but some of them are not.

a) Use the table below to classify the four bars according to

their magnetic property.

Magnets Non-magnetic

materials

Not Possible To Tell

A

B

C

D

T: Magnets

ST: Magnetic property

SK: Unlike poles attract while

like poles repel

I: Non-magnetic materials

neither attract or repel.

Magnetic materials only

attract.

Bar E was then hung between bar A and bar B and this was

what happened.

Is bar E a magnet? Explain your answer.

It repels bar A and only magnets

can repel one another.

Bar E is a magnet.

When the trigger of a popgun is pressed, the ball pops out and moves along a curved path as shown by the dotted line in the diagram below.

As you observe the ball moving along the curved path, how can you tell that a force is acting on the ball?

What you should do

The curved path shows that the ball is changing its direction as it moves and only a force can change the direction of the ball.

T: Forces

ST: Effects of A Force

SK: When a force acts on an object, it can cause the

direction of its movement to change.

As you observe the ball moving along the curved

path, how can you tell that a force is acting on the

ball?

Three identical containers, A, B and C, are each filled with the

following substances, W, X, Y and Z. Stoppers were then used to seal the three air-tight containers as shown below.

An object of mass 10 kg was then placed on the stopper of

each container. The stoppers were observed and the results

recorded in the table below.

C

Container A B C

Did the stopper move? Yes No Yes

filled with Z

(a) Based on the results, which of the substance(s) (W, X, Y or Z)

is/are most likely a gas? [1m]

(b) Explain your answer in (a). [1m]

T: Matter

ST: Three States of Matter SK: A gas has no definite shape nor volume.

I: A gas can be compressed but a solid

cannot be compressed.

X and Z

A gas can be compressed (1/2m) and the 10kg masses

compress Gas X and Z and push the stopper downwards (1/2m).

Ben poured exactly 500ml of tap water into each

saucepan shown below. He put the saucepans on

separate burners of the same size and covered one of

it with a lid. The burners were turned on high.

A B

Ben recorded the time taken by the tap water in

saucepan A and saucepan B to boil and plotted his

reading in the graph shown below.

Identify and state two errors that he has made when

he plotted the graph.

of water

T: Heat & Temperature

ST: Conduction of heat SK: Water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C.

Heat travels from a hotter to a colder place or object.

I: Temperature of tap water is above 0C .

Heat travels when two objects touch each other.

Ben recorded the time taken by the tap water in

saucepan A and saucepan B to boil and plotted his

reading in the graph shown below.

Identify and state two errors that he has made when

he plotted the graph.

of water

A B

(ii) The tap water in saucepan A should take longer to boil

than the tap water in saucepan B.

T: Heat & Temperature

ST: Conduction of heat SK: Water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C.

Heat travels from a hotter to a colder place or object.

I: Temperature of tap water is above 0C .

Heat travels when two objects touch each other.

i)The graph should not begin at 0 degree Celsius [m] as

the temperature of tap water is not 0 degree celsius.[m]

In another experiment, Ben placed a potato of similar sized in each

saucepan and covered the saucepan with lids. Both pans had

enough tap water (1litre) to cover the entire potato. He placed the pans on different types of metal plates as shown below and turned

on the heat.

Which potato would be cooked much faster? Explain your answer.

Potato in Saucepan A [1m]. Saucepan A has a flat metal plate

which has more contact area [m] with the heat so that more

heat can be transferred [m]to cook the potato faster.

The diagram below shows two identical steel boilers, P and Q.

Each boiler has an inner pot and an outer pot. Both the inner pot

and outer pot are made of steel. Boiler P is filled with water while Boiler Q is filled with air as shown in the diagram below.

Hot plates

Butter

Inner pot

Outer pot Water Air

Butter

Steel Boiler P Steel Boiler Q

The boilers were placed on top of two similar hot plates and an

equal amount of heat was supplied to them. Both boilers were

used to melt 3 similar bars of butter.

After heating both boilers for 10 minutes, the butter in boiler Q just started to melt but the butter in boiler P has melted completely.

(a)Explain the above observation. [2m]

T: Heat & Temperature

ST: Conduction of heat SK: Heat travels from a hotter to a colder place or object.

Some materials conduct heat better than others

I : The better conductor of heat conducts heat faster from

the outer pot of steel boiler to the inner pot of the steel

boiler to melt all the butter.

a) Water is a better conductor of heat than air

(1m) so the butter in P gains heat faster than the

butter in Q (1m) to melt all the butter.

(b) If both inner pots have been changed to ceramic

pots instead, how would it affect the results of the

experiments? Give a reason for your answer. [2m]

Hot

plates

Butter

Ceramic

Inner pot

Outer pot Water Air

Butter

Steel Boiler P Steel Boiler Q

T: Heat & Temperature

ST: Conduction of heat SK: Heat travels from a hotter to a colder place or object.

Some materials conduct heat better than others.

I : Ceramic is a poorer conductor of heat. It takes a

longer time to gain heat.

b) Ceramic is a poorer conductor of heat than

steel (1/2m), so the ceramic takes a longer time

to gain heat from the outer pot. (1/2m)

So the butter in both boiler would take a longer

time to melt completely(1/2m) but the butter in P

would still melt faster than the butter in Q. (1/2m)

How can you

help your

child?

How can you help your child?

Raise your childs awareness of Science in their daily life. Science is everywhere. Connect the

concepts learnt in the textbooks to actual

happening that takes place around them.

Eg Boiling of water in a kettle ( Evaporation and

Condensation )

Explore non-formal education sites. Eg. Visit to

zoo, beach, hiking

How can you help your child?

Create opportunities for Science learning at home

while watching educational programmes or

perhaps embarking on inquiry-based experiments

right in your very own home.

Bond with your child through cool Science

Experiments.

e.g . Making your own electromagnet

Vinegar and Baking Soda http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments.html

http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/

Inject fun into Science learning and revision

through games, quizzes and crossword puzzles.

How can you help your child?

BrainPoP for EMS

http://www.brainpopjr.com/

http://www.brainpop.com/

Username: yunengps

Password: 1658stud

AsknLearn Learning Management System

https://lms.asknlearn.com/

Show excitement/passion for science. If you

expect your child to develop the passion for

the science, you too have to develop it.

Develop existing skills, reinforce what is learnt

in school. ( You can apply what you have learnt on RIP strategy! )

Parent Portal

Password : ynpp

How can you help your child?

Q & A

Mr Hashim HOD Sci

Mdm Dewi LH Sci

Mrs Singh P5/6 Sci Tr

Mr Saleem P4/5 Sci Tr

The End

Please fill up the

feedback form.