The Process The Process SkillsSkills

The Process The Process SkillsSkills

Logical operations of thinking ininvestigations. They are either

basic orintegrated.

Basic Process Skills: Observing, comparing, classifying, quantifying, inferring, predicting, communicating and manipulative skills.

Integrated Process Skills: Embodied in experimenting which

includes hypothesizing, controlling variables and classifying data.

1. OBSERVINGmost basic and fundamental of the process skills. One cannot compare, classify or perform the other process skills without being a good observer. We observe objects or events through our five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing.

Example: Describing a pencil as yellow

The Process of observing can be:

• Qualitative – this is identifying and naming the properties of an object such as its shape, color, size, texture, smell, and sound.

• Quantitative – This kind of observation involves measurement.

• Change – it could be the result of crushing, pounding, burning, cutting, decaying, etc.

2. COMPARINGComparing is using

observable properties in discovering similarities of and differences between objects and phenomena. Through comparison, we are able to identify relationships among objects and phenomena observed.

3. CLASSIFYING There is an overwhelming number of

things around us – nonliving and living things. Order can be attained by observing similarities, differences and interrelationships and by grouping them accordingly to suit some purpose.

Example: Placing all rocks having certain grain size or hardness into one group.

4. INFERRING

While observing is getting information by using one or more senses, inferring is explaining or interpreting an observation.

Example: Saying that the person who used a pencil made a lot of mistakes because the eraser was well worn.

5. PREDICTING Predicting is the process of using past

observations or data along with other kinds of scientific knowledge to forecast event or relationships. A statement not based on observation is not a prediction. It is simply a guess.

Interpolation – is predicting new data based on and within a trend/ pattern of previously observed data.

Extrapolation - is predicting new data outside or beyond the range of previously observed data.

6. QUANTIFYING Quantifying is making and manipulating

quantitative observations. This involves:

1. Using numbers 2. measuring

3. use of time and space

Example: Using a meter stick to measure the length of a table in centimeters.

7. COMMUNICATING Expressing ideas in many forms, such as

orally, in writing or with graphs, diagrams, tables of data or photographs is a way of communicating.

Example: Describing the change in height of a plant over time in writing or through a graph.

8. MANIPULATIVE SKILLS

These skills involve using equipment and materials properly and accurately, preparing setups for investigation, and handling specimen carefully.

9. EXPERIMENTINGThe ability to design an investigation to test a hypothesis, conduct simple experiments, recognize limitations of methods and tools used in experiments,

i.e., experimental error

and utilize safe procedures while conducting investigations.

10. INTERPRETING DATA

• This skill involves one to organize and state in his/her own words information derived from an investigation.

• This also involves a person to revise interpretations of data based on new information or revised data.

11. DEFINING OPERATIONALLY

• This refers to one’s ability to state definitions of objects or events in terms of what the object is doing or what is occurring in the event or to state definitions of objects or events based on observable characteristics

12. FORMULATING MODELS

• The ability to create a mental, physical, or mental verbal representation of an idea, object or event.

• use models to describe and explain interrelationships of ideas, objects, or events

Let’s take a look at the samples!

Jim thinks that the more air pressure in a basketball, the higher it will bounce. To investigate this hypothesis he collects several basketballs and an air pump with a pressure gauge.

How should Jim test his hypothesis?

A) Bounce basketballs with different amounts of force from the same height.

B) Bounce basketballs having different air pressures from the same height.

C) Bounce basketballs having the same air pressure at different angles from the floor.

D) Bounce basketballs having the same amount of air pressure from different heights.

Luisa wanted to know which of the three types of soil (clay, sandy and loamy), would be best for growing beans. She planted bean seedlings in three pots of the same size, but having different soil types. The pots were placed near a sunny window after pouring the same amount of water in them. The bean plants were examined at the end of ten days. Differences in their growth were recorded.

Which factor do you think made the difference in the growth rates of the bean seedlings?

a. The amount of sunlight available

b. The type of soil used

c. The temperature of the surroundings

d. The amount of chlorophyll present

Marie wondered if the earth and oceans are heated equally by sunlight. She decided to conduct an investigation. She filled a bucket with dirt and another bucket of the same size with water. She placed them so each bucket received the same amount of sunlight. The temperature in each was measured every hour from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Which hypothesis was being tested?

A) The greater the amount of sunlight, the warmer the soil and water become.

B) The longer the soil and water are in the sun, the warmer they become.

C) Different types of materials are warmed differently by the sun.

D) Different amounts of sunlight are received at different times of the day.

Twenty-five shots are fired at a target from several distances. The table below shows the number of“hits” in 25 shots at each distance.

Distance from Target (m)

Number of Hits

5 25

15 10

25 10

50 5

100 2

Which graph represents the data?

a.

b.

c.

d.

A farmer wonders how he can increase the amount of corn he grows. He plans to study factors that affect the amount of corn produced. Which of these hypotheses could he test?

A) The greater the amount of fertilizer the larger the amount of corn produced.

B) The greater the amount of corn, the larger the profits for the year.

C) As the amount of rainfall increases, the more effective the fertilizer.

D) As the amount of corn produced increases, the cost of production increases.

Mark is studying the effect of temperature on the rate that oil flows. His hypothesis is that as thetemperature of the oil increases it flows faster.How could he test this hypothesis?

A) Heat oil to different temperatures and weigh it after it flows out of the can.B) Observe the speed at which oil at different temperatures flows down a smooth surface.C) Let oil flow down smooth surfaces at different angles and observe its speed.D) Measure the time it takes for oil at different thicknesses to pour out of the can.

A gardener notices that his squash plants are being attacked by aphids. He needs to get rid of the aphids. His brother tells him that “Aphid-Away” powder is the best insecticide to use. The county agent says “Squash-Saver” spray works the best. The gardener selects six squash plants and applies the powder to three and the spray to three. A week later he counts the number of live aphids on each of the plants.How is the effectiveness of the insecticides measured in this study?

A) Measuring the amount of spray or powder used.B) Determining the condition of the plants after spraying or dusting.C) Weighing the squash each plant produces.D) Counting the number of aphids remaining on the plants.