How can I apply
Scientific Skills in
an Experiment?
Clear Explanation
Answering Technique
Enrichment Practice
WRITTEN BY,
RAJATHI D/O
RAMAYAH
SK GOPENG JALAN
ILMU
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INTRODUCTION
Science process skills are described as the ability used by scientists used
during their work, and the competencies displayed in solving scientific
problems. Scientists work by testing ideas with evidence through scientific
methods and involving the efficient use of the SPSs.
The purpose of science education is to enable individuals to use scientific
process skills; in other words, to be able to define the problems around
them, to observe, to analyse, to hypothesize, to experiment, to conclude, to
generalize, and to apply the information they have with the necessary
skills. This book guides the students on how to apply Scientific process
skills (SPS) include skills that every individual could use in each step of
his/her daily life by being scientifically literate and increasing the quality
and standard of life by comprehending the nature of science. At the same
time, the SPS are a necessary tool to produce and use scientific
information, to perform scientific research, and to solve problems.
Scientific attitudes here are honesty, collaboration, discipline,
responsibility, open-mindedness. Scientific process skills here are:
classifying, making a question, identifying and controlling variables,
measuring, and inferring.
The scientific method is best suited to solving problems without direct or
simple answers. For example, a light bulb that burns out may simply need
to be replaced.
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Basic
Defining
Operationally
Interpreting Controlling
Data Variables
Hypothesising
Experimenting
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OBSERVING
Teacher Raji : Aina, what do you observe?
Aina : Teacher, I observed a plant is growing.
Teacher Raji : How do you define that the plant is growing?
Aina : The height of plant is increases day by day.
Teacher Raji : Do the plant has flower and fruit?
Aina : The plant has no flower but has a fruit.
Teacher Raji : How do you know that?
Aina : I use my sense of sight to see that.
Teacher Raji : Very Good !
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CLASSIFYING
Teacher Raji : Amir, how many plants are there?
Amir : I observed there are two different plants.
Teacher Raji : Is the two plants have the same characteristics?
Amir : No. Both plants have different characteristics.
Teacher Raji : Do the plant can classify into same group?
Amir : No. The plants classify into different group. I
can classify the plants according the type of leaf, root ,
flowering or non-flowering and woody stem or non-woody stem.
Plants
Netted Vein Parallel Vein
Hibiscus Plants Banana tree 9
MEASURING AND
USING NUMBERS
Teacher Raji : Amir and Aina what you both are doing?
Amir : We are measuring the plant.
Teacher Raji : Measuring the plant? What do you mean by that?
Aina : Ooppss.. Measuring the height of the plant.
Teacher Raji : Okie. What is the tool do you use to measure
the height of the plant?
Amir : We are using ruler to measure the height of the
plant.
Teacher Raji : Good. What is the height of the plant?
Aina : The height of the plant is 7 cm.
Teacher Raji : Good Job.
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MAKING INFERENCE
Teacher Raji : Fakhira, what do you observe?
Fakhira : The plant kept inside a closed box is wilt and dead.
Teacher Raji : Can you make inference why do the plant is dead?
Fakhira : The plant is wilt and dead because the plant not
get enough sunlight.
Teacher Raji : Why do the plant cannot get the sunlight?
Fakhira : Because the plant is kept inside a closed box and
the sunlight can’t get into the box.
Teacher Raji : Very Good.
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PREDICTING
Teacher Raji : Rayyan, what do you observe?
Rayyan : A boy is watering the plants.
Teacher Raji : Can you predict the condition of the plant after a
few days?
Rayyan : The plant will grow taller and healthily.
Teacher Raji : How do you ensure that the plant will grow
healthily?
Rayyan : The plant gets enough basic needs such as water,
sunlight and air.
Teacher Raji : Very Good.
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COMMUNICATING
Day 3 Day 5 Day 7 Day 9
Teacher Raji : Abi, how do you describe or express the ideas in
the diagram to the entire class?
Abi : No problem teacher. I will express my ideas in many
forms such as orally, sketches, in writing or with graphs and
combine the forms.
Teacher Raji : Okie. You may explain to your friends.
Abi : I will use graph and writing form to explain about
the diagram.
6 5 The height of plant change over
HEIGHT OF PLANT 4 3 2 The plant growing taller.
time.
0 1
3 5 7 9
DAY
Teacher Raji : Well done Abi.
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CONTROLLING VARIABLES
Before
Experiment
During
Experiment
After
Experiment
Teacher Raji : Auni, what are the variables do you define in an
experiment?
Auni : There are 3 variables which are constant variable,
manipulated variable and responding variable.
Teacher Raji : Yes correct. Can you specify the constant variable
from the diagram?
Auni : The constant variable is identical pots. Same type
of pots are using in both investigation.
Teacher Raji : Can you specify the manipulated variable from the
diagram?
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CONTROLLING VARIABLES
Teacher Raji : Can you specify the manipulated variable from the
diagram?
Auni : The manipulated variable is presence of fertilizer.
There is add fertilizer in the experiment pot meanwhile no
fertilizer added in the test pot.
Teacher Raji : Yes that’s right. Usually manipulated variable is
shown not same. Can you specify the responding variable from the
diagram?
Auni : The responding variable is the plant growth. This is
the result of the experiment. The plant in the pot added fertilizer
grow healthily and flowering meanwhile the other pot does not
grow healthily.
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DEFINING OPERATIONALLY
Teacher Raji : Amar, what do you observed in the experiment?
Amar : The plant grow taller and produce flower.
Teacher Raji : What is change in the investigation?
Amar : The height of plant.
Teacher Raji : What do you define when observe the plant grow
taller?
Amar : The plant gets sufficient water, air, sunlight and
fertilizer for grow.
Teacher Raji : Good.
Amar : Plant growth is a process that shown by the height
of plant.
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FORMULATING HYPOTHESIS
Teacher Raji : Harleen, what do you observe in the diagram?
Harleen : The plant U is kept in a box.
Teacher Raji : What do you think will happen to the plant T and
U after 2 weeks?
Harleen : The plant T will grow healthily meanwhile plant U
will wilt and die.
Teacher Raji : Why this condition is happen?
Harleen : The plant T gets enough sunlight meanwhile plant
U not get sunlight because it kept in a box.
Teacher Raji : Good Harleen.
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INTERPRETING DATA
DAY 3 5 7 9 11
WITH FERTILIZER 2 8 10 12 15
WITHOUT
FERTILIZER 1 3 5 6 8
Teacher Raji : Amsyar, what do you obeserved in the diagram?
Amsyar : The plant height increases while day increases with
using fertilizer.
Teacher Raji : How do you interpret the following data?
Amsyar : I will show the data in graph form. This is my answer.
Plant Growth
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Height of Plant 10 5
15
0
3 5 7 9 11
Day
WITH FERTILIZER WITHOUT FERTILIZER
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Using Space and Time
Relationship
Teacher Raji : Dhivya, what do you observe in the diagram?
Dhivya : The plant grow taller and release oxygen.
Teacher Raji : What do you think will happen after two weeks?
Dhivya : The plant release oxygen in big quantity while it
grow taller day by day.
Teacher Raji : Why do you think this condition is happen?
Dhivya : The plant T gets enough air, water and sunlight to
continue alive.
Teacher Raji : Good Dhivya.
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EXPERIMENTING
Teacher Raji : Amir, what do you observe in the diagram?
Amir : A plant in different condition.
Teacher Raji : What do you think will happen after a week?
Amir : The plant has water and sunlight will grow healthily
meanwhile the plant has lack of water and sunlight
will wilt and die.
Teacher Raji : What the basic needs should need by a plant to
grow healthily?
Amir : A plant need air, water and sunlight to continue
alive.
Teacher Raji : Good Amir.
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Purpose / State the Problem:
Clearly state what your problem is
Background / Observation:
1. What do you already know about the topic from textbook and research?
2. What observation have you made that relate to the topic? It could even be a
behaviour that you have observed but do not understand.
Formulate a Hypothesis:
If independent variable, Then dependent variable…
Design the experiment. Must Include!...
1. Constants
2. Independent variable. – Can it be reasonably tested?
3. Dependent variable
4. Control group
5. Experimental group
6. Sample size – Bigger is better
7. Steps of procedure
8. Verification
9. Possible sources of error
Data Table / Graph
1. Number / Title
2. Units
3. Graph – Label / Axes !
Conclusion:
Was your hypothesis right? EXPLAIN based on your data
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An experiment was conducted to test in which jar the cockroach is still alive
after 3 days. The same size two jars have same type animal. Answer the
following questions based on the diagram.
1. What do you observe after 3 days from the investigation?
Observe that cockroach in Jar A still alive meanwhile cockroach
in Jar B is die.
2. State the variables in the investigation.
2.1 Constant Variable – Size of jar, type of animal
2.2 Manipulated variable - Hole on jar top
2.3 Responding Variable - Condition of the cockroach
3. What is the inference for your answer in (1)?
Because the cockroach in Jar A gets air and it can breathe air
through holes.
4. Write a conclusion based on the investigation.
All living things need air to breathe and continue alive.
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1. What is the aim of this investigation?
The aim is to observe number of butterflies landing on flowers
affected by the size of the flowers.
2. State the variables in the investigation.
2.1 Constant variable - Type of flower and sugar water level
2.2 Manipulated variable - Size of flower
2.3 Responding variable - Number of butterflies landing on
Flowers
3. Based on observation, in which flower more butterflies landing after
3 hours?
Flower J
4. What is the inference for your answer in (3)?
Because the size of flower is bigger.
5. What is the relationship between dependent and interdependent
variables?
The number of butterflies landing on flowers is increases while
the size of flower is increases.
6. Draw a bar chart using the observation record.
Number of butterflies landing on flower with Size of
Flower
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Number of butterflies 8
10
6
4
2
0
J K L M
Type of Flower
number of butterflies landing on flower 1st hour
number of butterflies landing on flower 2nd hour
number of butterflies landing on flower 3rd hour
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The diagram below shows the condition of the sea water.
1. State the inference from the situation.
People throw rubbishes everywhere and this causing water pollution.
2. What is your prediction based on the diagram above?
Living things in the sea will die.
3. What is the hypothesis in this investigation?
The number of living things death increases when number of
rubbishes increases day by day.
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1. The table below shows Sharmilah’s chest movement during some activities.
a. What is the aim of this investigation?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
b. Give a reason for Sharmilah’s chest movement during running.
________________________________________________________________________________________
c. State:
i. What is change (manipulated variable):________________________
ii. What is observe (responding variable): ________________________
iii. What is kept the same (constant variable):_____________________
d. What is the chest movement?
____________________________________________________________________________________
e. Which activity need more energy?
____________________________________________________________________________________
f. What can you observe about chest movement before and after the
activities?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Diagram shows an experiment that was carried out by Irfan. He fixed the
position of the torch and the screen. A ball is placed between the torch and
the screen.
a. What is the aim of this experiment?
____________________________________________________________________________________
b. Make observations for the following activities.
i. When the ball was moved nearer to the torch.
_____________________________________________________________________________
ii. When the ball was moved further from the torch.
_____________________________________________________________________________
c. State the relationship between the distance between the object and
the torch and the size of the shadow.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
d. Based on the following experiment, state the following:
i. What is kept the same: ______________________________
ii. What is change: ______________________________________
iii. What is measure : ___________________________________
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3. Diagram shows an investigation carried out by Azizah. The temperature of a
beaker of boiled water is recorded every 5 minutes.
Table shows the result of this investigation.
Time (minute) 0 5 10 15 20
Temperature of the water 100 90 80 70 60
a. What is the purpose of this investigation.
____________________________________________________________________________________
b. What is the trend the temperature of the water.
____________________________________________________________________________________
c. State the relationship between the time and the temperature of the
water.
____________________________________________________________________________________
d. Predict the temperature of the water at 30 minutes.
___________________________________________________________________________________
e. State the following :
i. What is changed: ___________________________________
ii. What is measured: _________________________________
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4. Diagram shows an investigation that is carried out by Deepa. Air is pumped
into a balloon using an air pump.
Table shows the circumference of the balloon after a few pumps.
Number of pumps 1 2 3 4 5
The circumference of the balloon 4 8 12 16 20
a. What can you say about the circumference of the balloon based on the
result in the table above?
__________________________________________________________________________________
b. What is measured in this investigation?
__________________________________________________________________________________
c. Make a conclusion for this investigation.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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5. The table below shows two different ways used by two pupils, Akmal and
Firdaus to move a box weighing 25 KG to a higher floor.
Akmal Firdaus
a. State the difference in effort used by pupils.
____________________________________________________________________________________
b. What is the importance of a pulley based on the answer (a).
____________________________________________________________________________________
c. Predict what will happen if the pulley had not been invented.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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