PSSA REVIEW

WHAT IS THE JOB OF A SCIENTIST?

A scientist gathers information about the world

around them.

They ask questions, make observations, and gather

data.

HOW CAN YOU BE A SCIENTIST?

(DISCUSS WITH A PARTNER OR IN YOUR SMALL GROUP)

Scientists carefully observe and keep records as things

change over time.

What are some examples of things that may change over

time? your body weather

the environment animals

SCIENCE AND CHANGE

Changes also occur when an object starts or stops moving.

You exert (apply) force on the ball

Push or Pull?Force and Friction:

http://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/force/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7NPD9W0kro

DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING EXPERIMENTS

Scientists create carefully controlled tests called

experiments. (also called fair tests)

In order to conduct an experiment, scientists must make

good observations, which is noticing the things around you.

WHAT CAN YOU OBSERVE FROM THIS PICTURE?

WHAT QUESTIONS COULD YOU ASK ABOUT THIS PICTURE?

WHAT CAN YOU OBSERVE FROM THIS PICTURE?

WHAT QUESTIONS COULD YOU ASK ABOUT THIS PICTURE?

SCIENTISTS ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS

They try to think of a good answer to a question called a hypothesis.

A hypothesis in an explanation that can be tested to see if it is correct.

In order to test a hypothesis, scientists conduct experiments.

Within experiments are variables, which are things that may change.

This often causes experiments to have different results.

Independent variables are variables you can change.

Dependent variables are the result you get from

changing the independent variable.

Controlled variables are parts of the experiment

that stay the same.

SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS

Scientists use many different tools when conducting experiments.

Do you recognize any of these tools, and what is each one used for?

What does each tool measure?

What does each tool measure?

What does each tool measure?

What does each tool measure?

What does each tool measure?

SYSTEMS AND THEIR PARTS

A system is a collection of things that work together.

Are these systems?YES!! Think of how things work together

A change in one part of a system can change other parts as well.

For example, what happens if…

…the chain on the bike broke?

…an oil spill occurred in the ocean?

…you ate spoiled food?

A system can also be a cycle.

A cycle is something that happens over and over.

Can you think of any examples of cycles?

Water Cycle:

http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/watercycle/

USING MODELS

A model is a representation of the real thing.

Why do scientists use models?(think back to the virtual lesson with the

paper airplane)

TYPES OF MODELS

Computer models

used for designing things such as

buildings, used to predict weather

Drawings/Diagrams:

Show how things occur

3-D:Solar System

PATTERNS IN NATURE

What is a pattern?

A pattern is something that repeats itself.

SUNRISE/SUNSET

SEASONS

PHASES OF THE MOON

Moon Phases:http://www.brainpop.com/science/space/moonphases/preview.weml

Why might scientists try to find patterns during research?

This helps them to identify change.

It also helps to make predictions, too.

LIVING THINGS AND LIFE PROCESSES

WHAT ARE THE BASIC NEEDS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS?

Plants AnimalsBoth

sunlight foodWater

Air

Safe place

ECOSYSTEMS

An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things in a certain area.

Ex: Forest

A habitat is the place in which a certain kind of organism lives.

Ex: a tree or pond (think of a home)

A community is all the living things found in an area.

Ex: grassland including different living things such as giraffes, zebras, grasses,

etc.

Game:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/producersconsumersgame.swf

PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS, AND DECOMPOSERS

THE FOOD CHAINA food chain shows how each living thing gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature.

Food chains begin with plant-life, and end with animal-life. Some animals eat plants, some animals eat other animals.

A simple food chain could start with grass, which is eaten by rabbits. Then the rabbits are eaten by foxes.

Game:http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm

COMPARING ANIMALS

vertebrate- animal with a backboneEx: mammals, fish, birds, amphibians

invertebrate- animal without a backbone

Ex: clams, snails (mollusks)/spiders, crabs, insects (arthropods)

ADAPTATIONS

Adaptations are what help living things survive in their

environment.Can you recall the two types of

adaptations?

Physical & Behavioral

Physical adaptations are associated with how the animal

looksEx: camouflage, thick coats, sharp

claws, long legs

What is the difference between physical and behavioral

adaptations?

Behavioral adaptations are associated with how the animal

actsEx: migration, hibernation, dormancy,

Living things reproduce and create new living things of the

same kind.

These living things are called offspring.

Offspring look like and act like their parents because of heredity.

INHERITED CHARACTERISTICS

They also carry the same traits, or characteristics.

These traits are passed on through parents’ genes.

(*Think of genes as a set of instructions)

These passed on traits are called inherited.

What may you have inherited from your parents?

HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

What do humans use from the environment?

Air, water, food, plants resources,

Discuss with a partner or small group how humans can affect the environment in a negative way.

Thoughts/Ideas?