Bridge Program in Science

UNIT I
MODULE 1

Are You A Keen Observer?

What this module is all about

Have you heard the saying, “one picture tells a thousand words”? Do you believe in
this statement? What does the picture above tell you? What questions come to mind when
looking at the picture? What can you infer from it?

This module deals with basic thinking skills that will help you understand and
appreciate better the different objects, events and phenomena in the environment. The
thinking skills covered in this module are: observing, recording, measuring, classifying,
inferring, and communicating. They are important in whatever you do at home, in school, in
the farm, in the market, in the community, in daily life. They can be applied when you are
studying Science, Mathematics, English, or any subject.

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These skills can be learned through different hands-on activities. Doing these
activities will hopefully, improve your ways of thinking and increase your interest in science.

What you are expected to learn

After going through this module, you should be able to:

1. describe in more detail materials, events and phenomena with and without aid of
measuring instruments;
2. compare similarities and differences between groups of materials, events, and
phenomena;
3. classify materials, events, and phenomena based on common characteristics or
properties;
4. infer properties, behaviors, or uses of objects, events, and phenomena based on
past experiences and new information gathered; and
5. communicate information about what has been observed, verbally and/or in writing.

How to learn from this module

1. You will successfully achieve the objectives of this module if you go through the
activities carefully and answer the questions, both in the text and the activities/
exercises.

2. Recall what you have learned in earlier science classes about the following ideas.

Process skills Description

Observing Gathering information about objects, events, or phenomena,

using one or more senses with or without the help of
measuring instruments.
Recording Storing information in ways that can easily be retrieved.

Estimating Putting numbers or quantities in an observation using a

frame of reference.
Measuring Putting numbers or quantities in an observation using a
standardized tool to get the actual value.
Comparing Identifying similarities and differences between two or more
objects, events or phenomena.
Classifying Grouping them based on common characteristics.

Inferring Connecting given ideas by tapping prior knowledge or

gathered information.
Communicating Giving or exchanging information in various forms such as
verbal, tabular, graphical, or pictorial.

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3. Collect materials from your home such as buttons, dried seeds, coins, or any object
that will not rot or decay. Keep them in separate boxes or bottles. These materials will
come handy.

4. Record everything that you do and observe in a notebook, not in loose sheets of
paper.

What do you already know

Go to page 22 of this module. Answer the questions before you start reading
the module. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper and submit to your teacher
when you are through.

What you should learn

Lesson 1.1 Observing

There are many objects or materials around. There are also different events and
environmental phenomena. What do you use when asked to observe these materials, events
or phenomena?

Of course, you use your sense of sight, taste, touch, feel, and/or hearing!

Observing is the most basic of all thinking skills. How good are your observation
skills? For example, when you visit a garden, do you

 notice the variety of plants and animals?

 hear birds chirping or bees buzzing?
 detect which flowers emit fragrance and which are irritating to the nose?
 spot which plants have thorns and which have hairy surfaces?
 observe some leaves have more veins than others?
 see small insects living on leaves or stems?

Why is it important to develop keen observation skills? How can observations be

made accurate? Activity 1.1 will help you answer these questions and many more. It will also
help you review your observation skills.

Before doing the activity, prepare observation charts similar to the ones that follow.
Use these charts to record your observations to steps 1 and 2 of Activity 1.1.

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Chart 1.1 Properties of Objects Observed (Step 1)

Objects/Materials Property 1 Property 2 Property 3

1. Object 1

2. Object 2

3. Object 3

4. Object 4

5. Object 5

Chart 1.2 Properties of Materials When Mixed (Step 2)

Materials Observation 1 Observation 2 Observation 3

Eggshells and vinegar

Vinegar and
evaporated milk
Water and eggshells

Water and milk

Do Activity 1.1a Guessing Game: Observing Materials in the Classroom

In Activity 1.1a, you observed the color, shape, texture, size and other special
features of an object. You used these properties to find out what happens to objects or
materials when mixed with other similar objects/materials. You used the same senses to
observe changes in materials before, during, and after they were mixed.

The same observation skills are used when observing what people do in school, in
the market, during festivals or in parties. The same skills are used when reading a book or
solving mathematical problems. You can extend your observation skills when watching
environmental phenomena such as the changing shape and color of clouds, air temperature,
or the direction of the wind.

The next activity will enable you to practice more on your observations skills. This
time, your group will plan how you will report your observations. You can record them in a
chart similar to what you did in the preceding activity. Or, draw what you observe or describe
what you see in detail.

Do Activity 1.1b Treasure Hunting: Observing Materials in a Nature Trail

Do Activity 1.1b Treasure Hunting: Observing Materials in a Nature Trail

 Bridge Program in Science

What materials were found in the nature trail? Was it easy to look for the materials?
Why or why not? What senses did you use to describe each material? How useful were the
lens, ruler or watch in describing the materials? Did you notice some changes in the
materials while you were observing them? What were these changes?

Activity 1.1a and Activity 1.1b show that observing is a thinking skill. When making
observations, you use one or more of your senses to find out about objects, events, or living
things. An observation is a fact or information learned directly through the senses.

How do you make accurate observations?

1. Use as many senses as you can. However, tasting is not allowed until you are told to
do so.
2. Think about how you can use your senses to get the information about the object or
event. Pick up the object, feel it, smell it.
3. Describe only what you observe directly with your senses.
4. Notice things that are changing. Make observations before, during and after the
change.

Lesson 1.2 Estimating and Measuring

Read the situations below and answer the questions.

 Nina wants to give a gift to her mother on her birthday. She wants to put the gift in a box,
but she left the gift at home. She went to a store and asked for several boxes. Finally,
she chose one and paid for it. How did Nina decide what box will contain her gift?

 Mang Paul is able to park his jeep in a small space between two cars with ease. How is
he able to do this?

 Alvin is able to shoot the basketball ball right into the net even if he is half way across the
court. What skill is necessary to do this?

 Aling Sol knows the right amount of salt to be added to boiled and cooled water when
making salty eggs without actually measuring them.

Nina, Mang Paul. Alvin and Aling Sol have learned skills in estimating, specifically
length, space, distance, and mass, respectively.

But estimated values are not always accurate. For example, when you buy tomatoes,
some vendors do not use a balance to measure the mass. Rather, they estimate the number
of tomatoes that is equivalent to half a kilo. When measured using a balance, the estimated
mass is sometimes correct, other times it is short or over half kilo.

In many cases, exact amounts or length of materials are needed. For example, the
dose of medicine (e.g., cough syrup) given to sick people should be exact to get the right
effect. As another situation, when baking bread, it is always better to measure the ingredients
rather than estimating the amounts to be used. Still another example, when a carpenter cuts
wood for a window frame, he has to have exact measurements.

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To give the right dose of medicine, make a good product, or be fair when selling
goods, standardized measuring tools such as rulers, balances, and graduated cylinders are
used. These instruments measure length, mass, and volume, respectively. Other measuring
tools include thermometer for determining temperature and watch for determining time. In
some cases, non -standardized objects like paper clips and cups can also be used for
measuring mass and volume.

Figure 1.1 Some measuring instruments. Can you identify which is the instrument for
measuring volume of liquids, or mass, or temperature?

There are two words to remember when doing measurements-accuracy and

precision. Accuracy depends on the nature of the instrument and the way it is used.
Precision is the agreement among observed values in repeated measurements.

A measurement is accurate if it is very close to the actual value. Only one value is
needed to determine the accuracy of a measurement. Measurements are precise if the
values for the different trials are very close to each other. At least two measurements are
needed to determine the precision of a measurement.

It is important to have both accuracy and precision in measurements.

Do Activity 1.2 Estimating and Measuring: Making Observations More Accurate

Activity 1.2a, allowed you to measure length using a ruler and a meter stick. Activity
1.2b enabled you to measure the volume of a liquid and taught you how to calibrate bottles.
Finally, Activity 1.2c helped you to estimate and measure the mass of an object.

Estimating and measuring are skills useful in daily life. They often go together.

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Lesson 1.3 Classifying

You classify objects and events by first comparing and contrasting their properties or
characteristics, then grouping them according to common characteristics. The groups are
then labeled with a term or phrase that expresses the common characteristics of the objects
and events.

Have you noticed how books are arranged in the library? Into how many ways are the
books grouped or classified? Did you see books are grouped according to the subject area?
Biology books are found in different shelves from those in Chemistry, Physics, or Earth
Sciences. Some books are for circulation, which means you can borrow them overnight or for
some days. Other books that are for “room-use only”, which means you can use them only
in the library.

Look inside your house. Things are classified according to their uses. Materials used
in cooking are separated from those used in the bathroom. Shirts, pants, and underwear are
kept and arranged in different shelves.

With the variety of objects and events around, there is a need to classify them to put
order in our lives. Imagine if you put all things together in one box and when you need one,
you have to put all the things out to locate one item. What a waste of time!

Activity 1.3 will help you review your skills in comparing and classifying objects.

Do Activity 1.3 Grouping objects and events based on an observable property

How did you group the plants? Did you classify them into flowering or non-flowering
plants? Or, whether they are considered a tree, a shrub, or an herb? Did you observe that
some plants grow in water while most grow on land?

Classifying is using observations of objects or events and grouping them according to

similarities and differences. Classification can be one, or two, or multi-level. The following
example shows a three-level classification (note that this is incomplete). What will you put
under fruits and fish? What will be found in level four?

Stalls in the market

Vegetables Fruits Fish Meat

Leafy Root chicken beef

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You can classify objects and events if you remember to do the following:

1. Observe objects and events and think about their properties.

2. Divide the set into two or more groups, based on one observable property.
3. Divide the group/s on the basis of a second observable property
4. Continue to divide the groups on the basis of a third observable property.
5. Show the grouping in a diagram.

Lesson 1.4 Inferring

When students were shown a mango fruit and asked to observe, they wrote these
statements

Student 1: The mango is yellow green

Student 2: It is sour.
Student 3: It is unripe.
Student 4: It has a smooth skin.

Are all the statements above based on what was directly observed using the senses?
Which statement/s is/are based on past experiences?

If you said that statements made by Student 1 and 4 are observations, you are right.
Statements made by Student 2 and 3 are based on previous knowledge about unripe
mangoes and are thus, inferences.

An observation is a personal experience obtained through one or more of the senses

while an inference is based on observations or past experiences and explains about events
not directly observed. More than one inference can explain a single observation.

To make an inference, these are what you have to remember:

1. Observe an object or event.

2. Use you past experiences and think of several inferences.
3. Decide what new observations support those inferences.
4. Make new observations to determine if each of the inferences is an acceptable
explanation.

Do Activity 1.4 Making Inferences

Refer to the results of Activity 1.4. If you describe the leaves according to its color,
size, or texture, these are observations. But if you said they have been partly eaten by
pests, that statement is an inference. May be in the past you have seen leaves that have
been attacked by worms or insects.

What are your answers to the questions about the broken shell?

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If you described the shape, color, length, texture, and luster of the shell, these are
observations. If you said the shell support and protect the soft slippery body of an organism,
the statement is an inference. If you said that the shell is made up of a mineral (or calcium
carbonate), this statement is also an inference. The two statements are not based on direct
observations but rather on past experiences or knowledge. The answer to the question “what
do you think did the whole shell look like before it broke” also depends on your previous
experiences on this kind of shell.

Refer to your answers to questions about the object inside a closed metal can. Was
your guess right using only the sound produced while shaking the can? In previous
occasions, you must have experienced hearing the sound of nails inside a metal can.

Now, refer to your statements about the egg in a bottle with liquid. Did you include
statements similar to the following?

Statement 1. The egg moves up and down the liquid.

Statement 2. There are bubbles on the egg surface.
Statement 3. Bubbles are released when the egg reaches the surface of the liquid, then the
egg moves down.
Statement 4. The egg is hardboiled
Statement 5. The eggshell reacts with the liquid.
Statement 6. The bottle contains vinegar.
Statement 7. The egg will break after sometime.

Note that Statements 1 to 3 are observations while Statements 4 to 7 are inferences.

Not all sour-smelling liquids are vinegar. The egg may be raw or soft-boiled. The bubbles
may not necessarily be a reaction between the egg and the liquid. Statement 7 is a prediction
of what might happen if the egg is kept in the liquid after a period of time.

Lesson 1.5 Communicating

In the activities you performed in this module, you recorded your data in a chart,
made a diagram or drawing, and/or described what you observed. You even exchanged
some information with your classmates about what you did and observed. You were
communicating your observations as well as what you know and can do. You were also
communicating curiosity and interest in science.

In other words, when you receive or give information, you are communicating. You
use a precise language to describe an observation, or reporting a measurement, or
interpreting data.

How can you improve your communication skills? Do these:

1. Observe carefully, then describe as many properties of an object or event so that

someone can identify it.
2. Describe the changes in the properties of an object or event.
3. Describe and classify changes in the properties of an object or event.
4. Use diagrams, charts, or other visuals to communicate in addition to writing or
speaking about what is observed and learned.

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Communicating is sharing what has been learned. They say, “There is no learning if
these are not communicated or shared”.

Summary of concepts

1. Observation is a thinking skill. When asked to observe, you are led to think of
properties of the object or event. Observation may be qualitative (described in words
or drawing) or quantitative (given numerical values).

2. Classifying is a thinking skill. When asked to classify, you are led to compare and
contrast the properties of objects and events and then to group them on the basis of
an observable property.

3. Inferring is a thinking skill. When making inferences, you connect past experiences
with new data and use the experiences to explain what is currently observed.

4. Communicating is a thinking skill. When communicating, you exchange information

about what is observed or learned orally or in writing, drawing, or though charts.

5. All the thinking skills can be applied in any situation or any task.

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Activity 1.1a
Guessing Game: Observing Materials in the Classroom

Materials

Different boxes each containing materials of one kind: coins, buttons, seeds
Activity 1.1b
5 small bottles or glass each containing
Treasure Hunting:
pieces of eggshells
Observing Objects in a Nature Trail
evaporated milk
pieces of copper wire clean water
Materials vinegar
2 empty small bottles or glass
Flag markers
Hand lens
Procedure
Part A Ruler or meter stick
1. Take one object from the box. Using your sense of sight and touch describe its color,
Procedure
shape, size, texture, and special features. Put the object back in the box, close it, and
shake. Then open the box, spread the contents on the table, find your object. Describe
In this activity, you will
the features that look for in
helped five objects
finding described
it. Repeat the in the clue
activity, thiscard
timeor flag marker
letting located in
other classmates
differentdostations. Before
the guessing. you go out of the classroom, prepare a chart or table where to put your
observations.
Part B
2. Observe the contents of each bottle given by your teacher. Make as many observations
1. as
Go possible.
out into the school
You garden or
can remove playground.
the solid objects from the container but be sure to put it
back after making observations. Record your observations in the table prepared earlier.
2. Soon as you see one flag, read the clue and look for the object around.
a. What physical properties of the materials in the bottles did you observe?
3. b.
After reading
What the did
senses clue, putuse
you back
to the marker
observe in the
these same place where you found it. This will
materials?
allow
c. the
Are other
there groups to
materials find
that the similar
have clue. physical properties?
d. What property or properties make a particular material distinct from the others?
4. e.
When
Whatyoudofind
you the
thinkobject, describe
will happen it add
if you in writing or drawing.
eggshells Use as many senses as
to the vinegar?
possible. Use the hand lens, ruler or meter stick, or stick
f. What do you think will happen if you mix vinegar with milk? if needed.

Station
3. Take the1:bottle with water. Add the eggshells. Observe what happens.
Look for an object that makes a shadow. Describe the object and the shadow.
4. Take the empty bottle. Add the same amount of water as in step 3. Add milk. Observe
Station
any 2:
changes.
Look for a living thing. Describe the living thing.
5. Take one half of the vinegar and transfer this to one empty bottle. Take half of the
Station 3: and add to the vinegar. Observe what happens to the eggshells.
eggshells
Look for leaves that have holes in them. Describe the leaves.
g. Was your guess or prediction in Q5 the same as what you actually observed?
Station 4:
Look for
6. Take the objects thatthe
bottle with have rust. Describe
remaining theAdd
vinegar. object.
milk into the vinegar. Observe.
Station
h. Was5:your prediction in Q6 the same as what you actually observed?
Look for something
i. Compare that is
the results of useful
steps 3toand
you.5Describe
and stepsthe object
4 and 6. and tell why this is useful.

a. Was it easy to look for the objects? Why or why not?

Generalization
b. What senses did you use to describe each object?
Is c. How useful
observing were the
a thinking lens,
skill? Whyruler or watch
do you in describing the materials?
say so?
d. Did you notice some changes in
Give two tips to make accurate observations. the materials while you were observing them?
Describe the change/s.

Generalization
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How do measuring instruments make observations more accurate?
Give one more tip to make more detailed observations.
 Bridge Program in Science

Ruler

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Activity 1.2a
Estimating and Measuring Length

Materials

Ruler Meter stick

Tape measure A book or box or table

Procedure

1. Take a box. Estimate its length, width and height.

a. Write your estimate in your notebook. Include the units.

2. Measure its length, width and height.

b. Which of the measuring instruments did you use?

c. Why did you use it and not the others?
d. How did you report your measurements? Include the units

3. Let another member of the group take the measurements using the same instrument.

e. Are the two values near to each other?

f. Solve for the average of the two measurements.
g. Are your measurements accurate?
h. Are your measurements precise?

4. Measure your waistline.

i. What measuring instrument did you use?

j. What unit did you use?
k. How did you report your measurement?

5. Measure one side of the room. Repeat the measurement two more times.

l. What measuring instrument did you use?

m. Why did you choose that instrument over the others?
n. Are your measurements accurate?
o. Are your measurements precise?

Generalization

What is the advantage of using measuring instruments when making observations about
length or distance?

What is the difference between qualitative observations from quantitative observations?

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Activity 1.2b
Estimating and Measuring Volume of Liquids

Materials

Graduated cylinder Big empty mayonnaise bottle

Small clear empty bottles Paper cup

Procedure

Step A
1. Observe a graduated cylinder.

a. What is the maximum amount of liquid it can hold?

b. How many lines are there between two numbers in the scale?

2. Pour water in the graduated cylinder, about half of it.

c. Write down the volume reading in your notebook. Put units in your value.
d. Why did you report it that way?

3. Fill the graduated cylinder to its maximum.

4. Take the empty bottle. Pour the water into the bottle. Mark the line.

5. Fill the graduated cylinder again with water. Pour the water into the bottle. Mark the new
line.

6. Repeat the same procedure until you have calibrated the empty bottle.

Step B
7. Take a paper cup. Fill it water to the brim. Put the water in the big bottle. Mark the level of
water.

8. Repeat the same procedure until you have made a calibrated bottle.

Step C
9. Observe the container provided by your teacher.

e. Estimate the volume of water it can hold.

10. Determine the actual volume. Do this twice. Record your measurements.

f. What did you use to measure the volume of the container?

g. How far are the measurements from your estimate?

Generalization

Why do you need to repeat observations especially when using measuring instruments?

Where can you use calibrated measuring instruments in everyday life?

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Activity 1.2c
Estimating and Measuring Mass

Materials

Platform balance Plastic bag Small objects

Clean, dry sand Plastic scoop Half kilo sugar pack
or any material labeled this amount
Procedure

Step A
1. Take two half-kilo bags of sugar, or rice, or any material which are labeled half kilo (500
grams).

2. Hold one half kilo sugar on one hand and the other half kilo on the other hand. Repeat this
procedure several times to get the feel of the half kilo.

3. Get a plastic bag and put clean dry sand into it. Tie the opening tightly.

4. Put one half kilo bag of sugar on one hand and the sand bag on the other hand. Add or
subtract sand if needed until you get the closest value to the standard half kilo.

a. What will you do to get the feel of a one kilo object? Or a one-fourth kilo?
b. Where can you use this skill of estimating masses?

Step B
5. Observe the balance. Describe it.

6. Using the picture right, locate these parts.

7. Take a small object. Put it on the right pan.

c. Describe what happens to the balance.

8. Move the rider to balance the pans. The pans are

balanced if the pointer swings at equal distance
on both sides from the zero point.

9. Read and record the mass. If your object is big, use the standard masses.

10. What is the mass? What unit did you use?

11. Repeat the measurement two more times.

12. Are your measurements precise? Are they accurate?

13. How do you know?

Generalization

How useful is the skill of estimating masses in daily life?

Why is using a standard instrument like the balance more acceptable than just estimating
the mass of an object?

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Activity 1.3
Comparing and Classifying

Materials

Plants in a garden

Procedure

1. Observe plants in the garden. Name the plants if you can.

a. Group the plants. Think of an observable property used to group them.

b. Show the grouping in a diagram similar to the example below

Plants in the garden

With thorns Without thorns

2. b Take a second look at the plants. Make another grouping.

d. What observable property is used to group them this time?

e. Make another diagram to show this grouping

3. Observe the plants again. Group them in another way.

f. Show the grouping in a diagram.

g. Describe the basis for grouping them this way.

4. Try grouping them in other ways.

h. Into how many more ways can you classify the plants?
i. What is the basis for each grouping?

5. Go back to your first diagram. You have a one-level grouping. If you chose to group
plants into flowering and non-flowering, what will you put under each subgroup?

j. Add a second level to your diagram.

k. What is the basis for putting them in that level?

Generalization

Why is it useful to classify objects and events in different ways?

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Activity 1.4
Making Inferences

Materials

Leaves with holes

A broken shell
Covered can to be provided by your teacher
A bottle with vinegar and boiled egg

Procedure

1. Observe leaves with holes.

a. Write three statements about the leaves.

b. Which statement/s is/are based on direct observation?
c. Which statement/s is/are based on past experiences?

2. Observe the broken shell.

d. Write three statements about the broken shell.

e. Which statement/s is/are based on direct observation?
f. Which statement/s is/are based on past experiences?
g. What do you think the whole shell looked like?
h. How did you arrive at this answer?

3. Shake the container and observe the sound produced.

i. Infer and draw what you think is inside the can.

j. Open the container and circle the number of inferences that were correct.
k. Explain how shaking the container helped you infer the object inside.

4. Observe the bottle with egg in a liquid.

l. Write at least five statements about the bottle and its contents.
m. Which statement/s is/are based on direct observation?
n. Which statement/s is/are based on past experiences?

Generalization

Why is it NOT good to make only one inference about an observation?

How can you verify which inference is correct or acceptable?

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Exercise 1.1
How Quick Are You at Noting Changes?

This exercise is best done after Activity 1.1 and 1.2.

Materials

Paper/notebook Pencil pen

Procedure

Part A

1. Get a partner. Face each other. Observe each other.

2. In five minutes, make a list of features of your partner. Keep the list to yourself.

3. About face. Change at least three things in you.

4. Face each other again. Observe the changes.

5. Discuss the changes.

a. What physical properties did you observe in your partner?

b. Which of the properties did you describe in words (qualitative observation)? Which
did you describe using numbers (quantitative observations?
c. Were you able to easily observe the changes made by your partner? Why or why
not?
Part B

6. Form a big circle with your other classmates.

7. Your teacher will describe one of your classmates.

8. Guess who the person is being describe.

d. What is easy to identify the person? Why or why not?

e. What features did that person have which enabled you to identify her/him?

Part C

9. Look out of the window of your classroom.

10. In two minutes, observe at least five things.

11. Discuss your observations with another person.

12. Go back and observe again.

f. Which of the things earlier observed changed?

g. What things usually change?

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Exercise 1.2
How Near the True Values Are Your Estimates?

Materials

Tape measure
Ruler or meterstick

Procedure

1. Choose any object in the room (e.g., table, cabinet, poster, widow sill, door).

a. Estimate the length of the object you have chosen. Use metre or centimetre to
report your measurements.
b. Measure the length using any of the measuring instruments given.
c. Compare your estimate with the actual value.

2. Choose another object. Repeat 1a to 1c above.

3. Choose another object. Repeat 1a to 1c.

4. Your teacher will describe one object in the room. The descriptions will be qualitative.
Guess the object being described.

5. Your teacher will describe one object in the room. The descriptions will be quantitative this
time. Guess the object being described.

a. How near the true value was your estimate of the length in step 1?
b. How near the true value was your estimate in step 2?
c. How near the true value was your estimate in step 3?
d. Were you able to guess the object in step 4 based on the word descriptions only?
Why or why not?
e. How did the quantitative descriptions help in guessing the object?

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Exercise 1.3
Sorting Things

Materials

Seeds
Leaf

Procedure

Part A

1. In your group, choose one seed from the seed box or a dry fallen leaf in the school ground.

2. Describe the characteristics of the object you chose to observe.

3. Think of a name for your object.

Part B

1. Put all the seeds or leaves together. Observe similarities and differences.

2. Separate the collection into two piles according to one distinguishing characteristics.

3. Continue to separate each group according to a single characteristic, until each group
contains only one leaf or seed.

4. Record your classification on this key. You may need a larger piece of paper.

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Exercise 1.4
Differentiating Observations from Inferences

Materials

A paper boat
Paper clips
Ruler

Procedure

Part A

1. Give as many statements as possible about the paper boat given to you.

2. List the statements in your notebook.

a. What senses did you use to make these statements?

b. Identify which of these statements are qualitative observations? Quantitative
observations?
c. Identify which are direct observations and which are inferences.

Part B

3. Put the paper boat into a bowl of water.

4. Observe what happens. Write your observations in your notebook. Use complete
sentences.

5. Put two clips at a time unto the paper boat. Describe what happens.

6. Predict how many paper clips will make the boat sink.

7. Try adding more clips to find out if your guess to Step 4 is correct.

d. Identify which of these statements are qualitative observations? Quantitative

observations?
e. Identify which are direct observations and which are inferences.
f. Explain the basis for making the guess in step 4 above.
g. Did your other classmates use the same number of clips to sink their boat?
Explain your answer.

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 Bridge Program in Science

What you have learned

1. Given the following statements, identify which are observations and which are
inferences.

a. The mango is sweet.

b. Ana cried last night.
c. The bottle contains water.
d. Mario is two centimetres taller than Ben.
e. The jeep is emitting black smoke.
f. Peter has stomach ache because he ate lots of food in the party.
g. The air temperature today is lower than that of yesterday.

2. In the box below is a list of some animals in the Philippines.

bat, chicken, crocodile, lizard, monkey, parrot, owl, snake,

turtle, shark, frog, goat, horse, cow, tilapia,

h. Group the animals in three ways.

i. What is the basis for each grouping?
j. To which group will you add bayawak?
k. Why will you add it to this group?

3. Which student has a better way of recording data? Explain your choice.

Student 1
Area of study: School garden
Date of data collection: December 10, 2004

Time of data collection Air temperature (0C)

8:00 A.M 18.0
9:30 A M. 20.0
12: 00 Noon 24.5
2:30 P.M. 25.0
5:00 P.M 20.0

Student 2
Area of study: School garden

Time of data collection Air temperature (0C)

8:00 A.M. 18.5
9:00 A.M 20.0
12:00 Noon 25.0
1:00 P.M. 26.5
5: 00P.M 19.0

4. Mina is suffering from diarrhea. Give three possible explanations for Mina’s problem.

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