Overview
The skills described in standard PS.1 are intended to define the “investigate” component of all of the other Physical Science standards (PS.2 – PS.11). The intent of standard PS.1 is that students will continue to develop a range of inquiry skills and achieve proficiency with those skills in the context of the concepts developed in the Physical Science curriculum. Standard PS.1 does not require a discrete unit on scientific investigation because the inquiry skills that make up the standard should be incorporated in all the other Physical Science standards. It is also intended that by developing these skills, students will achieve greater understanding of scientific inquiry and the nature of science, as well as more fully grasp the content-related Standards of Learning concepts. Models, simulations, and current applications are used throughout the course in order to learn and reinforce science concepts.
Across the grade levels, kindergarten through high school, the skills in the first standards form a nearly continuous sequence. It is very important that the Physical Science teacher be familiar with the skills in the sequence leading up to standard PS.1 (LS.1, 6.1, 5.1, 4.1).
PS.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in which a) chemicals and equipment are used safely; b) length, mass, volume, density, temperature, weight, and force are accurately measured; c) conversions are made among metric units, applying appropriate prefixes; d) triple beam and electronic balances, thermometers, metric rulers, graduated cylinders, probeware, and spring scales are used to gather data; e) numbers are expressed in scientific notation where appropriate; f) independent and dependent variables, constants, controls, and repeated trials are identified; g) data tables showing the independent and dependent variables, derived quantities, and the number of trials are constructed and interpreted; h) data tables for descriptive statistics showing specific measures of central tendency, the range of the data set, and the number of repeated trials are constructed and interpreted; i) frequency distributions, scatterplots, line plots, and histograms are constructed and interpreted; j) valid conclusions are made after analyzing data; k) research methods are used to investigate practical problems and questions; l) experimental results are presented in appropriate written form; m) models and simulations are constructed and used to illustrate and explain phenomena; and n) current applications of physical science concepts are used.
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Essential Understandings |
Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes |
The critical scientific concepts developed in this standard include the following:
a) the natural world is understandable; b) science is based on evidence - both observational and experimental; c) science is a blend of logic and innovation; d) scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected; e) science is a complex social endeavor; and f) scientists try to remain objective and engage in peer review to help avoid bias.
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In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will
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