To observe an objects means to carefully explore all of its properties such as colour, texture, odor, shape, weight, volume

or temperature.

1. OBSERVING

Using one or more of the senses to collect information about object and phenomenon Sight It looks like Hearing- It sounds like.. Taste It taste like Touch It feels like Smell It smell like (Frame of reference)

The most basic skill in science Essential to the development of other science process skills Types of observation Qualitative the car is blue Quantitative that cow has four horns

Observe the aquarium below

Acceptable responses

Some fish are bigger than others There are six species of fish in the aquarium Water lilies are located at the right The fish at the bottom is red

Unacceptable responses that are not observations

The

big and the small fishes dont like each other More fish could live in the aquarium The small fish are babies of the big fish Fish near the top is breathing air The water lilies will not have enough air
Describe only what you observed. Do not infer, guess or predict.

During
Fibrous

strands turn black Upper part of flame is bright yellow Liquid material drips down at the side of candle Some of the liquid solidifies on a cooler part of the candle

After
White

Solid

irregular in shape Exposed part of fibrous strands is black Mass: 1 g Height of wax at highest point is 3 mm 2 cm long

Observing Changes
Some observations that could be made

Before White Slight odor Undetectable taste Cylindrical in shape One end flat, other end cone shaped Soft material composed strands

Mass: 2 gm 5 cm long 5mm diameter Each strand is 0.5 mm in diameter coil extends 5 mm above tip of cone

Stage 1: Observing

Observation

Senses

Qualitative

Quantitative

Stage 2: Observing the process (event, phenomenon)

Before
Qualitative Quantitative

After
Qualitative Quantitative

During
Qualitative Quantitative

Types of Observation: 1. Qualitative 2. Quantitative

Objects Observing Process 1. Before Qualitative Quantitative

Similarities Differences Pattern Classifying

2. During
3. After

1. Flashes from a torchlight 1. The pattern (like morse code) 2. The time intervals (time-space relationship not appropriate because it is hard to determine the distance travelled by light)

3. Oberving seed grows 1. Label all the seeds

2. Sketch each seed

3. Qualitative (scratches, etc.) 4. Quantitative (measuring the length, diameter)

2. Observing cockroach
1. Sketch 2. Qualitative 3. Quantitative (remember to measure the length and the width: might be able to estimate the age)

5. Carry out observation on fixed intervals (should also record the time, and the date)

A Few Important Things To Remember Regarding Doing Observation

1. Never interpret 2. Experience counts 3. Limitations of senses - always think of how to improve the procedure (method), ways of analyzing data, using appropriate instruments 4. Remind the students about dangerous of certain things