Into the Field 1

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ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
Students make observations about a set of objects they will use in the activities in this
book. After the objects have been removed, they try to list what they have seen. They
work as a group to name or completely describe as many of the objects as possible.
The names of common pieces of equipment and the metric system of measurement
are introduced.

KEY CONCEPTS AND PROCESS SKILLS

(with correlation to NSE 5–8 Content Standards)
1. One way to gather data is through direct observation. Accurate and complete
observations are important for making conclusions about the natural world.
(Inquiry: 1)
2. Scientists sometimes work together to gather evidence and make conclusions.
(History and Nature of Science: 1)
3. Scientists use tools to collect data. (Inquiry: 1)
4. Scientists use common units of measurement to collect data. This system is
known as the metric or international system (SI). (Inquiry: 1)

KEY VOCABULARY
centimeters (cm)
observation
opaque/ transparent/ translucent (optional)
metric system
milliliters (mL)

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Activity 1 • Into the Field

MATERIALS AND ADVANCE PREPARATION

For the teacher
1 Transparency 1.1, “Identifying Equipment”
1 Literacy Transparency 1, ”Key to Analysis Icons”
* 1 overhead projector
* 1 pair of scissors
* tape
* 8 trays
* 2 soft drink bottles, one colorless and one green (optional)
* 1 newspaper (optional)
For each group of four students
1 set of Object Labels
1 set of objects such as:
2 clear colorless wide-mouthed plastic cups, one set inside the other
1 translucent plastic 30-mL graduated cup containing 10 mL of
light brown soil of small-sized particles
1 clear, colorless plastic 15-cm metric ruler
1 clear, colorless plastic tube (12 cm x 3 cm)
1 clear, colorless plastic 50-mL graduated cylinder containing
20 mL of water
1 clear, colorless plastic dropper with opaque black rubber top
1 white plastic number cube
1 clear, colorless plastic 3-mL pipette
1 clear, colorless plastic magnifying lens
1 opaque white plastic spoon
1 rock with pink, white, and gray spots (about 2 cm x 3 cm x 3 cm)
1 strip of shiny brown metal
1 clear, colorless plastic SEPUP tray with five large cups and nine
small cups
1 clear red plastic film (5 cm x 5 cm)
1 hard white opaque tile (2 cm x 5 cm)
* 1 pair of transparent safety goggles (descriptions will vary)
For each student
1 Student Sheet 1.1, “Recording Observations”

*Not supplied in kit

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 Into the Field • Activity 1

For each group, put together sets of objects such as the ones suggested in the
Materials list. Placing the objects on a cafeteria tray may make them easier to handle.
It may be appropriate for your students to use fewer objects than the set suggested above.

The large sheet of newspaper can be used to cover the objects while students make their
lists. Otherwise, the objects should be moved out of sight during part of the activity.

Copy and cut apart the sheet of labels so that each group will have a set to use during
the activity. DO NOT pass out labels to students until Step 4 of the Procedure.

The master for Literacy Transparency 2, “Key to Analysis Icons,” can be found in the
Literacy section of Teacher Resources II: Diverse Learners.

TEACHING SUMMARY
Getting Started
1. Instruct students to describe objects as completely as possible.
2. Introduce the SEPUP 4-2-1 cooperative learning model.

Doing the Activity

3. Students make observations and record descriptions.
4. Student groups receive a set of Object Labels to identify each object.

Follow-Up
5. Introduce the use of Analysis Questions and icons.
6. The class discusses the use of names, descriptions, and scientific language.if t

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Metric System and SI Units
Hundreds of years ago, most countries had their own measuring systems, many of
which had several units for measuring the same thing, such as inches, feet, yards, and
miles for distance. In the late 18th century, French scientists developed a standardized
system of measurement based on decimals called the metric system. The system was
modernized and named the International System of Units (or SI, from the French Le
Système International d’Unités) in 1960. The SI has seven base units, such as the second
(s) for time, from which all other units are derived (for example, frequency is
measured in hertz, which is equivalent to 1/s). By the 1970s, more than 20 countries
had passed legislation adopting the SI system as their only legal measurement. Since
then, numerous other countries have followed their example.

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Activity 1 • Into the Field

In common usage, the SI system is often referred to as the metric system. Table 1,
“Metric vs. English Units,” presents the more common metric and English units. To
express larger or smaller measurements, the metric system uses a series of prefixes
based on powers of 10, rather than fractions or differently named units. Each power of
10 has its own prefix, such as kilo- for 1,000 (103) and milli- for 1/1,000 (10-3). Table 2,
“Common Metric Prefixes,” presents some of these prefixes.

Table 1: Metric vs. English Units

Metric Units English Units

Length meter inch, foot, yard, mile

Mass kilogram, gram ounce*, pound, ton

Temperature kelvin**, degrees Celsius degrees Fahrenheit

cubic inch, ounce*, cup, pint, quart,

Volume cubic meter, liter
gallon, teaspoon, tablespoon

* The ounce is both a unit of mass and a unit of volume, as is a dram. The graduated cups supplied
in the equipment kit are marked in U.S. fluid drams, and 1 U.S. fluid dram equals 3.7 mL, or
1/ fluid ounce.
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** One degree Celsius (ºC) is exactly equal to a degree on the kelvin (K) scale. Zero degrees on the
Celsius scale is the freezing point of water and zero degrees on the Kelvin scale is absolute zero
(-273.15°C). Thus, a kelvin temperature reading is always 273.15 degrees higher than its equivalent
in degrees Celsius.

Table 2: Common Metric Prefixes

Prefix Equivalent Value

nano (n) one billionth (1/1,000,000,000)

micro (µ) one millionth (1/1,000,000)

milli (m) one thousandth (1/1,000)

centi (c) one hundredth (1/100)

deci (d) one tenth (1/10)

hecto (h) one hundred (100)

kilo (k) one thousand (1,000)

mega (M) one million (1,000,000)

giga (G) one billion (1,000,000,000)

tera (T) one trillion (1,000,000,000,000)

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 Into the Field • Activity 1

TEACHING SUGGESTIONS n Teacher’s Note: The terms transparent, translucent,

and opaque are primarily used in Unit B, “Rocks and
GETTING STARTED Minerals.”

1. Instruct students to describe objects as 2. Introduce the SEPUP 4-2-1 cooperative

completely as possible. learning model.

This introductory activity is similar to many memory Many of the activities in this book utilize the SEPUP
games students may have played. You may want to 4-2-1 cooperative learning model. Four students are
review the procedure before beginning. expected to share certain materials, pairs of
Explain that during the activity students can use students work together to conduct an experiment or
the name of the object to identify it. However, the solve a problem, and each student is responsible for
names of the objects should be as descriptive as recording data and observations.
possible. Let students know that if they don’t know
In this activity, the role of the student pair is limited.
the name of the object, they should describe it
In most laboratory activities, each pair of students
completely enough so that someone else can identify
within a group of four is expected to complete the
the object. This initial approach, where students
procedure. For this reason, the equipment kit
describe objects from memory, provides a very
typically contains materials in either sets of 16 (for
motivating introduction for students and begins an
each pair of students in a class of 32 students) or 8
important discussion about scientific language and
(to be shared among a group of four).
tools. This approach is not meant to model how
scientists work, in the sense that a scientist generally Pairs of students within a group of four are expected
does not work from memory in this way. to talk to each other and discuss discrepancies in
data or observations. Often, the other pair in a
Use the example of a soft drink bottle to demonstrate
group is the first source for solutions to minor
how observations and descriptions are related. The
problems, and students may correct misunder-
bottle can be identified as a “soft drink bottle.”
standings or incorrectly understood procedures
However, soft drink bottles are available in several
without teacher involvement. Collaboration is
colors and sizes and can be made of different
essential to the development of new ideas and to a
materials. Describing a bottle as a “transparent,
better understanding of scientific concepts and
colorless, plastic 2-liter bottle” would be more
should not be considered “cheating.” Students may
complete. Point out that transparent refers to being
have difficulty distinguishing when working
able to see through it, whereas colorless refers to the
together is appropriate, so be sure to clarify which
lack of color. The word translucent is used to
situations are appropriate for collaboration and
describe objects that can be seen through, but not
which are appropriate for working independently.
clearly, such as wax paper. Translucent objects
should not be confused with an object that has color
but is clear to see through, like the green soda bottle
DOING THE ACTIVIT Y
or a sunglass lens. A green bottle can be both clear 3. Students make observations and record
and have color. Opaque objects, such as paper, are descriptions.
non-transparent, meaning that light does not travel
Have students begin the investigation and observe
through them. By using and clarifying these terms
the objects. After one minute, remove the objects or
in your demonstration, you will also help introduce
use a sheet of newspaper to cover them. Hand out
some of the vocabulary students can use in describing
Student Sheet 1.1, ”Recording Observations,” and
objects in this activity.
have students record their observations.

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Activity A-1 • Into the Field
After students have completed their individual
descriptions, have them work together in groups of
four to create a single list of objects on Row B of
Student Sheet 1.1.
4. Student groups receive a set of labels to iden-
tify each object.
Explain to students that they will use many of the
objects for this activity and throughout the course.
The labels refer to the objects by their common
names and provide a short description of each item.
Provide each group with a precut set of “Object
Labels,” that can be placed with each item. Encourage
students to work together to use the descriptions on
the labels to deduce the name of each object. Have
students place labels next to objects or provide
some tape for them to attach the labels directly to
the objects. When students have finished labeling
the objects, they total the number of objects that the
group identified or described accurately in the last
column of Student Sheet 1.1.
Students should work together to record the names
of any objects that the group forgot, or did not describe
well enough to recognize, in Row C on Student
Sheet 1.1. You may wish to use Transparency 1.1,
“Identifying Equipment,” to review the names of
some of the objects that will be more commonly
used in this book.
FOLLOW-UP
5. Introduce the use of Analysis Questions
and icons.
Point out to students that each activity in this book
includes Analysis Questions to help guide them in
their learning. You may wish to use Literacy
Transparency 1, “Key to Analysis Icons,” to explain
the meaning of the icons used with the questions.
The icons suggest which questions are most appro-
priately answered as a class, by student groups, by
student pairs, or by each student individually. This
helps manage the activity because it identifies
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which questions are conducive to discussion and
which are not. In general, it is not expected that
students will provide written responses to questions
identified by group of four or class icons. However,
students should write responses to questions identi-
fied with a “1-student” icon. Assessment questions
are completed individually and are identified with
a “1-student” icon. Not all questions have icons; in
many instances, how these questions are handled
will depend on what aspect of the activity is being
emphasized.
If you plan to provide alternative instructions for
the icons suggested in the book, you can use Literacy
Transparency 2 to post your own set of modified
directions.
6. The class discusses the use of names,
descriptions, and scientific language.
Begin a class discussion of student responses by
holding up an object, such as the rock, and asking
students, How did you first describe this? Many
students will have initially described it simply as a
“rock.” Ask students for a more complete description,
which would include, for example, particular
shapes or distinctive coloring. Record the additional
responses on a board and discuss the similarities
and differences in student descriptions.
Students will have focused on different aspects
(such as color, size, or shape) of the same object;
point out how a single object can result in many
different observations. Ask, Which are the most
helpful observations in telling this object apart from
a similar one? Emphasize the idea that it is most
useful to describe the most unique or distinguishing
characteristics of an object.
Explain that the names of objects are shorthand for
more complete descriptions that explain the
appearance and the function of an object. For
example, referring to an object as a “50-mL graduated
cylinder” means that someone familiar with these
words would recognize an object used to measure
the amount of a liquid (up to 50 milliliters) and

that the object would be marked with a scale (or
graduated) for measurement.
When discussing Analysis Question 2, have students
compare their individual and group descriptions.
Ask students whether their individual or group lists
were more complete and accurate. Encourage the
class to notice whether each individual within the
group was able to make his or her own special con-
tributions. For example, one student may have
been able to remember more objects, while another
may have provided more complete descriptions.
You may want to explain that scientists contribute
different efforts as part of completing a project.
When reviewing student discussion of Analysis
Question 3, highlight the goals scientists have for
scientific language:
• To use defined words that do not require extensive
description or explanation. For example, since
most people know what the earth is, it is not
always necessary to describe what the earth
looks like.
• To use precise words to describe or communicate
some aspect of the natural world. For example,
if a person encounters a landform, it is important
to use the correct word to describe it scientifically.
A mountain, a hill, and a butte have different
meanings; words must be used correctly to
convey their proper meaning.
• To communicate an experimental procedure or
results in a clear way so that they can be
duplicated all over the world. Common scientific
terminology allows scientists to collaborate and
corroborate on findings.
Analysis Question 5 introduces the units of
measurement commonly used in this book. Use the
question to review or introduce units such as
milliliter (mL) and centimeter (cm). Students are
expected to become more familiar with these units
as they use them throughout this book. Measurements
are discussed in the activities in which the units
are used so that the information is relevant to
the student.
Into the Field • Activity 1
When discussing units of measurement, point out
that some tools use the same units of measurement
but can have different functions. For example, a
graduated cylinder and a pipette both measure
volume. A graduated cylinder may be more useful
for measuring the total amount of a liquid (for
example, the amount produced at the end of a
reaction), while a pipette is more useful for
withdrawing a specific amount of liquid from a
larger amount (for example, removing 2 mL of the
produced liquid for testing).
n Teacher’s Note: Volume is often measured using
two equivalent units: milliters and cubic centimeters.
A milliliter of liquid is equal to 1 cubic centimeter
(cm3) of the same substance.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1. Read your object descriptions again. Select
one that you think could be more complete and
rewrite it, giving a more complete description of the
object.
One example is the 30-mL graduated cup. A
student might describe it as a “clear cup,” but a
more complete description would also indicate
the volume it holds and its composition. An even
more complete description might state that it is
a translucent, plastic, colorless cup that can
measure up to 30 mL in varying increments.
2. Modern scientists often work together in
groups. What are the possible benefits
of this?
People working together are often able to collect
more complete and accurate information than
individuals working on their own.
3. When is it important for scientists to
describe objects completely?
Complete descriptions are important when
others need to identify the object, so that
experiments can be duplicated or so that a new
phenomenon can be recognized around the
world. Scientists generally tend to describe the
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Activity 1 • Into the Field

natural world more accurately and completely a. Which units are familiar to you?
than is necessary in everyday life. Some students It is likely that centimeters and liters are
may say that resources are valuable because familiar metric units to students. Most
they cost a lot of money. Point out that the cost students are probably familiar with most of
of an item is an indicator of its value, and the English units.
encourage students to be more specific by
b. Which of the units below were found on
asking why the item costs a lot of money.
the objects you observed in this activity?
4. You are an explorer who has discovered a Centimeters (ruler)
mountain, which is then named after you. You tell
Milliliters (graduated cylinder, graduated
a friend how to get to your mountain. Should you
cup, and pipette)
tell your friend the name of the mountain, describe
Ounces (graduated cup)
how it looks, or both? Explain.
Not all the units found on the equipment are
Describing how the mountain looks would help
listed in the table. For example, the 30-mL
your friend find the mountain, particularly if he
cup is marked in many different units,
or she does not know the area. Over time,
including drams. The dram is not included in
however, the name of the mountain will become
the table because it is an uncommon unit.
more meaningful as people become familiar
c. Choose three of the units listed below and give
with it.
an example of something commonly measured
5. Many of the objects you observed are used for with each one.
measurement. The system of measurement most Possible examples include the following:
commonly used in the United States is known as the
Inches, centimeters: paper size, pencil length
English system. In most other countries, the metric
system is more commonly used. Feet: height of a person
Yards: football field length
Look at the table below.
Miles, kilometers, meters: distance to next
Units of Measurement town, race distance
Common Common Ounces, pounds: food items such as fruit,
English Units Metric Units cheese, and grains
centimeters,
inches, feet, Grams: paperclips, candy bars
Length meters,
yards, miles
kilometers Cups: cooking recipes
grams, Quarts, gallons, liters: bottled drinks
Mass ounces, pounds
kilograms
cups, quarts,
Volume milliliters, liters
gallons

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