After attending my first ever primary science workshop last Saturday, (see review here) I am back for another 1.5 hours session which focuses on science process skills. Conducted by assessment books author Miss Low Wai Cheng, she outlined the framework of the primary school science and in particular the process skills needed to excel in this subject – SCIENCE.

There are 3 important dimensions of Science which are the content (which is primary what is taught in the textbooks) the processes of doing science (which is the science process skills) and scientific attitudes (being curious and imaginative, enthusiastic etc)

This is the Singapore Science curriculum framework outlining the 3 important dimensions in the 3 triangles. In a nutshell, the science curriculum seek to nurture the student as the inquirer.

This workshop outlines the 11 skills and 3 processes in the framework

Skills

1.Observing (lower block)  – uses five sense to make good observation, and most important as it is the foundation to all the other science process skillls

2. Comparing (lower block) – identifying similarities and differences

3. Classifying (lower block) – sort objects into group based on their observations

4. Using apparatus and equipment (not tested for psle)

5. Communicating

6. Inferring (upper block) – explanation and interpretation from observations

7. Predicting (upper block) – guessing the outcome based on observations

8. Analysing

9. Generating possibilities

10. Evaluating

11. Formulating hypothesis (upper block)

Some skills set like classification tends to be used across all levels.  As the workshop was a short session, the trainer did not go into details process skills 8-11 which are of higher order thinking.

This is the difference between observation, inferring and predicting from the same picture.

Processes

1. Creative problem-solving

2. Planning investigation

3. Decision-making

The trainer also went through a few model questions (not to get the answers) but to identify the science process skills that is required to answer the question.In school, teachers are not only teaching the contents but also strengthening their process skills in order to excel in science. We as parents also can weave such process skills in our daily lives by asking questions based on our daily experiences ie when taking out an apple, where did the water droplets on the apple come from? We are also plan regular trips to science centre, zoo, parks or botanical garden to observe, explore and discuss natural phenomena.

This workshop only serve as an introduction to all the 11 science process skills for primary school science. For more in-depth workshop on science process skills, there are 2 other workshops – one for upper block process skills and one for lower block process skills.

For the complete list of parents science workshops in Term 1 (priced at SGD 20 or SGD35 for 1.5 hrs or 3 hrs workshop respectively) , click here. For the other subjects, click here

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.