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PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE FOR TEACHERS

Process Skills
Process skills are a means for learning and are essential to the conduct of science. Perhaps the best way to teachprocess skills is to let students carry out scientific investigations and then to point out the process skills they used in the course of the investigations. Look for and encourage the use of thefollowing skills in your classroom:

Observing
An observation is simply a record of a sensory experience. Observations are made using all five senses. Scientists use observation skills in collecting data.Communicating
Communicating is the process of sharing information with others. Communication can take many different forms: oral, written, nonverbal, or symbolic. Communication is essential inscience, given its collaborative nature.

Measuring
Measuring is the process of making observations that can be stated in numerical terms. All scientific measurements should be given in SI units.Comparing
Comparing involves assessing different objects, events, or outcomes for similarities. This skill allows students to recognize any commonality that exists between seemingly differentsituations. A companion skill to comparing is contrasting, in which objects, events, or outcomes are evaluated according to their differences.

Contrasting
Contrasting involves evaluating the ways in whichobjects, events, or outcomes are different. Contrasting is a way of finding subtle differences between otherwise similar objects, events, or outcomes.

Organizing
Organizing is the process ofarranging data into a logical order so the information is easier to analyze and understand. The organizing process includes sequencing, grouping, and classifying data by making tables and charts, plottinggraphs, and labeling diagrams.

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PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE FOR TEACHERS

Process Skills continued
Classifying
Classifying involves grouping items into like...