Science Enquiry
What is Enquiry?
Enquiry means asking a scientific question and testing it through observation and experiment to find the truth or explanation.
Scientific knowledge grows through careful investigation and enquiry.
Main Stages of a Scientific Enquiry
Every scientific enquiry has three main stages:
- Setting up the enquiry
- This means starting and preparing the investigation.
- You decide what you want to find out and get ready with materials and equipment.
- Planning and purpose
- This means deciding the aim (what you want to find) and the steps (how you will do it).
- You make a plan and list the procedure.
- Carrying it out
- This means doing the test or experiment to get results and find answers to your question.
The first people to really begin to have ideas about the world were the Ancient Greeks.
Key Terms in a Scientific Enquiry
| Scientific Term | Detective Analogy | Condensed Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Question | “Why did the vault open?” | The starting mystery or question to be solved. |
| Hypothesis | “The butler did it with the new key.” | A testable guess explaining the mystery. |
| Prediction | “If the butler used the new key, the old lock won’t be broken.” | What you expect to see if your hypothesis is true. |
| Investigation | Gathering clues at the scene. | The general process to find information. |
| Experiment | Recreating the crime in a controlled setting. | A controlled test done to check the hypothesis. |
| Variables | The key, the time, the lock, the witness’s shoes. | Things that can change or are kept the same in an experiment. |
| Independent Variable | The Key Used (changed by the detective). | The factor you change or test. |
| Dependent Variable | The Broken Lock (result of the change). | The factor you measure as a result. |
| Control Variable | The Vault (same for every test). | The factor you keep constant to make it a fair test. |
| Fair Test | Only changing one key at a time. | An experiment where only one variable changes. |
| Trend | The thief always strikes after midnight. | A change in data that happens over time. |
| Pattern | The thief always leaves a red glove. | A result that repeats consistently. |
| Anomalous Result | Finding a blue glove this time. | A piece of data that does not fit the pattern. |
| Data | The collected clues (fingerprints, timings, notes). | The measurements and observations collected. |
Thinking and Working Scientifically
Models and Representations
Scientists collect and study data during investigations. To explain what they find, they often use models.
Models make scientific information easier to understand and explain.
What is a Model?
A model helps us understand objects, systems, or processes in science.
It can be used to explain ideas or make predictions.
Types of Models
- Physical Models
- These are 3D (three-dimensional) objects you can see and touch.
- Examples:
- A model of an electric circuit.
- A model showing Earth orbiting the Sun using balls.
- An aquarium used as a model of a pond.
- Conceptual Models
- These show relationships between things being studied.
- Example: The Earth orbiting the Sun can also be a conceptual model, because it explains how they are related.
- Conceptual models often include drawings, diagrams, photos, charts, or equations.
Every model has limitations, meaning it may not show everything exactly as it is in reality.
What is an Analogy?
An analogy is a comparison between something unfamiliar and something familiar to help us understand it better.
Example:
A boiled egg can represent the structure of the Earth:
- Shell = Earth’s Crust
- White = Earth’s Mantle
- Yolk = Earth’s Core
Such analogies make complex things easier to understand by comparing them with simple ones we already know.
Another Example of Analogy:
A football and a table tennis ball can be used to model the Sun and the Earth:
- Football represents the Sun.
- Table tennis ball represents the Earth.
When one person holds the football and another walks around it with the table tennis ball, it shows how the Earth moves around the Sun.
Creative Thinking in Science
What is Creative Thinking?
Many people think creative thinking only means doing artistic work (like writing poems or painting),
but in science, it means something more.
Creative thinking in science helps scientists:
- Think freely about questions and problems.
- Come up with new ideas and suggestions that can be tested.
- Find connections between ideas and information.
- Develop or support a scientific theory.
So, creative thinking means using imagination and curiosity to understand the world and find new solutions.
Why Scientists Need Creative Thinking
Scientists need creative thinking when:
- Planning investigations.
- Building models.
- Testing new ideas.
It helps them design better methods, find new explanations, and make discoveries.
(Just like students preparing in the lab to explore and learn through experiments.)
How to Develop Creative Thinking
To become a creative thinker:
- Have many ideas.
- Think deeply about what you observe.
- Keep researching, experimenting, and questioning.
The more you do these things, the better your creative thinking becomes.
Example Activity
Suppose you have two blocks made of different materials, and you want to compare them.
You can design your own tests to find differences between them.
Tests You Can Try:
- Bend each block – to check which one is harder or more flexible.
- Scratch the corner of each block on a surface – to see which one leaves a deeper mark (shows hardness).
- Hit each block lightly with a hammer – to see which one cracks or marks more easily (shows strength).
- Put a few drops of water on each block – to observe which one absorbs or resists water.
- Place both blocks in warm water – and check for any change (like color or softness).
- Test for electricity – connect each block to a simple circuit (battery, wire, and bulb) to see if it conducts electricity.
In Short
Creative thinking in science means being:
- Curious
- Imaginative
- Experimental
It’s not just about art — it’s about finding new ways to explore, test, and explain the things around us.
Thought-Showering
What is Thought-Showering?
A thought-showering activity is a creative thinking exercise done in a small group (usually 5–7 people) to produce new ideas.
How It Works:
- A problem is given to the group.
- Everyone gives different ideas on how it could be solved or investigated.
- One person writes down all ideas as they are shared.
During this activity, no one judges or discusses ideas.
Even strange or simple ideas are written down, because one small idea can lead to a great one.
After collecting many ideas, the group:
- Stops the session.
- Chooses the best ideas from the list to try or test.
From Measurement to Calculation
When scientists collect measurements during an experiment, they don’t just record them —
they also use these measurements to calculate other information.
These calculations help answer more questions and give a better understanding of the results.
For example:
- If scientists measure speed and time, they can calculate distance.
This shows how calculations help turn raw data into useful information,
which supports further scientific enquiry.
✅ Final Summary:
- Science enquiry means asking and testing questions to find the truth.
- It includes setting up, planning, and carrying out an investigation.
- Scientists use models and analogies to explain and predict.
- Creative thinking helps in exploring, testing, and understanding ideas in new ways.
- Thought-showering helps generate ideas in groups.
- Measurements and calculations together build deeper scientific understanding.