Applied Science - Science and Math (4C)
Pre Lab 

   
OBJECTIVES:
  • Comparing and contrasting the subfields of science.
  • Classifying sciences.
VOCABULARY:
  • data
  • qualitative
  • quantitative
  • science
MATERIALS:
  •  Internet
     reference material 

Students use a worksheet to compare different fields in science.

BACKGROUND:

Students should be familiar with the difference between qualitative and quantitative.  Stress that qualitative is more observation (data is in the form of descriptive terms) and quantitative stresses repeatable experiments that collects numerical data.  Quantitative is a  mathematical treatment of observations.  See if students can describe different fields of science and determine if the majority of that science is qualitative or quantitative.  Discuss more details about each field and include the type of careers available in each of the sciences.

PROCEDURE:

  1. Discuss qualitative versus quantitative.
      
  2. List the following sciences on the board and have students decide whether it is more qualitative or quantitative.  Discuss what each of the sciences are and the meanings of the root words.

FIELD OF SCIENCE

MEANING

TYPE (GENERALLY)

chemistry chem = chemical quantitative
geology geo = earth  qualitative
 biology bio = life qualitative
physics phys = physical quantitative
astronomy astro = star quantitative
oceanography oceano = ocean quantitative/qualitative
hydrology hydro = water quantitative/qualitative
meteorology meteor = atmosphere qualitative
zoology zoo = animal qualitative
 botany bot = plant qualitative
 physiology physio = nature qualitative
 psychology psych = mind quantitative/qualitative
  1. You can add to the list by giving students time (in computer lab or homework) to come up with more fields of science.  You may want to include engineering and medical fields.  

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