Term 1 Summary and Reflections

In this first term, I learnt about science as an inquiry.

First of all, I was taught about the laboratory and the rules we should adhere to in the laboratory, such as putting on safety goggles when engaged in experiments involving fire. I was quite surprised with all this information as I was never really told about rules in the laboratory in primary school. We learnt about the various apparatus used in the laboratory, such as the thistle funnel, measuring cylinder, etc, and also about hazard symbols such as radioactive or corrosive symbols.

Hazard symbols

Next, we learnt about the 16 Habits of Mind. One of which I was most interested in was metacognition, also known as thinking about thinking. When I heard about it, I was quite surprised that there was actually such a thing. It did not seem important. In fact, it seemed as though it was a complicated process which did not have any use. However, I read that metacognition plays a critical role in successful learning and has been linked with intelligence; it has been shown that those with greater metacognitive abilities tend to be more successful thinkers. Also, I read that metacognition involves identifying the task at which one is currently working on, checking on current progress of that task, evaluating the progress, and predicting the outcome. Only then did I realise that this is very similar to performing an experiment in science; making a hypothesis, planning an investigation, making an observation, making a conclusion, etc. This is probably why metacognition is important in science.

Metacognition

Also, we learnt about measurements. We learnt to use the vernier calipers, micrometer screw gauge. We learnt to avoid parallax errors by positioning our eye vertical or perpendicular to the mark which we want to read. There is also the meniscus reading in liquids, where we have to read the bottom of the liquid level if it is a concave meniscus, and we have to read the top of the liquid level if it is a convex meniscus. This is one way to improve accuracy. It was interesting to use more accurate instruments such as vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauges which have an accuracy of 0.01cm. Conversion was also an important factor in measurements. 

Vernier caliper

For this term's test, I scored a 68 (B3). I did quite well and was pleased with myself for doing so, but felt that I definitely could have achieved an A2. My mistakes were particularly at the MCQ section and I made some careless mistakes too. I hope to be able to score better next term!