Term | Definition |
Absorb | To take in something in a natural or gradual way |
Accurate | Correct; true |
Adaptation | An inherited trait or learned behaviour that helps an organism survive in its surroundings |
Alternative energy resource | Energy generated by natural processes that is renewable |
Analyze | Look at closely or carefully |
Aquarium | A plastic or glass container filled with water, fish, and other aquatic animals |
Axis | A line, real or imaginary, around which something spins |
Beach erosion | The removal of beach materials into the sea or lakes by the actions of waves, tides or wind |
Beaker | Cylinder shaped glass container used to mix or heat liquids |
Boiling point | The temperature at which a substance changes states from a liquid to a gas (the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius) |
Bio-fuel | Fuels made from plants and plant or animal waster |
Bubble | Gas or air in a liquid |
Calculator | A device that performs math problems with numbers entered by hand |
Camoflauge | Characteristics that blend in with the surrounding environment that increases chances of survival |
Canyon | A deep gorge in the surface of the Earth. A canyon is formed by the erosion of moving water and sand |
Carbon cycle | The movement of carbon on Earth by the processes of respiration and phtosynthesis |
Carbon dioxide | A gas produced by animals during respiration that plants use to make food, water and oxygen |
Career | Occupation that requires special skills or training |
Carnivore | Animal that gets its energy by eating only other animals |
Carrying capacity | The population size an environment can feed and support |
Celsius | A temperature scale that sets the freezing point of water at 0 degrees and the boiling point at 100 degrees |
Change | To become or make different |
Chart | A picture that uses symbols to represent data |
Chemist | A person who uses scientific methods to study matter |
Wind energy | Energy that comes from changing the power of moving ait into a useful form |
Climate | Average weather conditions of a region year after year |
Compass | Instrument that uses a small magnet to show which direction is North (N) |
Conclusion | An explanation based on your observation or measurement |
Condensation | Physical change in matter from a gas to a liquid |
Conductor | Material that allows electric current or heat energy to flow through easily |
Conservation | The wise use and protection of natural resources |
Constant | Not changing; the same |
Consumer | An organism that gets energy from eating other organisms |
Craters | Bowl shaped incidents or cavities on the surface of a planet, moon or asteroid that are caused by a collision with another object, such as a meteorite |
Critical thinking | Looking very closely at all parts before drawing a conclusion |
Critique | Identify the problems and successes with an investigation and suggest solutions for improvement |
Data | Information that can be collected during an experiment |
Data | Pieces of information |
Nymph | The stage of Incomplete Metamorphosis during which an insect eats and grows, and resembles a smaller version of the adult |
Ocean | One of 5 large bodies of salt water that cover 75% of the earth |
Offspring | New organisms that come from parents that have reproduced |
Oil | A flammable liquid produced from organic matter (remains of marine organism) buried under the layers of sediments for millions of years |
Omnivore | Animal that gets its energy by both plants and other animals |
Orbit | The path one object takes as it revolves around another object in space |
Organic matter | The waste and remains of plants and animals |
Organism | A living thing |
Oxygen | A gas produced by plants during photosynthesis that animals use for respiration |
Pan balance | A two-sided instrument that measures the mass of a solid substance |
Phenomenon | Something that happens or is sensed |
Physical change | Make different without changing what the material is made of, such as: cutting, folding, melting |
Laboratory apron | A garment that protects clothing from chemical or biological splatters and spills |
Landfill | A location for the disposal of waste |
Landform | Features on the surface of the Earth such as mountains, hills, dunes, oceans and rivers |
Laser | A device that gives off a very strong and directed beam of light |
Learned behaiviour | A behavior that develops from observation or instruction rather than being passed down by heredity |
Lens | A clear piece of curved glass or plastic that bends passing light to focus or spread the light rays |
Life cycle | The stages of an organisms life from birth to death |
Light energy | Radiant energy that our eyes can see from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum |
Light spectrum | The small part of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can see; violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange and red |
Limitation | When a model cannot be an exact representation of the object's size or detail |
Living element | Part of an ecosystem that requires energy to survive has basic needs that must be met |
Species | A group of organisms with similar characteristics that allow them to reproduce |
Spring scale | An instrument that measures Earth's gravitational pull on an object |
Stages | Specific times during life or growth |
Sun | The star at the center of our Solar System that supplies heat and light to Earth; its gravity keeps the solar system in orbit |
Sundial | Instrument that measures the time of day by using the position of the Sun |
Surface | The outermost covering or layer |
Survive | Stay alive or stay with |
System | Organized parts that form a unified whole |
Table | Data represented in rows and columns |
Telescope | An instrument that uses mirrors and/or lenses to gather and focus light from objects far away |
Temperature | How hot or cold something is |
Thermal energy | Energy that causes a change in temperature between materials |
Thermometer | A tool that measures temperature |
Time line | List of important events and the date that they happened |
Tool | An object that helps you do work |
Ecosystem | A community of living and non-living things in their natural environment |
Electric current | The flow of electricity through a circuit |
Electrical circuit | The pathway through which electrical current flows |
Electrical energy | Energy produced by the movement of electrons |
Electromagnetism | Magnetism created by an electric current; examples are MRI and electric motor |
Elodea | An aquatic plant |
Emergency | An event that needs immediate action or assistance |
Energy | What is needed to do work or cause change |
Energy efficient | Use less energy to produce results |
Environment | The living an nonliving things around an organism |
Erosion | The movement of weathered material on the Earth's surface by wind, water or ice |
Evaluate | To compare the actual outcome of the experiment (results) with your predicted outcome (Hypothesis) |
Day | The time during rotation when the Earth faces the Sun and it is lighted; this rotation gives the false appearance that the sun travels from east to west across the sky |
Decay | To rot and break down into smaller parts |
Decomposer | An organism that gets energy from eating dead organisms, non living materials or waste |
Delta | A triangle shaped (deposit) land form at the mouth of a river as it empties into a body of water |
Deposition | The buildup of land by depositing sediment and soil in a new location |
Direct evidence | Evidence that comes from your measurements, tests or observations |
Direction | The line or course along which an object is moving |
Discovery | Something new that is learned |
Disposal | Getting rid of; throwing away |
Dissolve | To become absorbed in a liquid, mixed evenly |
Earth | A planet in the Solar System that has life on it |
Earthquake | A sudden release of energy under the Earth's surface that makes the ground shake or crack |
Trait | A characteristic of an organism |
Trend | To pass through a substance or object without being absorbed |
Trial | A repeat of an observation or test |
Triple beam balance | A tool used to measure mass that features three beams with sliding masses |
Typical | Usual/average |
Variable | A factor that can change in an experiment |
Volcano | Created from the mixture of molten lava, ash and gasses from the middle of the Earth that erupts through a crack in the Earth's surface |
Waste | Without any use or benefit |
Water cycle | The changes to water when it evaporates into the air, condenses into clouds, and then precipitates back down to the Earth's surface |
Waves | Moving ridges of water on the surface of the ocean caused by wind |
Weather | Describes the condition of the air outdoors such as temperature, cloud cover, wind speed, and rainfall |
Weathering | The breakdown of rock into smaller particles from the effects of wind, water and ice |
Evaporation | Physical change in matter from a liquid to a gas |
Evidence | A sign or proof |
Evidence | Figures, numbers, data and logic |
Explanation | A reason, cause or an answer |
Eye/face wash station | Station that flushes the eyes and face with water to remove chemicals, debris and irritants |
Fire blanket | A blanket made of specially treated fabric that is used if clothing catches fire |
Fire extinguisher | A piece of equipment that sprays chemicals to put out uncontrollable fires |
Flow | To move or travel smooth in a certain direction |
Food web | A connection of food chains with many food energy paths in an ecosystem |
Force | A push or pull that causes an object to move, stop, or change direction |
Fossil fuel | Non-renewable flammable material (coal, oil, natural gas) made from the remains plants and animals buried in the Earth's crust for millions of years, that is used to produce heat and power |
Rotation | A 24-hour period, or the time it takes the Earth to make one complete rotation on its axis |
Safety | Prevention against hurt, injury or loss |
Safety shower | Structure that rinses contaminants from the body |
Sand dune | Hills formed by wind and blowing sand |
Satellite | An astronomical object that orbits a larger one |
Scientist | A person who uses the scientific method to study an object |
Sediment | Small pieces of rock |
Sedimentary rock | Rock made of layers of compressed organic and inorganic sediments |
Shadow | A dark area caused when an object blocks light falling on a surface |
Shape | The outline or form of an object |
Solar energy | Energy that comes from the Sun |
Solubility | Measurement of the ability of a solid to dissolve a liquid |
Solution | A mixture of one substance dissolved evenly in another |
Sound energy | Energy produced from vibration that you can hear |
Properties | Appearances of an object including mass, magnetism, physical state, relative density, solubility and the ability to insulate or conduct heat or electricity. |
Protective gloves | An accessory that protects hands from heat, chemical or biological splatters and spills |
Recycle | To change waste into a new and usable peoduct |
Reduce | Lowering the amount of waste produced by an individual or whole society |
Reflection | Energy waves bouncing off the surface of an object (mirrors or echoes return energy back to their source) |
Refraction | Energy waves that bend (change direction and speed) as they pass from one type of object to another type |
Relative density | Objects that are more dense sink in water; less dense objects float in water |
Renewable resource | Materials from the Earth that can be replaced by nature in a short period of time; for example, trees |
Represent | Stand in for, or symbolize |
Reproduction | The act of making something new |
Respiration | A process by which animals use oxygen and food to make energy and carbon dioxide |
Reuse | Using a product more than once |
Freezing point | The temperature at which a substance changes states from a liquid to a solid (freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius) |
Fresh water | Water found in lakes, rivers |
Friction | A force that stops or slows motion when objects rub together |
Generalization | A rule or pattern based on limited proof |
Goggles | An accessory that protects eyes from chemical or biological splatters and spills |
Graduated cylinder | A container used to measure the volume of a liquid |
Graph | A drawing that shows how two or more types of data are related |
Gravity | A force that pulls objects toward the center of the Earth |
Green | Friendly to the environment |
Habitat | A place or environment in which an organism naturally lives |
Heat energy | Energy that causes a change in temperature between materials |
Herbivore | An animal that gets its energy by eating only plants |
Heredity | The passing of characteristics from one generation to another |
Hibernation | When an animal becomes still in an enclosed space and reduces bodily functions to save energy |
Humidity | The amount of water vapor in the air |
Hypothesis | An educated guess about the outcome of an investigation that can be tested |
Illuminate | Light up |
Illustrate | Make clear or draw a picture of |
Impact | Direct effect or change on |
Imprint | A mark or depression made by pressure |
Indirect evidence | Evidence based on inference |
Inertia | The property of an object that resists movement by a force |
Inference | An explanation based on what you already know or what you have seen |
Ingredient | A single part of a mixture or solution |
Inherited trait | A characteristic that is passed from parents to offspring during reproduction |
Insulator | Material that slows down or stops electric current or heat from flowing |
Investigation | The search for an answer to a question |
Kaleidoscope | A tube that contains 3 mirrors that reflect many different designs of light passing through a colored disk on top |
Kinetic energy | Energy in motion |
Physical state | The classification of matter as a solid, liquid or gas |
Pollution | Materials introduced into an environment that cause damage, discomfort or instability |
Population | All the living things that belong to the same group and live in the same area |
Position | Where an object is located in space |
Potential energy | Energy that is stored |
Precipitation | Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls from clouds in the sky |
Predator | An animal that hunts and feeds on another organism |
Prediction | An idea about what the outcome of an investigation will be |
Pressure | The action of force by one object against another (in a geyser, hot water escapes the pressure from under layers of the Earth's crust) |
Prey | An animal that hunted for food |
Prism | An object made of clear plastic or glass that bends light rays |
Problem solving | Finding an answer or solution |
Procedure | A planned set of steps |
Producer | An organism that used sunlight to make its own food for energy |
Logical | Expected to happen |
Magnestism | The property of attraction to a magnet |
Magnify | Increase in size, power or importance |
Map | A visual representation of an area |
Mass | The amount of matter in an object |
Matter | Anything that has mass and takes up space |
Measurement | The process of using tools to observe an object's physical properties like mass, volume, temperature, etc. |
Mechanical energy | Energy produced by a machine or moving part |
Melting point | The temperature at which a substance changes states from a solid to a liquid |
Microscope | An instrument that uses a lens to make tiny things look larger |
Migration | The seasonal movement of animals from one place to another |
Mimicry | The resemblance of an organism to another organism or to its surroundings that gives it a better chance of survival |
Mirror | Any object that has a reflective surface |
Mixture | A combination of two or more substances where each keep their own properties and can be easily separated |
Model | A limited representation of an object used to help us understand its structure or how it works |
Moon | A natural satellite that orbits a planet. Some planets have no moons; others have over 60 moons |
Natural gas | A flammable material, without a definite form, produced from organic material (remains of marine organisms) buried under layers of sediment found near soil deposits |
Natural resource | Materials in the environment that are useful to people |
Niche | A role an organism plays in its environment |
Night | The time during its rotation when the Earth faces away from the Sun and it is dark; this rotation gives the false appearance that stars move across the sky |
Nocturnal | Active at night |
Nonliving element | Part of an ecosystem that does not require energy to survive and does not have basic needs like food and water |
Nonrenewable resource | Materials from the Earth that cannot be replaced within a reasonable amount of time; for example, coal, oil and natural gas |