Tutor Niedino: Pri Science Questions and Concepts

[Niedino]

Hi all,


thanks for all the responses! Hmm there is no perfect answer actually, as this is a question to develop pupil's thinking. But in the primary Science syllabus, we consider the seed to be a living thing. A few reasons why.

1. A living thing needs air, food and water. A seed needs air (oxygen), warmth and water to germinate, while the seed coat provides the food for the young plant before it has leaves.

2. A living thing can grow, and a seed can grow into a young plant.

3. A living thing can respond to changes while a seed needs warmth to germinate.

4. A living thing can reproduce and a seed can reproduce, after it grows to become an adult plant.

5. Lastly, a cooked seed while not germinate as the heat has \"killed\" it. Living things can die right so a seed dies when it's exposed to extreme heat.

So we can consider an uncooked seed a living thing, and explain to our kids using the basic Science concepts I have outlined.

Hope it helps

[Niedino]

ChiefKiasu:

Water evaporates at ALL temperatures between 0 to 100 degrees Celsius (where water remains in liquid state). Steam is water vapour at 100 degrees Celsius.

Hi ChiefKiasu and Way2go,

Yes you're both right. ChiefKiasu your explanation has taught me a lot too. Currently, the topic of water is taught in the Upper Block at P5, so the kids are better in understanding the 3 states of water. In the examinations, it depends on how the Science question is asked. If I were the marker, if a question tests the concept of boiling, and the \"water vapour\" is at 100 degree Celsius, I might accept \"hot water vapour\" or \"steam\" as an acceptable answer. But if the question looks at the rate of evaporation at all temperatures, then steam is definitely a wrong concept.

In short, they are not interchangeable and it'll be good to teach your children the distinction of both.

Hope it helps!

[Way2GO]

Niedino:

4. A living thing can reproduce and a seed can reproduce, after it grows to become an adult plant.

This point was mentioned, but my DS2 replied that
it is the plant that reproduces, not the seed that grows into the plant.
Is his thinking flawed?
How do I reconcile it?
BTW he is in P4.

[Niedino]

Way2GO:

Niedino:

4. A living thing can reproduce and a seed can reproduce, after it grows to become an adult plant.

This point was mentioned, but my DS2 replied that
it is the plant that reproduces, not the seed that grows into the plant.
Is his thinking flawed?
How do I reconcile it?
BTW he is in P4.

Hi Way2go,

All living things need to start from somewhere, and a seed is where a living thing begins. A seed that can grow is a fertilized cell, that is there is an embryo already inside it. Just like all living things, plants have to grow to maturity before they have the ability to reproduce. Cockroach nymphs, chicks, even us humans need to mature before we can reproduce. That's how I would help some kids to understand.

No offense, it does seem to me that your child has quite firm \"beliefs\" so it does take some persuasion to rid them of certain misconceptions.

Hope it helps

[Sun_2010]

Way2GO:

Niedino:

4. A living thing can reproduce and a seed can reproduce, after it grows to become an adult plant.

This point was mentioned, but my DS2 replied that
it is the plant that reproduces, not the seed that grows into the plant.
Is his thinking flawed?
How do I reconcile it?
BTW he is in P4.

O, that reminds me of the question

Is egg a hen's way of producing another hen?
Or is hen an egg's way of producing another egg?

LOL- this is not there in Primary science

[Niedino]

[quote]elkniwt: I guess not. A similar thought-provoking analogy might be is a fertilised egg a living thing.[/quote]
So since an analogy was raised, A good one I must say :celebrate: time for another thought provoking question.

Is an egg a living thing? :?

A disclaimer: I am using the Primary Science Syllabus so please bear with me for any overly-simplified views and explanations. The questions that I posed are questions that my pupils often have difficulty grasping, hence I'm sharing these experiences with everyone. Do pose your questions as well.

[cascada]

I've 3 more questions for your consideration:

(1) Is an eraser a non-living thing or once alive?
(2) Is hair wig made from human hair a non-living thing or once alive?
(3) Is the feather in a feather duster a non-living thing or once alive?

[atutor2001]

cascada:

I've 3 more questions for your consideration:

(1) Is an eraser a non-living thing or once alive?
(2) Is hair wig made from human hair a non-living thing or once alive?
(3) Is the feather in a feather duster a non-living thing or once alive?

Good questions.

I understand that hairs are dead cells and feathers becomes dead cell when they are full-grown. So I think the answers are 1. once alive; 2. non-living thing and 3. once alive. Trying my luck again.

[CoffeeCat]

niedino, bytheway you quoted wrongly lol. just pointing out=).

[Niedino]

CoffeeCat:

niedino, bytheway you quoted wrongly lol. just pointing out=).

Oops, Thanks for pointing out CoffeeCat.

Cascada, there's a slight misconception in your questions. Firstly, in Primary Science, we teach that non-living things have 2 types: Once Alive and Never Alive. So all the items you mentioned are non-living things, just that they were once alive. (I'm assuming that the eraser is made up of natural rubber, not synthetic, which will make it never alive)

Next, seems like the egg question did not generate as much responses as the seed question ... So here's the answer.

A fertilized egg, just like the seed can be considered a living thing, as it can grow and respond to changes (need warmth to hatch). The embryo gets the food, oxygen and water from the yolk and white, (the amniotic sac)

However, an unfertilized egg is not a living thing, so we have to be careful when explaining to our kids the differences.

Hope it helps