Science Skills: Working as a Scientist

Working as aScientist

What is science?

Science is the study of the world around us. The word itself comes from the Latin word scire, which means ‘to know’. But science is not just about knowing things – it is about asking questions about the world, making observations, investigating and experimenting, and then using data to determine facts.

Who are scientists?

There are many branches of science, and many types of scientist. A zoologist studies animals and their behaviours; a geologist studies the Earth and what it is made of; and a physicist studies energy and how things work.

They all use a common approach called the scientific method. By being curious about the world around you, practising the scientific method and developing your skills, you can be a scientist too.

Chemists working in a laboratory A botanist researching plants A geologist studying rocks An astronomer studying the stars

2 Ask

1

Observe Observe the world around you. Ask a question.

The scientific method

3

Develop Develop a hypothesis (idea).

6 ObserveReport Report what you learned.

5

Record Observe and record what happens.

4

Test

Test this hypothesis by doing an experiment.

How to be a scientist at home

● Learn about materials and change by cooking and baking. ● Learn about the weather and taking measurements by making a rain gauge. ● Get green fingered – plant seeds and watch the changes. ● Identify different items at home that use energy, and find out how they are powered, for example by electricity, gas, oil or solar power. ● Get to know your local habitat – observe the animals around you.

Let ’sLet ’s discussdiscuss

1 Which skill do you think is the most important for a scientist? Why? 2 What branch of science do you think would be the most interesting to study? Why?

Questioning

I can ask questions that will help to solve problems. I can ask questions about data to help me learn more about a topic. Observing

I can look at, describe characteristics of objects and discuss processes linked to the natural world. I can recognise that some observations are more important than others. Predicting

I can make suggestions about what might happen based on information. Investigating and experimenting

I can collect information about the world from different sources. I can design, plan and carry out simple investigations. I can design a fair experiment. Estimating and measuring

I can use the correct instruments, equipment and units of measurement to collect data.

Analysing

I can sort, group and classify data. I can look for and recognise patterns and relationships in data. Recording and communicating

I can record and present findings and learnings using different methods. Designing and making

I can explore how everyday objects work and how they could be improved. I can use suitable materials and tools to make something. I can work with others to talk about, create and evaluate a design plan. Evaluating

I can review how I carried out an investigation, and assess what could be improved.

1 WhereWeLive: BuildingsandCommunities

about homes in different types of locations about ways in which communities work together about the causes and effects of homelessness to compare and contrast living in rural Ireland and in Nairobi, Kenya.

allotment, councillor, emergency accommodation, hostel, income, rural, shanty town, shelter, traditional, urban, voluntary The place where we live is very important to us as it is where we spend a lot of our time. There is a variety of homes in Ireland and around the world. The type of home that is built usually depends on whether the location is rural or urban. Different areas have diverse communities of people, who often work together in different ways.

Rural areas and urban areas

Rural area This is an area in the countryside with a small population. In rural areas, detached houses tend to be built on a large site facing a road. There are usually fields or farmland in between the houses on the road.

Urban area This is an area in a city or town with a larger population. Homes in urban areas tend to be built quite close together, often in housing estates with detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, as well as apartments. Apartment buildings are common in urban areas because they allow for a greater number of homes to be built on a small area of land.

If someone wants to build a new house on a site, they must submit drawings called plans to the planning office of their county or city council. The planning office examines the plans for the new house and decides if any changes are needed to better suit the locality. For example, a new house built in a rural area of Co. Galway must include a natural stone wall around the site. Why do you think this is so?

Services and groups in the community

Within our local areas there are many people who work together for the benefit of the community.

Jobs in the community Many people work in jobs that benefit the community, including firefighters, healthcare workers, gardaí and postal workers. They provide services that help communities to run smoothly. Not every village or town has a garda station, fire station or hospital, but the emergency services are available to all by dialling 999 or 112. Post is delivered to every home, no matter how remote the location!

Local government Sometimes there are problems in our locality, such as a lack of facilities, a playground with broken equipment or a road covered in potholes. When you find issues like these, you can speak to your local councillor. Local councillors are elected by voters to make improvements to the locality, using funding that is provided by the government. Voluntary groups You can join voluntary groups in your community, which bring people together for fun activities or to lend a hand to those in need. These can include sports or dance clubs, summer project schemes and volunteers to help the elderly with tasks such as grocery shopping or home repairs. Tidy Towns The Tidy Towns organisation was set up in 1958 to encourage communities to work together to improve their locality. Volunteers collect litter, plant flowers and repair or paint old buildings. The town or village is entered into a competition every year and judged by how clean and well maintained it is.

Community allotments Allotments are areas that people who do not have a garden can rent to grow fruit and vegetables. Growing food is good for the environment, your health and your wallet! Allotment groups meet to help each other with sowing, weeding and digging.

Homelessness

People who are homeless do not have a permanent home. Many people believe homelessness only happens in urban areas, but it also exists in rural areas. Some people who are homeless sleep rough on the streets, in doorways or in parks. Others stay in emergency accommodation. A single person or a couple might stay at a shelter or a hostel, while a family with young children usually stays in a hotel room. It is very hard on a family to lose their home and to stay in a hotel room with no kitchen for cooking or space for children to play.

People can become homeless for many reasons. Sometimes they lose their job and cannot pay the rent. There is a shortage of affordable housing in Ireland. Rents can be too high even for some people with jobs to afford. Charities such as Focus Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust support the homeless by providing information, advice and mental health support. They also help people to find housing. The Simon Community offers food, drink and supplies to those in need.

Living in rural Ireland

Houses in rural areas are usually on their own plot of land and there may not be neighbours nearby. Some people build a new house in the countryside while others live in a house built long ago, such as a cottage or farmhouse. Living in these traditional houses keeps part of Irish history and culture alive.

When driving through the countryside you may see ruins of old cottages. Why do you think these houses might have been abandoned? Living in a traditional cottage is very different to living in a modern house. In general, cottages are smaller than modern houses. They often have only one living space and two to three bedrooms. Many cottages were built before electricity, so they need to be rewired for electricity and a heating system needs to be added. They also may have no insulation, so they require a lot of energy to heat, or improvements can be made to make them more energy-efficient. Many rural homes have views of the countryside and offer a peaceful life surrounded by nature. People can go on scenic walks or drives more easily than those in an urban area. However, there may be fewer opportunities for employment. Many people work in farming or commute to a town or city for work. Some people can work from home and enjoy countryside life while working for a city-based company.

Living in Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital city. It has a population of more than 4 million people and is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. The city does not have enough affordable housing for workers on a low income. This has led to the over 60% of the city’s population living in shanty towns. Kibera, on the outskirts of Nairobi, is Africa’s largest shanty town, with an estimated 1 million people living there. The houses in Kibera are built using cheap materials Nairobi such as sheets of plywood or metal, plasterboard and mud. Most have only one room, measuring around 4 metres2 , with a bare soil floor and no windows. Only one in five has running water or electricity. Aid agencies and local authorities have installed a number of taps to provide access to running water. Each tap is shared by up to 35 households. Electrical cables lie across the roofs of houses, making them very dangerous. There is no rubbish collection service or proper sewage system. The lack of hygiene leads to illness among the people living there. Kibera

1 Why are apartment buildings common in urban areas? 2 List four jobs that provide services that benefit the community. 3 Who should you speak to if there is a problem in your locality? 4 Why was the Tidy Towns organisation set up? 5 What is an allotment? 6 In what ways, do you think, does homelessness affect a person? 7 Would you like to live in a traditional cottage in rural Ireland? Why or why not?

1 List any services or groups that you know of in your local community. 2 Think, pair, share: List the pros and cons of living in a cottage in a rural area vs. an apartment in an urban area. 3 Group work: Consider the lives of the people living in Kibera. What facilities would improve their living conditions? What groups or organisations could provide support?

2

Materials

about the three states of matter about the properties of materials about materials that are used in building homes.

aesthetics, architect, concrete, durability, engineer, gypsum, insulate, insulation, matter, molecule, mortar, properties, sustainable, thatched, timber Everything on Earth that occupies space and has weight is called matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles called molecules. There are three states of matter.

Three states of matter

Solid The molecules in a solid are held together very closely, making the object keep its shape. A solid’s shape does not change easily, so it cannot be made to fit into just any container. Liquid The molecules in a liquid are quite close to each other, but can move past each other very easily. This is why a liquid can flow. It can be poured into any container. Gas The molecules within a gas have a lot of space between them and move around very quickly. Because of this, a gas expands to fill any container – even a room or a building.

Properties of materials

We describe materials by their properties (traits or qualities). Here are some examples of properties of materials: Light – weighs little Hard – firm to the touch Natural – from the natural environment Transparent – see-through Flexible – pliable; bends easily Smooth – flat/even surface Fragile – easily damaged Absorbent – soaks up liquid Has an odour – has a smell

Water is the only material that can exist in the three states of matter. Water is a liquid, ice (frozen water) is a solid and steam (from boiling water) is a gas.

Heavy – weighs a lot Soft – not firm to the touch Synthetic – man-made Opaque – not see-through Rigid – stiff; does not bend easily Rough – bumpy/uneven surface Durable – not easily damaged Waterproof – does not soak up liquid Odourless – does not have a smell

Materials: glass, leaf, stone, wood, paper, copper wire, stainless steel spoon, wool, plastic plate, ceramic plate, clay, silk, denim, brick, water, inflated balloon (air) Action: List the properties of each material on your worksheet.

Materials and engineering

An engineer is someone who designs, builds or Both engineers and maintains engines, machines or structures. An architect is someone who designs buildings. It is very important for engineers and architects to understand the properties of materials. Materials architects can design houses. Engineers specialise in the mathematical and scientific side of how must be chosen based on strength and durability, the building will be whether they are natural or man-made. When choosing the materials for a house, an engineer or architect might choose concrete blocks for the walls, built. Architects are more specialised in the creative design side. knowing that concrete is a strong, durable material. Engineers and architects must think carefully about climate when designing a house. Light-coloured roof tiles are suitable for a house in Spain or Egypt, but would not be suitable for a house in Ireland. Can you guess why this is so? (Hint: Light colours absorb less heat than dark colours.) Building materials are also chosen based on aesthetics. The style of the house must fit in with the surrounding area. A house might have a traditional style with decorative stonework, or a modern style using lots of glass. Engineers use a method called the ‘engineering design process’ to carry out the work of designing a house.

2

Imagine How will the house look once completed?

1

Ask What type of house is required?

The engineering design process

3

Plan Draw it. Make a list of materials needed.

5

Create

Make a model or build the house.

4

Improve

Can the design be improved? Are better materials available?

Building materials used in Ireland

The roof is built using a timber frame. Timber is a strong, durable material that is easily sourced in Ireland. Roof tiles are arranged in overlapping rows to keep out the rain. Darkcoloured slate roof tiles are used in Ireland because they absorb and trap heat.

The walls and ceilings are plastered inside the house. Plaster has been used as a building material for thousands of years. Nowadays, it is made from a mixture of sand, water and a mineral called gypsum. It hardens as a smooth surface when dry.

Floors are usually covered with floorboards, carpet, tiles or lino.

Many houses have bricks or stone on the exterior walls for aesthetics.

Doors are made of wood or PVC, a strong type of plastic.

A concrete floor is usually poured on the first storey. Timber floors are usually built on the second storey.

Fibreglass is used to insulate the house by trapping pockets of warm air in the attic and in the walls. It is a woven plastic material with glass fibres to make it more durable.

Bricks can sometimes look like natural stone, but they are man-made, using natural materials such as clay and sand. Many old houses still have a traditional thatched roof. Thatch is made of reeds or straw. When properly cut, dried and arranged in an overlapping pattern, this material forms a waterproof, durable roof.

Gutters are fitted around the roof to catch rainwater and channel it into the drainpipe. The gutters and drainpipe are made of durable plastic that can easily be cut to size.

Concrete blocks are strong and durable enough to withstand the Irish climate. Concrete is a made from a mixture of cement, water, air, sand and gravel. It hardens when dry. The blocks in a wall are held in place by a strong type of glue called mortar. Between the outer and inner wall is a layer of insulation.

Glass is transparent, allowing natural light to enter. Double-glazed (two panes of glass) or triple-glazed (three panes of glass) windows have air-filled spaces between panes of glass to help insulate the house. The window frames are often made from PVC (a strong type of plastic). PVC frames are airtight and do not absorb the rain.

Engineers have developed more sustainable approaches to building in recent years, as people have become more interested in protecting the environment. Sustainable building materials include insulation made of straw or recycled newspaper. Some new houses are built using recycled timber. In 2002, the Irish government set up the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support businesses and homeowners in becoming more energy efficient. Since then, more homes have installed solar panels to generate electricity and heat water.

In pairs, let’s design and draw plans to build a detached house.

Solar panels

Let ’s designandmake

Equipment: A3 sheets of paper, rulers, pencils and colouring pencils (or a tablet) Explore: Will your house be built in an urban area or a rural area? How many storeys will it have? How many rooms? Will it include any sustainable building materials or solar panels? Will it have a traditional style or a modern style? Plan: Decide on the materials needed, such as blocks, timber, bricks and insulation. What other materials will help to give the house the style you want? Design: Design the floor plan first, and then draw plans of the front, back and sides of the house. Remember to include doors and windows! Draw: You can draw your plans on paper or using a tablet. Label the building materials on the plans. Evaluate: Is there any way to improve your plans? Have you labelled all of the materials? Present your plans to the class and explain the thought process behind your design.

Dining room Bedroom 2 Bedroom 1

Bathroom Sitting Hall room Kitchen Utility Floor plan

3

Homes inthePast

about homes that were built in Ireland in the past why people moved from rural areas to urban areas how homes have changed as society has changed.

elite, Georgian, Industrial Revolution, labourer, migrate, nomad, quarters, recession, scullery, squalid, steam-powered, tenements, textile, urbanised The first people arrived in Ireland around 7000 BC during the Stone Age. They were nomads who travelled around, setting up camp with simple shelters. Around 4,000 years later, the first farmers arrived and built permanent homes. Homes have changed as society has changed throughout history.

3000 BC

First farmers’ homes

c.AD 795

Viking longhouses AD 1600−1700

Thatched cottages; large estate houses AD 1801−1922

Industrial Revolution in Ireland: urbanisation

AD 1900s

Farmhouses

AD 1970s

Bungalows in rural areas

3000

BC AD 1

AD 500

AD 1000

AD 1500

AD 1600

AD 1700

AD 1800

AD 1900

AD 2000

c.AD 1169

Norman castles AD 1714−1830

Georgian townhouses

AD 1890

Tenements rented out

AD 1930s

Suburban housing estates AD 1994−2007

Building boom

First farmers’ homes

The first farmers arrived in Ireland around 3000 BC, during the Neolithic Period of the Stone Age. Their homes were built using a wooden frame, with walls of woven sticks and mud. They had a thatched roof made of straw or twigs. There was no hole in the roof for smoke from the fire to escape, so these houses must have been very smoky.

Reconstruction of a longhouse at the Botanic Gardens, Dublin

Viking longhouses

The Vikings began to carry out Reconstruction of a Neolithic home at raids in Ireland in AD 795. Over the the Irish National Heritage Park following decades, groups of Vikings settled along the coast, built longhouses and farmed the land. A longhouse was a long, narrow wooden or stone structure. It had a thatched roof with a hole in the middle to allow smoke to escape. At the centre of the house was a large fire for cooking and heat. Farm animals were kept at one end of the house to keep them safe from theft. Their body heat also helped to warm the home.

After the Norman invasion in AD 1169, the Norman lords began to build large stone castles on high ground to guard against attack from their enemies. The castles had thick stone walls, arched doorways and narrow windows. They often had several defensive features, including a deep water-filled moat, high walls and murder holes through which boiling liquids could be poured on the heads of attackers.

Trim Castle, Co. Meath

Thatched cottages

Cottages were built for farm labourers in the 17th century, using stone collected from the land. They had a thatched roof made of reeds or straw. A thatched roof could last for over 50 years if made by a skilled thatcher. Between 1799 and 1851, a tax was charged for each window in a home. Cottages with only two windows did not have to pay this tax, so many homes were built like this. Having just two small windows meant it was dark inside, but a half-door allowed extra light in. Closing the lower half of the door prevented farm animals from wandering in.

Estate houses

In the 17th century, the British monarch gave large areas of Irish land called estates to British landlords. In return, the landlords had to settle here and keep control over the local Irish population. They built grand houses and earned a lot of money from the farms on their estates. Castletown House was built on the banks of the river Liffey in Celbridge, Co. Kildare in 1722 for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Conolly. It was built as a venue to entertain important people in politics. The house has many rooms and was decorated with paintings, luxurious furniture and silk curtains. Many working class people were employed as maids, gardeners, cooks and butlers in large houses like this.

Castletown House, Co. Kildare

Georgian townhouses

The Georgian era was the period from 1714 to 1830, when Kings George I, II, III and IV reigned in Britain. During this era, property developers in Dublin built rows of tall, red-brick townhouses for the city’s elite, including politicians, bankers and lawyers. Many of the elite were also the landlords of large countryside estates. Georgian areas in Dublin include St. Stephen’s Green, Mountjoy Square and Rathmines.

Georgian townhouses had a grand entrance, with steps leading up to a large front door. Inside there were many bedrooms, a library, a study, a number of living rooms, a dining room and a large drawing room for entertaining guests. The servants’ quarters were in the basement, along with the kitchen and the scullery. Late in the Georgian era, smaller houses were built in areas of the city that were suburbs back then. These were the homes of middle class people such as merchants, shopkeepers and doctors. Even though they had only two or three storeys, they still had a grand entrance.

Smaller, late Georgian houses in Dublin

Increased urbanisation

Ireland became increasingly more urbanised in the 19th century due to the Industrial Revolution. This was a period when advanced farming methods were developed, new farm machinery was invented and large flour mills were set up around the country. Fewer farm labourers were needed to work the Carpet factory in Killybegs, Co. Donegal, c.1905 land. At the same time, textile factories were set up in the cities, with steam-powered machines to mass-produce fabric. Many farm labourers migrated to the cities to work in the factories. This led to an increase in the population of cities such as Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Many factory workers were provided with housing by their employer.

Tenements

Towards the end of the 19th century, Ireland went through a recession. Many of the elite had left Dublin and moved back to Britain. Even greater numbers of poor people migrated to the city from rural areas, in search of work. Many empty Georgian townhouses were split up into tenement flats, which were rented out to the poor. A single tenement building could house up to 100 occupants in cramped, squalid conditions. The buildings were not looked after and soon started to crumble. In 1913, a tenement building collapsed, killing a number of the occupants. The British government carried out an investigation into the matter and hired a photographer named John Cooke to report on the conditions in the tenements. His photographs revealed a shocking degree of hardship. However, following the investigation, the British government did nothing to help the families in the tenements.

Ireland won its independence from Britain in 1922 after the

War of Independence. This meant that Ireland was no longer governed by Britain. Photograph by John Cooke of tenement residents in Dublin, 1913