Hinglish

What is Science?

Class 6 Science · Chapter 1: The Wonderful World of Science · NCERT Curiosity section Ch 1

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Anjali's grandmother makes curd every evening. In summer it sets by morning; in winter it is still runny. Anjali asks, "Why?" That one word is where science begins.

Science is a way of observing, thinking and testing to understand the world around us. The most important thing you need is curiosity: the wish to know why and how. That is why your science book is called *Curiosity*.

Science is everywhere. In the kitchen (why does dough rise?), in the garden (how does a seed become a tree?), on the playground (why does a ball bounce?), in the sky (why does the Moon change shape?), and even inside your own body (why do we feel hungry?).

Science is like a giant jigsaw puzzle that never ends. Each discovery adds a new piece. Sometimes we find that a piece was in the wrong place and must be moved: long ago many people believed the Sun went round the Earth, until careful observations showed it is the other way round.

This year you will explore living things, food, magnets, measuring, materials, hot and cold, water, separating mixtures, how living things grow, nature's treasures, and the stars and planets. Each chapter will give you new questions to ask!

Explore: where would you go to find out? Sort each question.

  1. Sort all six questions into kitchen, garden or sky.

Remember

  • Science is a way of observing, thinking and testing to understand the world.
  • Curiosity is where it starts, and science is everywhere: kitchen, garden, sky and our bodies.

Quick check

Which of these is the best description of science?

  1. A way of observing, thinking and testing to understand the world
  2. A list of facts to memorise
  3. Something that happens only in laboratories
  4. A collection of machines
Answer

A way of observing, thinking and testing to understand the world. Science is a way of finding out, and it happens everywhere, not only in laboratories.

Think about it

Write down three "why" or "how" questions about things you saw today. Which one could you try to answer yourself?

One answer

Any question you can check by looking carefully or by trying something is a good one to start with, for example "Does ice melt faster in the sun or in the shade?"

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.