Scientific literacy means:

• Understanding science stuff: Knowing how things work in the world, like why the leaves change color or how airplanes stay up in the sky.
• Thinking like a scientist: Being curious, asking questions, trying to solve problems, and figuring out answers.
• Using science to make good decisions: Understanding the news about discoveries or inventions, and choosing healthy things based on what science says.

Where do the words come from?

• Scientific: Comes from the word “science”, which has its roots in the Latin word “scientia” meaning “knowledge”. People all over the world, way back to ancient times in places like Greece and Egypt, have been using science to explore and understand the world around them.
• Literacy: Means being able to read, write, and understand information.

Examples of scientific literacy:

• Reading about space travel: You learn how rockets work and what it’s like to live in space.
• Growing plants from seeds: You observe how plants change and what they need to live.
• Choosing to wear a helmet when biking: You understand that it protects your head, based on what science tells us about safety.pen_spark