Top 6 Best Lesson Plans on 'Terminology' for 9th Grade

A. KEY KNOWLEDGE

1. What is a term?

1. Compare the two explanations below regarding the meanings of the words salt and water. The first explanation:

Water is a colorless, odorless liquid found in rivers, lakes, and seas.
Salt is a white crystal with a salty taste, usually extracted from seawater and used in food.

The second explanation:

Water is a compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen, with the chemical formula H2O.
Salt is a compound consisting of one or more metal atoms bonded to one or more acid groups.

Which explanation would be difficult to understand without knowledge of chemistry? The second explanation provides the intrinsic characteristics of these substances, which can only be understood through theoretical research and scientific methods. Therefore, without expertise in the relevant field (chemistry), the second explanation would be difficult to grasp.

2. Read the following definitions and answer the questions:

- Stalagmites are formations found in caves formed by the dripping of limestone solution dissolved in water containing carbonic acid.
- A base is a compound made up of a metal atom bonded to one or more hydroxide groups.
- A metaphor refers to naming one object or phenomenon by another that shares similar features.
- A decimal fraction is a fraction where the denominator is a power of ten.

a. In which subjects did you learn these definitions? Which types of texts are these terms most commonly used in? The definition of stalagmite and base is learned in chemistry. The definition of metaphor is learned in literature. The definition of decimal fraction is learned in mathematics. These terms are often used in scientific and technical texts.

2. Characteristics of Terms

1. Can you find any other meanings for the terms listed above?

2. In the following examples, which use of the word 'salt' is emotional?

a. Salt is a white crystal, salty in taste, usually extracted from seawater, and used for food.

b. Oh, the sourness and bitterness of life, just as ginger is hot and salt is bitter, don’t forget us.

- In (a), 'salt' is used as a scientific term.

- In (b), 'salt' is used as a common term with emotional connotations, referring to the hardships and struggles that one faces in life.

3. Key Takeaways

Terms are words that represent scientific or technical concepts, typically used in scientific and technical texts.
As a rule, each term in a scientific or technical field represents only one concept, and each concept is represented by only one term.

Terms do not carry emotional connotations.

B. EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS

Question 1 (Page 89 of the Textbook) Apply the knowledge you have learned in subjects such as Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to identify the appropriate term for each blank. Also, indicate which scientific field each term belongs to.

- /.../ refers to the force exerted by one object on another.

- /.../ refers to the gradual erosion of the earth's surface by forces such as wind, glaciers, and flowing water.

- /.../ refers to a phenomenon in which a new substance is formed.

- /.../ refers to a group of words that share at least one common meaning.

- /.../ refers to a place where traces of past human habitation are found.

- /.../ refers to the phenomenon where pollen comes into contact with the stigma of a flower.

- /.../ refers to the amount of water flowing through a specific point in a river, measured in cubic meters per second.

- /.../ refers to the gravitational force of the Earth.

- /.../ refers to the atmospheric pressure on the Earth's surface.

- /.../ refers to substances composed of a single chemical element.

- /.../ refers to a clan that follows the male line of descent, where males have more authority than females.

- /.../ refers to a line that is perpendicular to a line segment at its midpoint.

Answer:

The answers are as follows:
Force refers to the push or pull exerted by one object on another (Physics)
Erosion refers to the process of gradual destruction of the earth's surface by agents such as wind, water, etc. (Geography)
Chemical reaction refers to a phenomenon where a new substance is formed (Chemistry)
Artifact refers to traces left by ancient humans (History)
Pollination refers to the process where pollen contacts the flower's stigma (Biology)
Flow rate refers to the amount of water passing a specific point in a river per second (Geography)
Gravity refers to the Earth's gravitational force (Geography)
Atmospheric pressure refers to the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on the Earth's surface (Geography)
Element refers to substances made from a single chemical element (Chemistry)
Patrilineal clan refers to a clan based on the male line of descent, with males holding more power than females (History)
Perpendicular bisector refers to a line that is perpendicular to a line segment at its midpoint (Mathematics).

Question 2 (Page 90 of the Textbook) Read the following excerpt:
If we were to sow seeds for the coming year
If history selects us as the anchor point
What could be more joyful than being the soldier at the forefront
In the dark of night, our hearts are like a flame!

(Tố Hữu, Chào Xuân 67)
In this excerpt, is 'anchor point' used as a Physics term? What does it mean here?

Answer: The term 'anchor point' in this poem by Tố Hữu is not used as a Physics term. It refers to a support or foundation. Here, it is part of poetic language, carrying strong emotional meaning, rather than scientific language.

Question 3 (Page 90 of the Textbook) In Chemistry, the term 'mixture' is defined as “several substances combined together without chemically forming a new substance,” while the everyday meaning of 'mixture' is “a combination of several components where each retains its individual properties.”
Which of the following sentences uses 'mixture' as a scientific term, and which uses it as a common term? a. Natural water from lakes, rivers, and seas is a mixture.
b. It is a performance program featuring a mixture of many acts.
Provide an example sentence using 'mixture' in its common meaning.

Answer: In (a), 'mixture' is used as a scientific term. In (b), 'mixture' is used as a common term.

Example sentence: My mom’s sour fish stew is a mixture of many ingredients like fish, herbs, and tomatoes.

Question 4 (Page 90 of the Textbook) In Biology, whales and dolphins are classified as mammals because, although they have a backbone, live underwater, and swim with fins, they breathe with lungs instead of gills. Based on the biological definition, define the term 'fish.' How does its meaning differ from the common understanding of 'fish' in Vietnamese (as seen in the terms 'whale' and 'dolphin')?

Answer: The term 'fish' is defined as an animal with a backbone, living underwater, swimming with fins, and breathing with gills. In Biology, whales and dolphins are classified as mammals because, although they share some features of fish, they breathe with lungs. In everyday Vietnamese, these animals are still referred to as 'fish' because they live underwater. Thus, the term 'fish' in common language is not as precise as the biological definition.

Question 5 (Page 90 of the Textbook) In Economics, the term 'market' (market: market - a Chinese-Vietnamese element) refers to a place where goods are frequently exchanged, while in Optics (a subfield of Physics dealing with light and its interaction with matter), 'market' (market: visual - a Chinese-Vietnamese element) refers to the space that the eye can observe. Does this homophony violate the principle of one term-one concept mentioned in the Key Takeaways? Why or why not?

Answer: This phenomenon is a case of homophony, where the same word has different meanings. It does not violate the principle of one term-one concept because the two meanings belong to different scientific fields, each with its own system of terminology.

1. Exercise 1, page 89, Textbook.

Apply the knowledge learned from subjects such as Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to find the appropriate terms for each blank space. Also, indicate which scientific field each term belongs to.

- /.../ refers to the force that pushes or pulls one object onto another.

- /.../ is the gradual destruction of soil and rock layers on the Earth's surface caused by factors like wind, glaciers, flowing water, etc.

- /.../ is the phenomenon where a new substance is created.

- /.../ refers to a group of words that share at least one common meaning.

- /.../ is a place where evidence of ancient human habitation and activity can be found.

- /.../ refers to the phenomenon where pollen comes into contact with the stigma of a flower.

- /.../ is the volume of water that flows through a cross-section of a river at a specific point in one second, measured in cubic meters per second (m3/s).

- /.../ is the gravitational force exerted by the Earth.

- /.../ is the pressure exerted by the Earth's atmosphere on its surface.

- /.../ refers to substances made from a single chemical element.

- /.../ refers to a clan that follows the paternal lineage, where males have more rights than females.

- /.../ is a line that is perpendicular to a line segment at its midpoint.

Answer:

Use the knowledge gained from school subjects to identify the appropriate terms for each blank and specify the scientific field each term belongs to. For example: Force refers to the push or pull between objects (Physics); Perpendicular bisector refers to a line that is perpendicular to a line segment at its midpoint (Mathematics).

2. Exercise 2, page 90, Textbook.

Read the following excerpt:

If I plant the seeds for the next season

If history chooses me to be its pivot

What could be more joyful than to lead as a soldier

In the dark night, our hearts are flames!

(Tố Hữu, Greetings Spring 67)

In this excerpt, is the term 'pivot' used as a physics term? What does it mean here?

Answer:

'Pivot' is a physics term, referring to the fixed point of a lever, through which force is transmitted to resistive forces. Determine if the term 'pivot' in this context carries the same meaning.

3. Exercise 3, page 90, Textbook.

In chemistry, the term 'mixture' is defined as 'a combination of substances mixed together without chemically forming a new substance,' while in common language, 'mixture' refers to 'a collection of multiple components, where each retains its original properties.'

Identify whether the term 'mixture' is used as a technical term or in its common sense in the following sentences:

a) Natural water in ponds, lakes, rivers, and seas is a mixture.

b) That is a mixed program featuring multiple performances.

Create a sentence using the term 'mixture' in its common sense.

Answer:

Compare the meanings of the term 'mixture' in sentences (a) and (b) with the definitions provided to determine when the term is used as a technical term and when it is used in its common sense.

Create a sentence using 'mixture' according to its everyday meaning.

4. Exercise 4, page 90, Textbook.

In biology, whales and dolphins are classified as mammals because, despite having a backbone and swimming with fins, they breathe using lungs rather than gills.

Based on biological classification, define the term 'fish.' How does this definition differ from the common understanding of the term 'fish' in Vietnamese, as seen in the terms 'whale fish' and 'dolphin fish'?

Answer:

In Vietnamese, 'whale fish' and 'dolphin fish' are terms used to refer to these animals, which means that in common understanding, 'fish' refers to aquatic animals that swim with fins, but not necessarily breathe through gills.

5. Exercise 5, page 90, Textbook.

In economics, the term 'market' (from 'chợ' - Chinese root) refers to a place where goods are regularly traded. In optics (a branch of physics studying light and its interaction with matter), the term 'market' (from 'thây' - Chinese root) refers to the area visible to the human eye. Does this homophony violate the principle of 'one term - one concept' as stated in the review section? Why?

Answer:

Note: Economics and optics are two separate fields of science.

6. Exercise 6 Search the materials and provide the meaning of the term 'virus' in biology and in computer science. Is this homophony correct or not? Can this be considered a violation of the 'one term - one concept' principle?

Answer:

In biology, a virus is 'a very small, simple organism that does not have cellular structure and causes infectious diseases.'

In computer science, a virus is 'a piece of malicious code that enters a computer program to cause errors or damage stored information.'

Do you think the meanings of 'virus' in biology and in computer science are related? Can this be considered homophony?

7. Exercise 7 Can the term 'sleepwalking disorder' be replaced with 'wandering at night disorder' or 'speechlessness disorder' with 'unable to speak disorder'? Why or why not?

Answer:

Research the meanings of 'sleepwalking disorder' and 'speechlessness disorder' to understand their definitions. Compare these with the meanings of 'wandering at night' and 'unable to speak' to find an appropriate answer.

It is important to note that most technical terms in Vietnamese are borrowed words, especially from Chinese, which play a significant role in the creation of Vietnamese technical terms.

8. Exercise 8 The scientific field studying place names is called toponymy. What is the scientific field studying personal names called?

Answer:

According to the principle, the formation of terms should ensure systematization.

9. Exercise 9 List some terms used in mathematics that you know.

Answer:

Students may list some mathematical terms related to number theory and geometry, such as: integers, negative numbers, positive numbers, exponents, triangles, quadrilaterals, parallelograms, squares, medians, right angles, acute angles, obtuse angles, etc.

10. Exercise 10 What characteristics of terms in mathematics reflect general characteristics of technical terms?

Answer:

The terms used in mathematics share characteristics common to technical terms.

I. What is Terminology?

Terminology refers to words or terms used to represent scientific and technical concepts, typically found in academic and technical texts.

Examples:

An element is a fundamental substance whose atomic nucleus charge remains unchanged during chemical reactions, forming either a pure substance or a compound.

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that studies shapes, sizes, and relative positions of objects, including both flat and solid geometry.

1. Among the two explanations in (SGK, page 87), the second explanation cannot be fully understood without chemical formulas. This explanation reveals the internal characteristics of objects, which cannot be perceived through experience or intuition but require research and analysis. To understand this explanation, one must have specialized knowledge in chemistry.

2. Definitions of stalactites, bases, metaphors, and decimal fractions were learned in previous years. The term 'stalactite' is used in Geography, 'metaphor' in Literature, 'base' in Chemistry, and 'decimal fraction' in Mathematics.

These terms are primarily used in scientific and technical literature.

II. Characteristics of Terminology

In principle, each term represents a unique concept, and vice versa, each concept is represented by only one term.

Terminology lacks figurative meaning.

Terminology is non-expressive.

1. The terms listed in section 1.2 (stalactite, base, metaphor, decimal fraction) have no other meanings.

2. For the example in SGK, page 88:

The term 'salt' in sentence (a) is a scientific term.
The term 'salt' in sentence (b) no longer represents a concept but has an emotional nuance. Words like 'sweet-sour,' 'spicy-salty' combine with expressions like 'don't forget,' forming a tone of love and commitment in a marriage.

B. EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS

Question 1: This exercise presents two tasks:

Find the appropriate terms for each blank.
Identify the scientific field each term belongs to.

Force is the action of pushing or pulling one object on another. (Physics)
Erosion is the gradual destruction of soil and rock by natural forces such as wind, glaciers, and flowing water. (Geography)
A chemical phenomenon involves the creation of new substances. (Chemistry)
A lexical field is a group of words sharing at least one common meaning. (Literature)
An archaeological site is where evidence of past human habitation is found. (History)
Pollination is when pollen contacts the stigma. (Biology)
Flow rate is the volume of water passing a river's cross-section at a specific point per second. (Geography)
An element is a substance made up of only one type of atom. (Chemistry)
A patrilineal clan is a lineage traced through the male line, where men hold greater rights than women. (History)
The perpendicular bisector is a line that cuts a segment at its midpoint at a right angle. (Mathematics)

Question 2: This exercise asks whether the term 'fulcrum' in the quote from Tố Hữu is used as a physics term. What does it mean here?

The word 'fulcrum' in the phrase 'If history chooses us as the fulcrum' is not used as a physics term meaning a fixed point of a lever. Here, it refers to a metaphorical support or base.

Question 3: This exercise presents two tasks:

In the two cases from SGK, page 90, determine which use of 'mixture' is scientific, and which is ordinary.
'Mixture' in sentence (a) is used as a scientific term; 'mixture' in sentence (b) is used in its common meaning.

Write a sentence using 'mixture' in its ordinary sense.
Sentence: Today, we produce many types of mixed feed for livestock.

Question 4: This exercise presents two tasks:

Define the term 'fish' based on the biological definition.
What is the difference between the term 'fish' and the common understanding of the word?

In biology, 'fish' refers to a vertebrate aquatic animal that breathes through gills and swims with fins. In everyday language, 'fish' may refer to any aquatic creature, even those that are not technically fish, like whales or dolphins.

Question 5: The homonymy between the term 'market' in Economics and in Optics does not violate the principle that one term represents one concept because these terms belong to different scientific fields.

I. What is a Term?

1. First explanation: describes the external characteristics of an object based on experience and perception.

Second explanation: reflects the internal characteristics of an object, discovered through scientific research.

→ The second explanation requires specialized knowledge to fully understand.

2. Definitions from various scientific fields:

- Stalactites: Geology

- Barium: Chemistry

- Metaphor: Literature

- Decimal number: Mathematics

II. Characteristics of Terminology

1. Terminology is used in scientific, technical, and technological fields, each term representing a specific concept, and vice versa.

- Each concept is represented by only one term.

- This characteristic ensures precision, consistency, and international standardization in science, technology, and engineering.

2. Terms in artistic language carry emotional connotations, while technical terms are neutral.

→ Terminology has no emotional connotation.

III. Practice

Exercise 1 (page 89, 9th grade Literature textbook)

- Force: the push or pull exerted by one object on another.

- Erosion: the process of soil and rock destruction caused by natural forces like wind, waves, glaciers, or flowing water.

- Chemical reaction: the process in which new substances are formed.

- Relic: evidence of ancient human habitation.

- Pollination: the process where pollen comes into contact with the flower's stigma.

- Flow rate: the amount of water passing through a cross-section of a river in one second.

- Gravity: the force that pulls objects toward the Earth.

- Air pressure: the force exerted by the atmosphere on Earth's surface.

- Patrilineal clan: a family system where males have more authority than females.

- Perpendicular bisector: a line that divides a segment into two equal parts at a right angle.

Exercise 2 (page 90, 9th grade Literature textbook)

- Although the term "fulcrum" in physics refers to the fixed point of a lever from which force is transmitted, in literature it symbolizes a point of support or trust.

Exercise 3 (page 90, 9th grade Literature textbook)

a. Chemistry terminology

b. Mixtures used as everyday language

Example: An mixes flour and eggs to create a batter for baking.

Exercise 4 (page 90, 9th grade Literature textbook)

Fish: aquatic vertebrates that swim using fins and breathe through gills.

- In everyday language, the term 'fish' (e.g., whale, dolphin) does not have the strict biological meaning as in scientific definitions.

Exercise 5 (page 90, 9th grade Literature textbook)

The above phenomenon is an example of homophony, a case where the same word has different meanings depending on the field of use.

- This occurs when similar-sounding words in different scientific and technical domains hold entirely different meanings.