Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Table of Contents
WHY is writing scientific explanations beneficial to students?
Science standards for scientific explanation
2009 Washington State Science Learning Standards Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy National Science Education Standards and AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy
Elaboration on Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, and Rebuttal (selected pages from McNeill and Krajcik)
Sources: McNeill, K., and Krajcik J. (2011). Supporting Grade 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science: The Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning Framework for Talk and Writing. Pearson Education, Inc. Michaels, S., Shouse, A. W., & Schweingruber, H.A. (2008). Ready, Set, SCIENCE! Putting research to work in K-8 science classrooms. Board on Science Education, Center for Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Common Core State StandardS for enGLISH LanGUaGe artS & LIteraCy In HIStory/SoCIaL StUdIeS, SCIenCe, and teCHnICaL SUbjeCtS
10 | K-5 | readInG
*Please see Research to Build and Present Knowledge in Writing and Comprehension and Collaboration in Speaking and Listening for additional standards relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying information from print and digital sources.
Page 5
Common Core State StandardS for enGLISH LanGUaGe artS & LIteraCy In HIStory/SoCIaL StUdIeS, SCIenCe, and teCHnICaL SUbjeCtS
range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. K-5 | wrItInG
*These broad types of writing include many subgenres. See Appendix A for definitions of key writing types.
Page 6
18
Page 7
Page 8
WashingtonStateScienceEducationStandardsforscientificexplanation
EALR2:INQUIRY
GradesK1 CoreContent:MakingObservations
Grades23 CoreContent:ConductingInvestigations
Grades45 CoreContent:PlanningInvestigations
Page 3
These four strands of science proficiency were articulated in the National Research Council consensus report, Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8 (2008). The companion volume, Ready, Set, SCIENCE!: Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms (2008), was written for teachers as a translation of the research findings.
The following excerpt from Ready, Set, SCIENCE! elaborates on the four strands of science proficiency.
TheClaim,Evidence,andReasoning(andRebuttal)FrameworkforScientificExplanations:
4. Rebuttal:describesalternativeexplanationsandprovidescounterevidenceandreasoning
Physicsexample Question: Doesmassaffecthowquicklyanobjectfalls? Claim: Evidence: Reasoning: No,massdoesnotaffecthowquicklyanobjectfalls. Theblockshaddifferentmasses20g,30g,44g,123g,and142g.Buttheaveragetime forallfiveblockswasaboutthesamebetween1.5and1.8seconds. Sincetheblockshaddifferentmassesbuttookaboutthesametimetofall,Iknowthat massdoesnotaffecthowquicklysomethingfalls.
Chemistryexample Question: Whattypeofprocesstookplace(mixing,phasechange,orchemicalreaction)? Claim: Evidence: Achemicalreactionoccurred. Before,thepennywasbrownishincolor,wasnotsolubleinwater,andhadadensityof 8.96g/cm3.Aftertheexperiment,thegreensolidwasformed,solubleinwater,andhad adensityof1.88g/cm3.Thecolor,solubility,anddensitychanged. Color,solubility,anddensityareallproperties.Sincethepropertieschanged,Iknowa newsubstancewasmade,whichmeansachemicalreactionoccurred.Chemicalreactions createnewsubstancesthathavedifferentpropertiesfromoldsubstances.
Reasoning:
Biologyexample Question: Whatwillhappentothesharkpopulationifthephytoplanktonpopulationdiesout? Claim: Evidence: Thesharkpopulationwilldieout. Thesharkeatsotherfishsuchastheoceanfishandthelanternfish.Theoceanfishand thelanternfisheatotherorganismssuchasshrimpandcopepods.Theshrimpand copepodseatthephytoplankton. Phytoplanktonareproducersandtheymaketheirownfoodusingenergyfromthesun. Allotherorganismsinthefoodwebdependonthephytoplankton,eveniftheydonot directlyeatthem.Ifthephytoplanktondie,primaryconsumers(shrimpandcopepods) willdiebecausetheywillhavenofood,whichwillcausethesecondaryconsumers(ocean fishandlanternfish)todie,whichwillcausethesharktodie.
Reasoning:
EarthScienceExample Question: HowwastheGrandCanyonFormed? Claim: Evidence: TheGrandCanyonwasmainlyformedbywatercuttingintoanderodingsoil. ThesoilintheGrandCanyonishard,cannotabsorbwater,andhasfewplantstoholditin place.WhenitrainsintheGrandCanyonitcanrainveryhardandcauseflashfloods.The flashfloodscomedownthesideoftheGrandCanyonandintotheColoradoRiver. Watermovingcancauseerosion.Erosionisthemovementofmaterialsontheearths surface.IntermsoftheGrandCanyon,thewatermovedthesoilandrockfromthesides oftheGrandCanyonintotheColoradoRiverwhereitwasthenwashedaway.
Reasoning:
Page 19
Page 25
Page 26