Iron Bar

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about atoms. The probe is specifically designed to determine whether students can use the idea of atoms to explain why a metal expands when heated.…

Evidence of Molecular Motion

Journal Article | October 2019

Surface Tension and Surfactants

Journal Article | January 2019

Adventures in Quander: A QIS Video Game for Secondary Learners

Journal Article | February 2023

Concept-Based Probes: The Justified List

Journal Article | July 2021

Chemical Bonds

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about chemical bonds. The probe is designed to find out how students interpret molecular models.

Is It Matter?

Lesson Plan | August 2020

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about matter. The probe is designed to reveal the characteristics students use to describe and define matter.

Arguing About a Chemical Change

Journal Article | October 2019

Is It a Solid?

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about solids. The probe is designed to reveal the macroscopic and/or microscopic properties students use to decide whether a material is a solid.

Advancing Alloys

Journal Article | April 2020

The manufacture of metal alloys is ubiquitous, yet infrequently discussed in high school coursework as concepts related to them are often too complex or abstract for beginning science students. However, earlier…

The Rusty Nails

Lesson Plan | August 2020

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about a common phenomenon—rusting. The probe is designed to find out what students think happens to the mass of iron nails after a chemical change.

Earth’s Mass

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the cycling of matter. The probe can be used to determine whether students recognize that once-living matter breaks down and cycles through…

Solar System Exploration

Journal Article | May 2022

Thinking Inside the Box

Case Study | November 2002

Nails in a Jar

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about conservation of matter during a chemical change (oxidation). The probe is designed to find out if students think the mass changes as rust forms…