The War Over Water Continues

Journal Article | September 2019

Debates over water allocation help students understand Earth systems.

Shadow Size

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit children’s ideas about how light interacts with an object to form a shadow. The probe is designed to reveal children’s ideas about the size of a shadow in relation to…

Winter Fun Without Wet Mittens

Journal Article | September 2019

The SDM Finger

Journal Article | October 2019

Exploring makerspaces, engineering, and more

What Happens When You Bring a Balloon Near Wall

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about electrical interactions. The probe is designed to find out how students visually represent electrical interactions.

Integrating Crosscutting Concepts into Science Instruction

Journal Article | September 2020

Plants in the Dark and Light

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about plant growth. The probe is designed to find out whether students recognize that plants use their stored food to grow in the absence of light.

Rotting Apple

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about decay and decomposers. The probe can be used to determine whether students recognize the need for a biological agent to break down once-living…