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  • Darkness at Night

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the day/night cycle. The probe is designed to determine whether students recognize that Earth’s rotation explains why it is dark at night and light…

  • Mirror on the Wall

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about reflection of light. The probe can be used to examine how students use ideas about light to explain how we see objects in a mirror.

  • Leading U.S. Student Researchers in STEM and Humanities Connect Virtually to Compete for Scholarships and Awards at the 58th National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

    Press Release |

  • KEYS High School Student Internship Program

    Journal Article |

  • A Home for Three Little Pigs

    Journal Article |

    Preschool students learn about engineering through designing and testing homes.

  • Rotting Apple

    Lesson Plan |

    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…

  • Force and Motion Ideas

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to comprehensively elicit students’ ideas about the relationship between force and motion. The list of possible answers includes several distracters that are based on learning…

  • Changing Constellations

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about why the constellations change with the seasons. The probe is designed to find out how students use the Earth’s spin and orbit to explain why…

  • Grand Canyon

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the formation of the Grand Canyon. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize the role of rivers and flowing water and connect them to…

  • What Happens When You Bring a Balloon Near Wall

    Lesson Plan |

    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.

  • Team Players?

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit student’ ideas about engineers and teamwork. The probe is designed to see if students recognize that different types of engineers and other professionals must work as…

  • Engineering and Nature

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how engineers use designs from nature. The probe is designed to see if students recognize that designs from nature provide creative ideas for…

  • Is It a System?

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about systems. The probe is designed to find out whether students can recognize that things with parts that interact or influence each other are systems.

  • Three Steps to Making Assessment Simpler and More Relevant

    Journal Article |

  • Taking the Pulse of Our Planet With Nature’s Notebook

    Journal Article |

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