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  • Is It Erosion?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about erosion. The probe is designed to find out whether students can distinguish between erosion and weathering. When rock material is broken down or…

  • Can a Plant Break Rocks?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about weathering. The probe is designed to find out whether students recognize that plants, including small plants, can cause weathering of rock. Plant…

  • Grand Canyon

    Book Chapter |

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

  • Mountains and Beaches

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about processes that change Earth. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize that the sand on many beaches results from weathering of rock…

  • How Do Rivers Form?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about rivers. The probe is designed to find out how students think most rivers formed and can be used with grades 3–12. It is helpful to show a…

  • What is the Inside of Earth Like?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s structure. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize Earth’s interior is made up of layers and is mostly solid. It is best…

  • Describing Earth’s Plates

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s tectonic plates. The probe is designed to uncover commonly held misconceptions about Earth’s plates. Plate tectonics is the unifying theory…

  • Where Do You Find the Earth’s Plates?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s plates. The probe is designed to find out where students think tectonic plates are located. Earth is composed of several major, large…

  • What Do You Know About Volcanoes and Earthquakes?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about plate tectonic features and events. The probe is designed to uncover commonly held misconceptions about volcanoes and earthquakes. If students…

  • Renewable or Nonrenewable?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s natural resources. The probe is designed to find out if students can distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. It…

  • Acid Rain

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about pollution. The probe is designed to uncover commonly held ideas about acid rain, which is caused when normal rain combines with things in the air…

  • What Is a Watershed?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about watersheds. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place. They come in all…

  • Is Natural Better?

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about natural versus human-engineered products. This probe is designed to uncover whether students think natural always means not harmful while some can…

  • The Greenhouse Effect

    Book Chapter |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the greenhouse effect. The probe is designed to reveal whether students confuse the greenhouse effect with other environmental concerns or lump the…

  • Nature of Science and Science Process Skills

    Book Chapter |

    The nature of science (NOS) is usually described as having six or more basic understandings or aspects. In this chapter eight aspects are listed, and the lesson provides a very simple example of how to voice your…

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