How Do You Know?

This article talks about pushing students a little farther than just observing. When students observe something, in this case guppies, snails, and isopods, they make claims about them. A lot... See More

This article talks about pushing students a little farther than just observing. When students observe something, in this case guppies, snails, and isopods, they make claims about them. A lot of times those claims don't make sense. When you ask them how do you know that, they usually don't support it with evidence that makes sense. I think it is very interesting how you can carry on a conversation with a child and guide them to the correct thinking. I also like that they are given the opportunity to test out their thinking. For students to really understand it makes sense that they need to see it happen. This questioning can also be difficult for the teacher, you never know what students are going to say! It is hard not to just give them the answer, instead guide them to it. I think this would be something I would like to try in my future classroom so I can start teaching my students early on to use evidence to support their claims.

Developing Age Appropriate Learning Skills

A group of educators developed an inquiry-based unit that focused on guiding students to formulate explanations about animals based on scientific evidence. The group observed student respon... See More

A group of educators developed an inquiry-based unit that focused on guiding students to formulate explanations about animals based on scientific evidence. The group observed student responses in an effort to build observation skills, develop a knowledge base, and practice science skills such as comparing, describing, and drawing. This article describes their efforts and results.