Alaska Science Performance Standard L3/B3

Alaska Science
Key Element B3

A student who meets the content standard should understand that scientific inquiry often involves different ways of thinking, curiosity, and the exploration of multiple paths.

Performance Standard Level 3, Ages 11–14

Students compare their work to the work of others to identify multiple paths that can be used to investigate a particular question.

Sample Assessment Ideas

Students investigate and collect data about the weather and soil; compare findings with teams from nearby communities; predict the best crops for different locations.

Expanded Sample Assessment Idea

Expanded Sample Assessment Idea

Students learn about the HIV virus, its biological nature, various cultural contexts, and how HIV is transmitted. Students develop multiple solutions to limit transmission of HIV and create lessons to teach another class about HIV.

Procedure Students will: Create a lesson they will present to another class that discusses the HIV virus, its effects, transmission, and how to potentially limit its spread in an infectious situation. The lesson should include the relative pros and cons of each method by which the infection could be limited. Each group presents its lesson to the rest of the class. Discuss and review each group’s presentation. Develop a lesson plan that contains some aspect of each group lesson. Reflection and Revision Evaluate the newly developed lesson plan in terms of completeness and depth of knowledge.	Levels of Performance
	Stage 4	Student work is complete, correct, and shows evidence of elaboration and extension. Student participates in class discussion and offers insightful examination of their work and the work of others.
	Stage 3	Student work is generally complete and correct. Student participates in class discussion though there may be evidence of misconception in their own work or misunderstanding of the work of others.
	Stage 2	Student work is on topic but lacks detail. Student may participate in class discussion in a limited way and show evidence of misconceptions and misunderstandings.
	Stage 1	Student participation in all aspects of activity is minimal and shows little or no evidence of relevant knowledge or understanding.

Standards Cross-References
( Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Standards)

National Science Education Standards

Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. Students should develop the ability to listen and to respect the explanations proposed by other students. They should remain open to and acknowledge different ideas and explanations, be able to accept the skepticism of others, and consider alternative explanations. (Page 148)

Communicate scientific procedures and explanations. With practice, students should become competent at communicating experimental methods, following instructions, describing observations, summarizing the results of other groups, and telling other students about investigations and explanations. (Page 148)

Scientific investigations sometimes result in new ideas and phenomena for study, generate new methods or procedures for an investigation, or develop new technologies to improve the collection of data. All of these results can lead to new investigations. (Page 148)

Benchmarks

Know that hypotheses are valuable, even if they turn out not to be true, if they lead to fruitful investigations. (Page 287)

Know that often different explanations can be given for the same evidence, and it is not always possible to tell which one is correct. (Page 287)

Be aware that there may be more than one good way to interpret a given set of findings. (Page 299)

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