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 2, Ages 8–10

Students discuss multiple explanations for an observed phenomenon.

Sample Assessment Ideas

• Students observe the behavior of meal worms, earthworms, pond animals, etc. Record observations in journals. Discuss observations including patterns of behavior and possible explanations for behavior.

• Students explore a variety of moving air stations (fan, blow dryer). Teacher asks open-ended questions to elicit multiple explanations for observations.

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

National Science Education Standards

Ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment. This aspect of the standard emphasizes students asking questions that they can answer with scientific knowledge, combined with their own observations. Students should answer their questions by seeking information from reliable sources of scientific information and from their own observations and investigations. (Page 122)

Communicate investigations and explanations. Students should begin developing the abilities to communicate, critique, and analyze their work and the work of other students. This communication might be spoken or drawn as well as written. (Page 122)

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)

Benchmarks

Scientists’ explanations about what happens in the world come partly from what they observe, partly from what they think. Sometimes scientists have different explanations for the same set of observations. That usually leads to their making more observations to resolve the differences. (Page 11)

Offer reasons for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others. (Page 286)