The Bosque Education Guide: Education Standards
Science Part 2: 2003 Content Standard, Benchmarks and Performance Standards
B: Grade Five through Eight
Strand I
Strand I: Scientific Thinking and Practice |
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| Standard I: Understand the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating to think critically. | Activity Number* |
| 5-8 Benchmark I: Use scientific methods to develop questions, design and conduct experiments using appropriate technologies, analyze and evaluate results, make predictions, and communicate findings. | |
| 5 1. Plan and conduct investigations, including formulating testable questions, making systematic observations, developing logical conclusions, and communicating findings. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 33, 36, 40 |
| 2. Use appropriate technologies (e.g., calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes) to perform scientific tests and to collect and display data. | 8, 9, 22, 23, 24, 27, 32, 34 |
| 3. Use graphic representations (e.g., charts, graphs, tables, labeled diagrams) to present data and produce explanations for investigations. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 35, 36 |
| 4. Describe how credible scientific investigations use reproducible elements including single variables, controls, and appropriate sample sizes to produce valid scientific results. | 6, 7, 8, 9, 21 |
| 5. Communicate the steps and results of a scientific investigation. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24 |
| 6 1. Construct appropriate graphs from data and develop qualitative and quantitative statements about the relationships between variables being investigated. | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 24, 28, 32, 33, 34 |
| 2. Examine the reasonableness of data supporting a proposed scientific explanation. | 4, 5, 13, 22, 23, 24, 36 |
| 3. Justify predictions and conclusions based on data. | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 33, 34, 35, 40 |
| 7 1. Use a variety of print and web resources to collect information, inform investigations, and answer a scientific question or hypothesis. | 24, 27, 36, 37, 38 |
| 2. Use models to explain the relationships between variables being investigated. | 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 30, 32 |
| 8 1. Evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of data and observations. | 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 33, 35 |
| 2. Use a variety of technologies to gather, analyze and interpret scientific data. | 8, 9, 10, 11, 24, 27, 32 |
| 3. Know how to recognize and explain anomalous data. | 28, 33 |
| 5-8 Benchmark II: Understand the processes of scientific investigation and how scientific inquiry results in scientific knowledge. | |
| 5 1. Understand that different kinds of investigations are used to answer different kinds of questions (e.g., observations, data collection, controlled experiments). | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 22, 23 |
| 2. Understand that scientific conclusions are subject to peer and public review. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 24, 27, 36, 40 |
| 6 1. Understand that scientific knowledge is continually reviewed, critiqued, and revised as new data become available. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 36, 37 |
| 2. Understand that scientific investigations use common processes that include the collection of relevant data and observations, accurate measurements, the identification and control of variables, and logical reasoning to formulate hypotheses and explanations. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24, 28, 32, 33, 36 |
| 3. Understand that not all investigations result in defensible scientific explanations. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 7 1. Describe how bias can affect scientific investigation and conclusions. | 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 21, 24, 37, 38 |
| 2. Critique procedures used to investigate a hypothesis. | 8, 9, 11, 28, 32 |
| 3. Analyze and evaluate scientific explanations. | 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 24, 26, 27, 33, 34, 35 |
| 8 1. Examine alternative explanations for observations. | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 22, 23, 26, 32, 33, 36 |
| 2. Describe ways in which science differs from other ways of knowing and from other bodies of knowledge (e.g., experimentation, logical arguments, skepticism). | 2, 3, 4, 25, 26 |
| 3. Know that scientific knowledge is built on questions posed as testable hypotheses, which are tested until the results are accepted by peers. | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22, 23 |
| 5-8 Benchmark III: Use mathematical ideas, tools, and techniques to understand scientific knowledge. | |
| 5 1. Use appropriate units to make precise and varied measurements. | 28, 33 |
| 2. Use mathematical skills to analyze data. | 22, 23, 28, 33, 34, 35 |
| 3. Make predictions based on analyses of data, observations, and explanations. | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 32, 33, 36 |
| 4. Understand the attributes to be measured in a scientific investigation and describe the units, systems, and processes for making the measurement. | 8, 9, 32 |
| 6 1. Evaluate the usefulness and relevance of data to an investigation. | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 34, 35, 36, 40 |
| 2. Use probabilities, patterns, and relationships to explain data and observations. | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 36 |
| 7 1. Understand that the number of data (sample size) influences the reliability of a prediction. | 8, 9, 15, 16, 21 |
| 2. Use mathematical expressions to represent data and observations collected in scientific investigations. | 8, 9, 22, 23, 28 |
| 3. Select and use an appropriate model to examine a phenomenon. | 13, 14, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 32 |
| 8 1. Use mathematical expressions and techniques to explain data and observations and to communicate findings (e.g., formulas and equations, significant figures, graphing, sampling, estimation, mean). | 8, 9, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36 |
| 2. Create models to describe phenomena. | 13, 14, 26 |
