science practices continuum – students’ performance

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR SCIENCE PRACTICES (ILSP) www.sciencepracticesleadership.com

SciencePracticesContinuum–Students’Performance

Thiscontinuumisintendedforteachersandadministratorstouseinguidingandevaluatingstudentperformanceinthesciencepractices.Thelevelsreflectincreasinglysophisticatedengagementinthepracticesandarenotgrade-levelspecific;studentscanengageinthepracticesindevelopmentallyappropriatewaysatanyoftheselevels.AppendixFintheNGSSprovidessignificantlymoredetailforeachpractice(thatshouldbeintegratedasbothstudentsandteachersdevelopgreaterfluencywitheachpractice).Thepracticesaregroupedintothe“Investigating”“Sensemaking”and“Critiquing”practices. Level1 Level2 Level3 Level4

InvestigatingPractices

1.Askingquestions

Students do not ask questions.

Studentsaskquestions.Students’questionsarebothscientificandnon-scientificquestions(i.e.,notanswerablethroughthegatheringofevidenceoraboutthenaturalworld).

Studentsaskquestions.Students’questionsaretypicallyscientific(i.e.answerablethroughgatheringevidenceaboutthenaturalworld).Studentsdonotevaluatethemeritsandlimitationsofthequestions.

Studentsaskquestions.Students’questionsaretypicallyscientific(i.e.answerablethroughgatheringevidenceaboutthenaturalworld).Studentsdoevaluatethemeritsandlimitationsofthequestions.

3.Planningandcarryingoutinvestigations

Studentsdonotdesignorconductinvestigations.

Studentsconductinvestigations,buttheseopportunitiesaretypicallyteacher-driven.Studentsdonotmakedecisionsaboutexperimentalvariablesorinvestigationalmethods(e.g.numberoftrials).

Studentsdesignorconductinvestigationstogatherdata.Studentsmakedecisionsaboutexperimentalvariables,controlsorinvestigationalmethods(e.g.numberoftrials).

Studentsdesignandconductinvestigationstogatherdata.Studentsmakedecisionsaboutexperimentalvariables,controlsandinvestigationalmethods(e.g.numberoftrials).

5.Usingmathematicsandcomputationalthinking

Studentsdonotusemathematicalskills(i.e.,measuring,estimating)orconcepts(i.e.,ratios).

Studentsusemathematicalskillsorconceptsbutthesearenotconnectedtoansweringascientificquestion.

Studentsusemathematicalskillsorconceptstoanswerascientificquestion.

Studentsmakedecisionsaboutwhatmathematicalskillsorconceptstouse.Studentsusemathematicalskillsorconceptstoanswerascientificquestion.


SensemakingPractices

2.Developingandusingmodels

Studentsdonotcreateorusemodels.

Studentscreateorusemodels.Themodelsfocusondescribingnaturalphenomenaratherthanpredictingorexplainingthenaturalworld.Studentsdonotevaluatethemeritsandlimitationsofthemodel.

Studentscreateorusemodelsfocusedonpredictingorexplainingthenaturalworld.Studentsdonotevaluatethemeritsandlimitationsofthemodel.

Studentscreateorusemodelsfocusedonpredictingorexplainingthenaturalworld.Studentsdoevaluatethemeritsandlimitationsofthemodel.

4.Analyzingandinterpretingdata

Studentsmayrecorddata,butdonotanalyzedata.

Studentsworkwithdatatoorganizeorgroupthedatainatableorgraph.However,studentsdonotrecognizepatternsorrelationshipsinthenaturalworld.

Studentsworkwithdatatoorganizeorgroupthedatainatableorgraph.Studentsmakesenseofdatabyrecognizingpatternsorrelationshipsinthenaturalworld.

Studentsmakedecisionsabouthowtoanalyzedata(e.g.tableorgraph)andworkwiththedatatocreatetherepresentation.Studentsmakesenseofdatabyrecognizingpatternsorrelationshipsinthenaturalworld.

6.Constructingexplanations

Studentsdonotcreatescientificexplanations.

Studentsattempttocreatescientificexplanationsbutstudents’explanationsaredescriptiveinsteadofexplaininghoworwhyaphenomenonoccurs.Studentsdonotuseappropriateevidencetosupporttheirexplanations.

Studentsattempttocreatescientificexplanationsbutstudents’explanationsaredescriptiveinsteadofexplaininghoworwhyaphenomenonoccurs.Studentsuseappropriateevidencetosupporttheirexplanations.

Studentsconstructexplanationsthatfocusonexplaininghoworwhyaphenomenonoccursanduseappropriateevidencetosupporttheirexplanations.


CritiquingPractices

7.Engaginginargumentfromevidence

Studentsdonotengageinargumentation.

Studentsengageinargumentationwheretheysupporttheirclaimswithevidenceorreasoning,butthediscourseisprimarilyteacher-driven.

Studentstoengageinstudent-drivenargumentation.Thestudentdiscourseincludesevidenceandreasoningtosupporttheirclaim.Studentsalsoagreeanddisagree,butrarelyengageincritique.

Studentsengageinstudent-drivenargumentation.Thestudentdiscourseincludesevidence,reasoningthatlinkstheevidencetotheirclaimandcritiqueofcompetingargumentsduringwhichstudentsbuildonandquestioneachother’sideas.

8.Obtaining,evaluating,andcommunicatinginformation

Studentsdonotreadtextforscientificinformation.

Studentsreadtexttoobtainscientificinformation,butdonotevaluatethisinformation.Studentsalsodonotcompareorcombineinformationfrommultipletextsconsideringthestrengthsoftheinformationandsources.

Studentsreadandevaluatetexttoobtainscientificinformation.Studentsdonotcompareorcombineinformationfrommultipletextsconsideringthestrengthsoftheinformationandsources.

Studentsreadandevaluatetexttoobtainscientificinformation.Studentscompareandcombineinformationfrommultipletextsconsideringthestrengthsoftheinformationandsources.

ClassroomCulturePrioritizingSciencePractices

Less---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More ConnectedtotheNaturalWorld

FocusedonScientificEvidenceStudentDirectedandCollaborative

InformedbyCritique


LessonAdaptationActivity:DevelopingandUsingModels

RelatedNGSSPerformanceExpectation:

2-LS2-2.Developasimplemodelthatmimicsthefunctionofananimalindispersingseedsorpollinatingplants.*(*TheperformanceexpectationsmarkedwithanasteriskintegratetraditionalsciencecontentwithengineeringthroughaPracticeorDisciplinaryCoreIdea).

LessonDescription

Ms.Mitchell’s2ndgradeclassisinthemiddleofaunitonecosysteminteractions.Inthisparticularlesson,studentsaredevelopingamodeltoreflecttheroleofanimalsinplantreproduction(ex:dispersingseedsorpollinatingplants).Studentsspentpreviouslessonsresearchingandwatchingvideoclipstoinvestigatetheroleofanimalsinvolvedinseeddispersalandplantpollination.

LessonAdaptationA

Ms.Mitchell:Sowe’vebeenstudyinghowplantsandanimalsworktogethertosurvive.Youallspentsometimeresearchinghowanimalsplayaroleinseeddispersalandplantpollination.Couldsomeonereminduswhattheworddispersalandpollinationmean?Allegra:Animalsdisperseseedswhentheyspreadthemawayfromtheplant.Sotheseedsarespreadinnewplaces.Ms.Mitchell:Excellent.Whataboutpollination?Joseph:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Great,whocangiveussomeexamplesofanimalsinvolvedinseeddispersal?Jamal:Squirrelsburyacorns.Birdseatfruitwithseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Verygood.Whataboutpollination?Gisella:Beesandbutterfliesgetnectarfromflowersandbringpollentootherflowers.Ms.Mitchell:Wonderful.Todaywearegoingtolearnmoreabouttheroleofanimalsinplantpollinationandseeddispersal.Wearealsogoingtodevelopamodeltoshowthis.First,wearegoingtowatchafewshortvideoclipsandreadabouttheseprocessesinyourtextbookandtakenotes.


Afterwatchingthevideoclips,studentstaketurnsreadinginformationoutloud.Ms.Mitchellpromptsstudentstoshareoutimportantinformationtheylearnedfromreadingeachsection.Ms.Mitchelltakesnotesontheiranswersontheboardandstudentscopytheinformationdown.Ms.Mitchell:Youallsharedsomegreatinformation.Now,wearegoingtoworkondevelopingourmodelsforpollinationandseeddispersal.Pleaseflipbacktopage52inyourtextbook.Doyouallseethediagramofthefloweronthepage?Youaregoingtodrawthisdiagraminyournotebooks.Beforewestart,whydoyouthinkwearedrawingadiagramofaflower?Howisthisgoingtohelpourmodel?Austin:Weneedtohaveaflowerdiagrambecauseflowershavepollenandseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Right,sowearegoingtodrawthisfirstandthenyouandyourgroupmembersaregoingtopickananimalthatisinvolvedinpollinationorseeddispersaltoincludeinyourdrawing.First,let’sdrawtheflowerdiagramtogether.Wewanttomakesuretouseproperlabelsforascientificdrawing.

Photocredit:www.tutorvista.com/biology/parts-of-a-plant-diagram

Ms.Mitchelldrawstheflowerdiagramfromthetextbookontheboard.Sheremindsthemthattheantherproducesthepollenandtheovaryproducestheseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Greatjob,students.Youhavedrawnascientificdiagramofaflower.Nowdecideonwhichanimalyouandyourgrouparegoingtoincludeinyourmodel.Youcanusethecomputerstofindalabeleddiagramoftheanimal.Pleasegetstarted.Studentsstartworking.Theyfindpicturesofanimalsontheinternet(examplesbelow)anddrawthemnexttotheflowerdiagramintheirnotebooks.

Photocredit:www.exploringnature.organdhttps://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/habitat/index.shtml


LessonAdaptationB

Ms.Mitchell:Sowe’vebeenstudyinghowplantsandanimalsworktogethertosurvive.Youallspentsometimeresearchinghowanimalsplayaroleinseeddispersalandplantpollination.Couldsomeonereminduswhattheworddispersalandpollinationmean?Allegra:Animalsdisperseseedswhentheyspreadthemawayfromtheplant.Sotheseedsarespreadinnewplaces.Ms.Mitchell:Excellent.Whataboutpollination?Joseph:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Great,whocangiveussomeexamplesofanimalsinvolvedinseeddispersal?Jamal:Squirrelsburyacorns.Birdseatfruitwithseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Verygood.Whataboutpollination?Gisella:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Wonderful.Todaywearegoingtolearnmoreabouttheroleofanimalsinplantpollinationandseeddispersal.Youwillworkwithyourgroupmemberstodevelopamodeltoshowoneoftheseprocesses.Firstyourgroupmustdecideonwhetheryouwantyourmodeltoillustratepollinationorseeddispersal.Pleaseseethewebsitespostedonourclasswebsiteforinformationonanimaltraitsforpollinationandseeddispersal.

Gisella:Let’sshowtheprocessofhowhummingbirdspollinateflowers.Maeve:Soundsgoodtome.Hereisawebsitethattalksabouthummingbirds.Theyareactiveduringtheday.Joseph:Theyalsohavealowsenseofsmellandeyesightlikehumans.Theycanseethecolorred—that’sdifferentfrombees.Irememberwelearnedthatbeescouldn’tseered.

Maeve:Oh,yeah,Irememberthattoo.Look--theirwingsflaparound50timespersecond!That’scrazy.Theyalsohavealongbillandtonguetogetthenectar.Gisella:Yeah,andlook--Italsosaysthattheydon’tneedtolandontheflower,theyhoveroverittogetnectar.Thatmakessense.Theycanflaptheirwingssofasttheydon’tneedtolandontheflower.Ms.Mitchellchecksinwiththeclass.

Ms.Mitchell:Itlookslikeyourgroupsaredoingexcellentresearchtopreparetomakeyour


model.Beforeyoumoveontoresearchingthetypesofflowersthatyouranimalsareattractedto,thinkabouttheanimal’straits.Forexample,ifyou’redoingamodeloninsectpollinationofflowers,whattypesofflowersdoyouthinkyouranimalisattractedtobasedonitstraits?Writedownyourpredictionsinyourgroup.Ms.Mitchellputsasentencestarterontheboardforstudentstouseifneeded.Wepredict_________(animal)willbeattractedto_______________(describethetypeofflowerorseed)because_______________________________________________________________________(includetraitsofanimalthatmakeitattractedtothisparticulartypeofflowerorseed).Gisella,Joseph,andMaeve’sgroupcomesupwiththesepredictions:

• Hummingbirdswillbeattractedtoredflowersbecausebrightcolorslikeredtellthemthattheyhavenectar.Theycanalsoseethecolorred.Hummingbirdswilllikeflowersthatareopenintheday.Theyaremostactiveduringtheday.Hummingbirdscannotsmellwellsotheflowerstheyareattractedtodonottosmellalot.

Afterstudentsshareouttheirpredictions,Ms.Mitchellinstructsstudentstodevelopmodelstoillustratetheprocessofpollinationusingtheirresearchandpredictions.


Ms.Mitchell:Sowe’vebeenstudyinghowplantsandanimalsworktogethertosurvive.Youallspentsometimeresearchinghowanimalsplayaroleinseeddispersalandplantpollination.Couldsomeonereminduswhattheworddispersalandpollinationmean?Allegra:Animalsdisperseseedswhentheyspreadthemawayfromtheplant.Sotheseedsarespreadinnewplaces.Ms.Mitchell:Excellent.Whataboutpollination?Joseph:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Great,whocangiveussomeexamplesofanimalsinvolvedinseeddispersal?Jamal:Squirrelsburyacorns.Birdseatfruitwithseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Verygood.Whataboutpollination?Gisella:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Wonderful.Todaywearegoingtolearnmoreabouttheroleofanimalsinplantpollinationandseeddispersal.Youwillworkwithyourgroupmemberstodevelopamodeltoshowoneoftheseprocesses.Firstyourgroupmustdecideonwhetheryouwantyourmodeltoillustratepollinationorseeddispersal.Pleaseseethewebsitespostedonourclasswebsiteforinformationonanimaltraitsforpollinationandseeddispersal.Gisella,MaeveandJosephdecidetoshowtheprocessofhowhummingbirdspollinateflowers.Theygatherinformationonthewebsiteabouthummingbirdtraitsthatrelatetopollination.Ms.Mitchellchecksinwiththeclass.

Ms.Mitchell:Itlookslikeyourgroupsaredoingexcellentresearchtopreparetomakeyourmodel.Beforeyoumoveontoresearchingthetypesofflowersthatyouranimalsareattractedto,thinkabouttheanimal’straits.Forexample,ifyou’redoingamodeloninsectpollinationofflowers,whattypesofflowersdoyouthinkyouranimalisattractedtobasedonitstraits?Writedownyourpredictionsinyourgroup.Ms.Mitchellputsasentencestarterontheboardforstudentstouseifneeded.Wepredict_________(animal)willbeattractedto_______________(describethetypeofflowerorseed)because_______________________________________________________________________(includetraitsofanimalthatmakeitattractedtothisparticulartypeofflowerorseed).

LessonAdaptationC


Groupsofstudentsworktogethertogeneratepredictionsbeforedevelopingtheirmodels.Afterstudentsfinishtheirmodels,Ms.Mitchelladdressestheclass.Ms.Mitchell:Greatjob,everyone.Nowyouallgettoshowoffyourmodelstoyourclassmates.Iamgoingtogiveyoupost-itnoteswithsentencestarterstowritefeedbacktoyourclassmates.Remembertoincludebothpositiveandconstructivefeedbackontheirmodels.(Sentencestartersinclude:Ilike…,Ilikehowyou…,Goodjob….,Onethingyoumightchange…)

Feedbackfromstudentsonmodelontheleft:

• Goodjobwritingaboutthetraitsofthehummingbirdandflower

• Ilikeyourpicture• Onethingyoumightchangeis

explainwhyit’saredflower• Onethingyoumightchangeis

explainwhythehummingbirdhavealongbillandtongue

Feedbackfromstudentsonthemodelontheleft:

• Ilikehowyouexplainedhowthebird’straitshelpitgetnectar.

• Ilikehowyouexplainedhowthehummingbirdmovespollentootherflowers.

• Onethingyoumightchangeisexplainwhythehummingbirdwon’tgotopinkflowers

• Onethingyoumightchangeislabelisnotpointingtothewings


LessonAdaptationD

Ms.Mitchell:Sowe’vebeenstudyinghowplantsandanimalsworktogethertosurvive.Youallspentsometimeresearchinghowanimalsplayaroleinseeddispersalandplantpollination.Couldsomeonereminduswhattheworddispersalandpollinationmean?Allegra:Animalsdisperseseedswhentheyspreadthemawayfromtheplant.Sotheseedsarespreadinnewplaces.Ms.Mitchell:Excellent.Whataboutpollination?Joseph:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Great,whocangiveussomeexamplesofanimalsinvolvedinseeddispersal?Jamal:Squirrelsburyacorns.Birdseatfruitwithseeds.Ms.Mitchell:Verygood.Whataboutpollination?Gisella:Bugslandonflowersandthepollenstickstothem.Thentheymovethepollentootherflowerswhentheyvisitthem.Ms.Mitchell:Wonderful.Todaywearegoingtolearnmoreabouttheroleofanimalsinplantpollinationandseeddispersal.Youwillworkwithyourgroupmemberstodevelopamodeltoshowoneoftheseprocesses.Firstyourgroupmustdecideonwhetheryouwantyourmodeltoillustratepollinationorseeddispersal.Pleaseseethewebsitespostedonourclasswebsiteforinformationonanimaladaptationsforpollinationandseeddispersal.Joseph:Whatprocessdoyouallwanttoshow?Gisella:Let’sshowtheprocessofpollination.Maeve:Soundsgoodtome.Let’slookuptraitsforhummingbirdsandtheflowerstheyareattractedto.Gisella:Hereisawebsitethattalksabouthummingbirds.Theyareactiveduringtheday.Joseph:Theyalsohavealowsenseofsmellandeyesightlikehumans.Theycanseethecolorred.Maeve:Theyhoverovertheflowertogetnectar.Theyalsohavealongbillandtongue.Gisella:Italsosaysthey’resmart.


Maeve:Let’slookatthetypeofflowerstheyareattractedto.Joseph:Itsaysthey’reattractedtoflowerswithlotsofnectar.Theylikeredflowers.Gisella:Ithinkwehaveenoughinformationforourmodel.Studentsthenworktogethertodrawamodelofahummingbirdonaflower(below).Whenallstudentsarefinished,theydoagallerywalktolookateachother’swork.

OrderingofAdaptations

Directions:Orderthefouradaptations(A-D)alongtheSciencePracticeContinuum(Levels1-4)fortheDevelopingandUsingModelspractice.

Level1 Level2 Level3 Level4

Adaptations

science practices continuum – students’ performance

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