Understanding the Science MSP

Mark WatrinScience Coordinator

ESD112

Inquiry

Not the Purpose Purpose

Help Teachers Understand the

Science MSP

–Systems

– Inquiry

–Application

• Debate testing in general

• Give you all the right answers

(not possible)

• Represent OSPI

Science MSP Test and Item Specifications

http://www.k12.wa.us/Science/TestItemSpec.aspx

Science Assessment Update

2009 Inquiry

18%

24%56%

2%

% 5th Grade

2 points 1point0 point NA

31%

35%

31%

3%

% 8th Grade

2 points 1 point0 point NA

Time for Questions

If you don’t get a word in edgewise.

Type your question into the question

box.

Preconceptions :Three – Two - One

• Three Inquiry Standards that will be answered as a two point questions

• Two Inquiry standards that will be only Multiple Choice

• One inquiry standard that will not be tested

Inquiry?

• Ask Questions• Plan Investigations• Collect Data• Repeat for reliability• Understand Models• Emphasize Evidence• Communicate results• Be honest

2 point possibilities• Plan an investigation

• Understand models• Evidence for Conclusion• Evidence for

Explanations

StandardsMSP EOC Bio

4 Parts

• Design a controlled experiment

• Design a Field Investigation

• Write a Conclusion

• Understanding Models

Plan an InvestigationControlled Experiment

Field Study

+Controlled Variable

Test and Ite

m

Specifications

8th Grade “Update” document

2010 “Changes

Documents”

Controlled Variables are inferred in 5th grade

5th

8th

High School Inquiry

Design Investigations

Field Studies

Conclusions

Validity &Reliability

Inconsistencies

Evaluate Reliability

Test

& Item

Specifi

cations

Test

& Item

Specifi

cations

Example of Logical Steps

8th Grade Design an Investigation

Interpret a Scenario

Interpret a data table

1 controlled variable

How did that Plant Get There?Interpret Scenarios

Analyze Data Tables

2 controlled variables

Extra Validity Measure

Inquiry GuideAttribute Points• Logical Steps• Manipulated Variable• Responding Variable• Record Data• Multiple Trials

• 8th + 1 controlled variable

• 10th + 2 controls• + extra validity

Inquiry in Your Science Kit

• Animal Runways

• Flood

• Yeast & Vitamin C

• Melting Matter

Pause Part 1

Field Investigation – NEW ITEMAttributes

• Logical Steps

• Method of data collection

• 2 Conditions compared

• Collect & Record Data• How often data is collected

• Multiple trials of data collection

New Item: No

Examples AvailableTest

& Item

Specifi

cations

page 12 &

13

Comparison Opportunities• Animals 2x2/organisms• New Plants• Insects• Air and Weather/Weather• Human Body• Environments/Ecosystems• Diversity of Life

• Goldfish & Guppies• Rye grass & oats• Mealworms & wax worms• Weather conditions• Owl pellets• Terrariums & Aquariums• Pond water organisms

Pause Part 2

In Conclusion(1)Conclusive statement

(2)Supporting data: reported data are the lowest and highest conditions

(1)Explanatory language, connect or compare the supporting data to the conclusive statement

2012 Update Documents

3 or 4 = 2

Conclusive Statement

High DataLow Data

Explanatory Language

How well do students write conclusions?

High data

Low data

scored 2 points

What can you conclude about writing conclusions?

Conclusive statement 42%

Explanatory Language 22.6%

0.6 out of 2 is the mean score

Students score 20% lower on explanatory language

Conclusive statements are credited 42%Explanatory language is credited only 22.6%

Teachers should help students understand “explanatory” language” which is the lowest scoring attribute in writing conclusions at 22.6%.

Pause Part 3

“But wait, there’s more!”

Cognitive Difficulty

Models

Model Guide

Example

• What real object is this a model showing?

• What is accurate about the model

• What is inaccurate about the model?

Models in your science kits

• Carts

• Stream Table

• Day & Night • Moon Craters

9-12 Reliability & Validity

Reliability: An attribute of any investigation that promotes consistency of results during repeated trials.

Validity: An attribute of an investigation that describes the degree of confidence that data collected and logical inferences are accurate representations of the phenomena being investigated.

Pause Part 4