Deck 2: Science Practices and Inquiry Process Skills

Question 1

According to the information provided in Chapter 2 regarding facilitating students' development of questions, which of the following is not a good example of a scientific question?

A) Can fish hear?
B) Why do trees have leaves?
C) Is litter on the beach worse than litter in the forest?
D) How do thermometers work?

Answer 1

Is litter on the beach worse than litter in the forest?

Question 2

According to the authors, which of the following is the most important component of discovery learning?

A) Knowing what to teach as well as what not to teach
B) Students understanding how to make sense of the world
C) Facilitating deep understanding at the beginning of a unit
D) Grounding teaching in learning theory

Answer 2

Students understanding how to make sense of the world

Question 3

If a child observed the symmetry of a leaf, which of the following Inquiry Process Skills would the child be employing?

A) Using space/time relationships
B) Identifying variables
C) Using numbers
D) Classifying

Answer 3

Using space/time relationships

Question 4

Which Inquiry Process Skill is most closely identified with a child proposing a relationship to explain a phenomenon?

A) Observing
B) Communicating
C) Hypothesizing
D) Classifying

Question 5

A child notices that the leaves on a plant sitting on the teacher's desk have new white spots on them. The child says to the teacher, "There might be mold growing on the plant." Which of the following most closely resembles the Inquiry Process Skill the child was using?

A) Identifying variables
B) Inferring
C) Hypothesizing
D) Using space/time relationships

Question 6

The ultimate goal inherent in discovery learning is for a student to uncover new information or glean new insight about how to approach a problem or task and then

A) solve the problem or complete the task on his or her own.
B) apply the new information with guidance from the teacher.
C) collaborate with classmates to discover further information.
D) compare the information to what he or she already knew and discover the differences.

Question 7

According to the authors, inquiry is defined as a

A) way of questioning students about prior knowledge before introducing a new lesson.
B) very careful and systematic way of presenting science content.
C) very careful and systematic method of asking questions and seeking explanations.
D) way of questioning students about the information they have discovered to test what they have learned.

Question 8

Experimental Design consists of several variables, and identifying these variables is one of the Inquiry Process Skills. In Experimental Design, the variable that is being tested is the

A) hypothesis variable.
B) independent variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) controlled variable.

Question 9

Observing, question, and measuring are examples of Inquiry Process Skills commonly associated with

A) experimental modeling.
B) instructional modeling.
C) explanatory modeling.
D) descriptive modeling.

Question 10

According to information presented in Chapter 2 related to the science and engineering practices, which of the following should teachers do first to facilitate their students' abilities to seek explanations?

A) Present interpreted data
B) Provide explanations
C) Evaluate students
D) Ask questions

Question 11

In this chapter, the authors provide a vision for learning science and engineering through discovery. In a paragraph, reflect on the three most important components of this vision and explain why you feel these components are important.

Question 12

This chapter centers on the idea that elementary students need to discover new knowledge that is meaningful and offers a better explanation than their prior understanding, so as to dispel common misconceptions. Describe how you would plan instruction for a unit that will help students correct the misconception that things sink if they are heavy and float if they are light.

Question 13

Refine the instructional plan you described in number 2 above to include two of the science and engineering practices. Name the two practices, and explain in a paragraph how you would incorporate them into your unit.

Question 14

Imagine that you are teaching a lesson on animals, and a student raises their hand to say that insects are not animals. Describe in a paragraph what you would do in your classroom to correct this misconception by engaging your students in discovery learning but not using live insects.

Question 15

Identify and briefly define the seven Inquiry Process Skills associated with descriptive modeling.

Question 16

Choose one of the Inquiry Process Skills you identified and defined in question 5, and describe in four or five sentences a science activity you could do in your future elementary school classroom to provide your students practice with using that skill.

Question 17

Identify and briefly define the two Inquiry Process Skills used to create explanations.

Question 18

Choose one of the Inquiry Process Skills you identified and defined in question 7 above, and describe in four or five sentences a science activity you could do in your future elementary classroom to provide your students practice with using that skill.

Question 19

Identify and briefly define the three Inquiry Process Skills used to create experimental models.

Question 20

Choose one of the Inquiry Process Skills you identified and defined in question 9 above, and describe in four or five sentences a science activity you could do in your future elementary classroom to provide your students practice with using that skill.