Can teachers use multiple choice to test critical and scientific thinking in the new science curriculum? The short answer is, yes, teachers can use multiple choice to test critical and scientific thinking in the new science curriculum. However, this requires some modifications to how teachers write their multiple choice questions. In our previous post,…
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Does the development of new science curriculum like the Next Generation Science Standards mean multiple choice questions are no longer acceptable? Does it mean that short answer or essay/written responses are the only responses that assess critical thinking? The short answer is no. Written responses are not the only way to assess critical thinking. Multiple…
How do you teach students to write a good scientific hypothesis? Many teachers use “If, then” statements to teach this important science skill. But, at the end of the day, do they really know how to write or identify a good scientific hypothesis? According to results from a recent REAL Science Challenge contest, many students…
As science teachers, we probably do an awesome job teaching the concept of independent vs. dependent variables to students. But, how many students can actually identify those variables in a lab? Or when given some experimental data? From the results of REAL Science Challenge Volume 2 Contest 3, approximately 50% of participants struggle to identify…
How do we teach CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) in a fun, engaging way? Whether you’re introducing CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) for the first time to your students or looking for ways to reinforce it, it’s easier to do if we use real life examples. And, on top of being fun and interesting, it would be…
Are you looking for a demo or an inquiry project about enzymes? If so, consider Jello. Yes, what I’m proposing is a Jello inquiry project. First of all, Jello makes for a fun and cheap activity. And, the materials are easily accessible too. Furthermore, kids can relate to Jello. I mean, who hasn’t had a…
We like science inquiry projects that are more hands-on. The ones where students need to build a physical prototype, test it, and refine it. Sure, there are those who like science inquiry projects resulting in a poster or PowerPoint presentation. But, I prefer the physical. And, in an age where students spend a bulk of…
Do you collect student reflections/sample work while they are working through a project? If not, you should. It helps track student progress (and process) during a project so there are no surprises at project’s end. Surprises, for example, like when the project doesn’t work. However, what exactly are you looking for in a project progress…
Inquiry projects seem to be all the rage at the moment. With more states and provinces revising their curricula and moving towards reinforcing science skills, inquiry has come to the forefront a bit more. Although I agree that inquiry is a good skill to develop in science, open inquiry – where students can deep dive…
CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) is an excellent structure for students to follow when organizing their thoughts, ideas, and arguments. But, some students may wonder if CER is really relevant to science. Or, like so many things they learn in school, whether people really use it outside of school. Perhaps, what students need is a CER…
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