Grade Level(s):
- 6-8
Source:
- UC Museum of Paleontology
Resource type:
- classroom activity
Discipline:
- Earth science
- Life Science
Time: 3-4 class periods
Overview
Students examine data about dinosaurs and hypothesize about what the data can tell them. Students modify their hypotheses as more information is revealed and review what they have learned about how science works.
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Science is both a body of knowledge and the process for building that knowledge. (NOS5)
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Science aims to build explanations of the natural world. (P3, P6)
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Science deals with the natural world and natural explanations.
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Scientists strive to test their ideas with evidence from the natural world; a hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7, NOS2)
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as new ideas surface and new evidence is discovered. (P6, NOS3)
- [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Science is ongoing; answering one scientific question frequently leads to additional questions to be investigated. (P1)
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] The process of science involves observation, exploration, testing, communication, and application.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] The real process of science is complex, iterative, and can take many different paths.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists test their ideas by predicting what they would expect to observe if their idea were true and then seeing if that prediction is correct. (P4, P6)
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence.
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
- [How science works: Grades 6-8] Different scientists may interpret the same data in different ways. (P7)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 6-8] Hypotheses are potential explanations for what we observe in the natural world. (P6)
- [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 6-8] Hypotheses are usually inspired and informed by previous research and/or observations. They are not guesses. (P6)
- [The social side of science: Grades 6-8] Scientists usually work collaboratively. (NOS7)
- [The social side of science: Grades 6-8] Scientists check each other's work, often through peer review. (P7)
- NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
- NOS Matrix understanding category 5. Science is a way of knowing.
- Science and Engineering Practice 1. Asking questions and defining problems
- Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
- Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
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