• [What is science?: Grades 6-8] Science works only with testable ideas. (P2, P3, NOS2)
• [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 9-12] Science works only with testable ideas. (P2, P3, NOS2)
• [What is science?: Grades 9-12] 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)
• [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 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] Raw data must be analyzed and interpreted before we can tell whether a scientific idea is likely to be accurate or inaccurate. (P4, P5)
• [How science works: Grades 6-8] Scientists try to be objective and work to identify and avoid bias.
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas (hypotheses and theories) by figuring out what expectations are generated by an idea and making observations to find out whether those expectations are borne out. (P4, P6)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists test their ideas using multiple lines of evidence. (P6, NOS2)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists often try to generate multiple explanations for what they observe. (P7)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Raw data must be analyzed and interpreted before we can tell whether a scientific idea is likely to be accurate or inaccurate. (P4, P5)
• [How science works: Grades 9-12] Scientists try to be objective and work to identify and avoid bias.
• [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 6-8] Hypotheses are potential explanations for what we observe in the natural world. (P6)
• [Hypotheses and theories: Grades 9-12] Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a narrow set of phenomena. (P6)
• [The social side of science: Grades 6-8] Anyone can participate in science.
• [What has science done for you lately: Grades 6-8] Scientific knowledge helps us make decisions that affect our lives every day.
• [What has science done for you lately: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge helps us make decisions that affect our lives every day.
• [A scientific approach to life: Grades 9-12] Problem-solving and decision-making benefit from a scientific approach.
• [A scientific approach to life: Grades 6-8] Problem-solving and decision-making benefit from a scientific approach.

• NOS Matrix understanding category 2. Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.
• Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and using models
• Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
• Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
• Science and Engineering Practice 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
• Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
• Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence

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Pedagogical research indicates that students learn better if they are actively engaged. This investigation reinforces the logic of a scientific approach, emphasizes the importance of posing and testing multiple hypotheses, and provides a good opportunity for discussing the role of assumptions in science, avoiding bias, and the relevance of science in our everyday lives.

• Process of science