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Science as Inquiry
Content Standard for science as inquiry:
fundamental abilities
necessary to do scientific inquiry
Grades K-4
- Ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in
the environment.
- Plan and conduct a simple investigation.
- Use simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend
the senses.
- Use data to construct a reasonable explanation.
- Communicate investigations and explanations.
Grades 5-8
- Identify questions that can be answered through scientific
investigation.
- Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
- Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze
and interpret data.
- Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models
using evidence.
- Think
critically and logically to make the relationships between
evidence and explanations.
- Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
- Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
- Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Introducing Oregon's Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guides to
assess skills
Beginning in the 2003-2004 school year, inquiry will become
the focus of learner assessment in science. Scientific Inquiry
work samples assessed with a Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guide
(as adopted April 26, 2001) will be required by the Oregon
Department of Education (ODE).
Scoring guides, or rubrics, contain the criteria for assessment
of activities, events, conceptual development or goals for
learners. In addition to its use as an assessment tool, a scoring
guide should communicate goals and desired learner outcomes
to the learners.
The ODE Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guides are composed of
four dimensions:
- Forming a question or hypothesis
- Designing an investigation
- Collecting a presenting data
- Analyzing and interpreting results
Please
see the ODE
Scientific Inquiry Scoring Guide for Benchmark
2 (Grade 5) (PDF
- Size 3.1MB).
Each
of the four dimensions of the scoring guide are rated on
a 6-point scale, with 6 being the highest
score and 1 the lowest. A rate of 4 or higher is considered
satisfactory. Teachers are expected to provide instruction
and classroom assessment in all four dimensions of the scoring
guide. "Forming a question or hypothesis" is not added to
the work sample assessment until Benchmark 3 (Grade 8).
Scientific Inquiry work samples are
assessed beginning at Benchmark 2 (Grade 5). They are reported
for school district work sample management on the following
implementation schedule.
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