1. Maryland College and Career Readiness Conference Summer 2015

2. Identify the role of explanation in building science literacy in the classroom. Define the elements of an explanation. Review student work to identify level of student response in constructing explanations. Identify the challenges and scaffolding to support student construction of explanations in the classroom.

3. Ask questions and define solutions Develop and use models Plan and carry out investigations Analyze and interpret data Use math and computational thinking Construct explanations and design solutions Engage in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

4. Why would explanation be referred to as the Building Blocks of Science?

5. In science, the production of knowledge is dependent on a process of reasoning from evidence that requires a scientist to justify a claim about the world. (explanation) In response, other scientists attempt to identify the claim’s weaknesses and limitations to obtain the best possible explanation. (argument)

7. Asking students to demonstrate their own understanding of the implications of a scientific ideas by developing their own explanations of phenomena, whether based on observations they have made or models and designs they have developed, engages them in an essential part of the process by which conceptual change can occur. NGSS Appendix F

9. “An explanation includes a claim that relates how a variable(s) relates to another variable or set of variables. A claim is often made in response to a question and in the process of answering the question, scientists often design investigations to generate data.” Explanations rely on evidence and provide the “how” or “why” phenomena occur (reasoning). NGSS Appendix F

12. Reasoning Claim Evidence Claim - Evidence - Reasoning Framework

13. Claim  A conclusion that answers the question about a phenomena or a solution to a problem.  A statement of what you understand or a conclusion that you have reached from an investigation(s) or text(s) you have read.

14. Evidence Scientific data that supports the student’s claim.  Must be appropriate and sufficient  Can come from an investigation or other source that may include  Observations  Information found in texts  Archived data  Information from an expert

15. Scientific Reasoni ng  Justification that links the claim and evidence.  Shows why the data counts as evidence to support the claim, using appropriate scientific principles.

18. Why did so many finches die on Daphne Major?

19. How did the finch population change?

20.  Analyze the evidence  Construct a claim  Identify the reasoning that links the evidence to the claim.

21. Investigation of Phenomena  Numerical data  Patterns in data  Observations  Models Investigation of Text  Facts  Definitions  Concrete details  Quotations  Examples valid and reliable

22. Number of Finches On Daphne Major 1973-1978

23. How did the finch population change? Evidence: There was a significant decrease in the finch population. Reasoning : Claim: Question: The finch population decreased because they could not survive when the land was dry. Graph: Finch Population Finch population during dry season is less than finch population during wet season for each year. Highest finch population was 60 during the 1976 wet season Lowest finch population was 10 in 1977 dry season.

24. There was a significant decrease in the finch population. The highest number of finches was 60 during the 1976 wet season and dropped to 10 in 1977 dry season. The birds could not survive when the land was dry and died.

25. Take a look at the Performance Expectation. What would students have to do to develop the deep understanding in this performance expectation?

27. Sources of evidence may include data sets/charts/graphs, articles, simulations, videos, laboratory observations, and/or models/representations. Evidence 2 Evidence 3

28. Did the finch population change? How did environmental conditions impact the finch population? How did environmental conditions impact finch resources? How were the finches that lived different than the finches that died? How/why were the finches that lived able to survive? What happened to the finches on Daphne Major? Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed. Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed.

29. Develop the learning sequence

30. Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed. Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed.

31. Did the finch population change? How did environmental conditions impact the finch population? How did environmental conditions impact finch resources? How were the finches that lived different than the finches that died? How/why were the finches that lived able to survive? What happened to the finches on Daphne Major? Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed. Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed.

32. How did the finch population change?

33. smallest population of finches on Daphne Major was 10 (in 1977) which was greatly reduced from the largest population of 60 during the 1976 wet season There was a significant decrease in the finch population from 1976 (dry season) to 1977 (dry season).

34. Students discuss patterns in data before recording information in graphic organizer. Students write first claim based on population data. Students record patterns in data in lab book before discussion.

35. Ask Questions Explanations Analyze Data Investigations Argument Revised Explanation Sense – Making of Phenomena

37. Source: population data

38. by revising and building our thinking with new information. Let’s continue to develop the explanation...

39. Did the finch population change? How did environmental conditions impact the finch population? How did environmental conditions impact finch resources? How were the finches that lived different than the finches that died? How/why were the finches that lived able to survive? What happened to the finches on Daphne Major? Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed. Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed.

40. How did the environmental conditions impact the finch population?

41. smallest population of finches on Daphne Major was 10 (in 1977) which was greatly reduced from the largest population of 60 during the 1976 wet season There was a significant decrease in the finch population from 1976 (dry season) to 1977 (dry season).

42. Students begin to demonstrate a deeper understanding in Claim 2. “The more rainfall there is the more resources available to finches which increases the population.”

43. Ask Questions Explanations Analyze Data Investigations Argument Revised Explanation Sense – Making of Phenomena

44. ClaimEvidence Reasoning New Evidence Revised Reasoning New Claim Evidence

45. Source: rainfall data

46. Multiple evidence points from a single source. Evidence

49. Evaluate Student Sample Evaluate examples of student work using an Explanation Framework Checklist. Does the explanation state a claim that answers the question? How well did the evidence support the claim? Is the scientific reasoning relevant to the claim and use appropriate scientific principles for support?

52. ….one challenge across all the science investigations was students’ ability to make sense of data and construct scientific explanations in which they justified their claims. Students were engaged in the investigations, but is was the meaning-making piece after the investigations that was challenging. Supporting Grade 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanations in Science, McNeill and Krajcik

53. Using evidence to support ideas  Relies on own opinion  Difficulty using sufficient evidence or appropriate evidence Explaining why the evidence supports their ideas (reasoning)  Difficulty articulating link between evidence and claim  Difficulty articulating link between ideas, evidence and scientific principals Considering multiple explanations or solutions  Struggle with revising explanations and solutions based on evidence or scientific knowledge Constructing an explanation that shows a deep understanding of the question  Focus on one piece of information or point rather than build an explanation based on all the evidence gathered from multiple sources

55. Explicitly teach the C-E-R framework  Explicitly define the elements of the C-E-R Framework  Engage students in self and peer critique using the criteria questions.

56. Scaffold the process Writing Task: Using evidence from multiple texts, explain how different traits affected the survival of finches when environmental conditions changed.

58. Ask Questions ExplanationAnalyze Data Plan and conduct investigation Argument Revised and Robust Student Explanation

59. Ask Questions Explanations Analyze Data Investigations Argument Revised Explanation Sense – Making of Phenomena

60. Sense-making Articulation Consensus-building Beginning ideaBetter ideaBest idea Beginning idea after observing /testing models, collecting/analyzing data obtaining information communicate ideas evaluate strengths and weakness of explanation build a shared understanding Review competing ideas to convince others of most robust explanation Constructing Robust Explanations

62.  Supports deep understanding of scientific content  Supports 21 st Century skills  Requires evidence to support claims  Involves logical reasoning  Models key practices of scientists and engineer s  Supports the understanding of the Nature of Science Taking Science to School Supporting Grades 5-8 Students in Constructing Explanation.

64. Write 3 – 5 “power words” to summarize your understanding of Explanation