1. Claim, Evidence & Reasoning
Ms. Drake
7th grade Science
Brookville Intermediate School

2. Claims- Evidence- Reasoning
Answer to the question!
Usually a statement
Evidence-
Observations
Facts
Data from experiment
Quotes
Statistics
Reasoning-
What do your facts/data mean?
How do your observations support your claim?
Use words such as means, tells, shows, and demonstrates.
Claims are statements that answer your original question. The claim is usually one sentence in length. It must be accurate, specific, and completely answer the question.
Evidence is all of the scientific data that supports your claim. Your evidence must be related to your claim. Not all data is considered evidence! Evidence can be specific data from the lab. This can come from your own group or another group in the class. It can also come from other sources such as: computer simulations, websites, textbook, class notes, personal experience, etc. It is important to have numerous pieces of evidence in order to prove your claim!
Reasoning is the explanation that connects your claim to the evidence that supports it. It shows why the data you chose counts as evidence. This explanation acts as a “conclusion” of your experiment. It shows a detailed understanding of the scientific principles involved and uses correct science vocabulary. The reasoning should usually be at least a few sentences in length.

3. Let’s try one together!

4. What Shape are Cells?
Cells can have lots of different shapes. In this lab, the animal cell was like a wavy circle. The plant cell looked like a rectangle. The bacteria was squiggly. Since all these cells had different shapes, I can tell that cells don’t just have one shape.

5. What Shape are Cells?
Cells can have lots of different shapes (claim). In this lab, the animal cell was like a wavy circle. The plant cell looked like a rectangle. The bacteria was squiggly (evidence). Since all these cells had different shapes, I can tell that cells don’t just have one shape (reasoning).

6. Let’s try another one together!

7. Do you think the “scar” on the Atlantic Ocean floor is a ridge or trench?
The scar is a ridge. The elevation of the scar is higher than the two stations on either side.
Station
Elevation 1
-5700 m 2
-3300 m 3

8. Do you think the “scar” on the Atlantic Ocean floor is a ridge or trench?
The scar is a ridge(claim). (evidence) The elevation of the scar is higher than the two stations on either side (reasoning).
Station
Elevation 1
-5700 m 2
-3300 m 3

9. Let’s try another one together!

10. Do cockroaches prefer light or dark environments?
Cockroaches prefer dark environments. When we let cockroaches choose between the light and dark side of a box, 9 of them chose the dark side. Since more of the roaches chose the dark, we can tell that is what they prefer.

11. Do cockroaches prefer light or dark environments?
Cockroaches prefer dark environments(claim). When we let 10 cockroaches choose between the light and dark side of a box, 9 of them chose the dark side(evidence). Since more roaches chose the dark, we can tell that is what they prefer(reasoning).

12. One more together!

13. Mr. Garcia: Do you think the climate is changing
Mr. Garcia: Do you think the climate is changing? Make sure you support your idea with evidence and reasoning. Olivia: I think the climate is changing because this fall has been really warm. Mariela: Does being warm just one fall count as evidence for climate change? Nate: No, climate is long term changes. It is just weather if it is one day or a month or a season. So I think it is changing because the air temperature has slowly gotten warmer over a long period of time. The average temperature has increased 2 degrees over the 100 years.

14. Mr. Garcia: Do you think the climate is changing
Mr. Garcia: Do you think the climate is changing? Make sure you support your idea with evidence and reasoning. Olivia: I think the climate is changing (claim) because this fall has been really warm (evidence). Mariela: Does being warm just one fall count as evidence for climate change? Nate: No, climate is long term changes (claim). It is just weather if it is one day or a month or a season (reasoning). So I think it is changing because the air temperature has slowly gotten warmer over a long period of time (reasoning). The average temperature has increased 2 degrees over the 100 years (evidence).

15. Video Activity

16. Video Activity What does Vince what you to do?
Why is Vince so convincing?
We will watch the video again. Write down all the evidence that Vince uses to convince you to buy Sham Wow.

17. Video Activity
Claim: You should buy a Sham Wow. Evidence: Does not drip Holds times it’s weight in liquid. Absorbs all liquid from a carpet.

18. Video Activity
Reasoning:

19. Video Activity
Smile Video- ABC news report about research into smiling.
Look for the claim, the evidence, the reasoning.
(Hint: ideas will not be presented in that order.)

20. Video Activity
Claim: Evidence: Reasoning:

21. Card Activity
Read your cards and decide which of the four groups they go in-
question
claim
evidence
reasoning

22. Claims- Evidence- Reasoning
Answer to the question!
Usually a statement
Evidence-
Observations
Facts
Data from experiment
Quotes
Statistics
Reasoning-
Logic that ties evidence to the claim.
Detailed explanation for why the evidence led you to make the claim.
Deep explanation of the science concepts or scientific principals
Claims are statements that answer your original question. The claim is usually one sentence in length. It must be accurate, specific, and completely answer the question.
Evidence is all of the scientific data that supports your claim. Your evidence must be related to your claim. Not all data is considered evidence! Evidence can be specific data from the lab. This can come from your own group or another group in the class. It can also come from other sources such as: computer simulations, websites, textbook, class notes, personal experience, etc. It is important to have numerous pieces of evidence in order to prove your claim!
Reasoning is the explanation that connects your claim to the evidence that supports it. It shows why the data you chose counts as evidence. This explanation acts as a “conclusion” of your experiment. It shows a detailed understanding of the scientific principles involved and uses correct science vocabulary. The reasoning should usually be at least a few sentences in length.