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Design Pattern for Observational Investigation
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This design pattern supports the writing of storyboards and items that address scientific reasoning and process skills in observational (non-experimental) investigations. Observational investigations differ from experimental investigations. In experimental investigations, it is necessary to control or manipulate one of more of the variables of interest to test a prediction or hypothesis; in observational investigations, variables typically cannot be altered at all (e.g., objects in space) or in a short time frame (e.g., a lake ecosystem). This design pattern may be used to generate groups of tasks for any science content strand.
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Use
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This design pattern supports the construction of tasks that address observational investigations - that is, investigations where experimental methods are not appropriate (e.g., earth and space science, demography, paleoanthropology, physiology, ecology). In order for students to have a well-rounded understanding of the scientific method, they need to be familiar with the context and methods of observational investigations.
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Focal Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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Ability to analyze why observational investigation methods are more appropriate than experimental methods for some phenomena/situations
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Ability to distinguish between observational and experimental methodology
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Ability to generate or evaluate predictions or hypotheses about scientific phenomena that are appropriate for observational investigation
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Ability to formulate conclusions, create models, and appropriately generalize results from observational investigations
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Ability to test predictions or hypotheses using observational methods
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Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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Content knowledge (may be construct relevant)
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Prerequisite knowledge from earlier grades
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Data collection and analysis
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Representational forms (e.g., graphs, maps)
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Potential observations
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Appropriateness/strength of observational evidence to help confirm or disconfirm a prediction or hypothesis
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Accuracy in identifying the effects of an observed active phenomenon and how these effects are consistent with a posited cause and effect relationship
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Correctness of recognized pattern in data to support a prediction or hypothesis
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Plausibility/correctness of explanation for observed findings
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Accuracy in critiquing the observational investigation methods, evidence, and conclusions of others
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Potential work products
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Identification or generation of a prediction or hypothesis that is appropriate to an observational investigation situation
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Identification of observational settings where data could be collected to confirm or disconfirm a prediction or hypothesis
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Identification of additional source of data that could confirm or disconfirm a prediction or hypothesis supported by existing data
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Identification of a replicable data collection process (e.g., repeated sampling over time or at several locations)
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Identification of potentially disconfirming observations
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Filling in of a representational form (e.g., a graph, chart, or map) to show the relationship among variables relevant to a prediction or hypothesis
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Generation or selection of an explanation for observed findings
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Critique of flawed explanation based on observations
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Peer critique (hypothetical in a standard assessment, real in classroom work) of the observational investigation methods, evidence, and conclusions
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Potential rubrics
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Characteristic features
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Focus on HNS (Strand I) benchmarks relating to observational investigations at the appropriate grade level
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Presentation of a real-world situation with patterns suggesting the relationship between at least two variables that are not amenable to experimental investigation
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Variable features
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Content (strand) context
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Qualitative or quantitative investigations
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Number of variables and the complexity of their relationships
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Simple or complex investigations
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Type of data representation (e.g., patterns in geographically distributed phenomena via geospatial visualizations; patterns in data; similarities in specialized representations appropriate to the scientific phenomenon)
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Sufficient or insufficient data about an already established relationship
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Amount of scaffolding given to student to guide the presentation or representation of data collected
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Amount of observational data from which an analysis, explanation, or conclusion is to be drawn
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Completeness of model given from which predictions or hypotheses can be generated
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Narrative Structure
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Cause and effect.
An event, phenomenon, or system is altered by internal or external factors. The task developer shoul…
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Change over time.
A sequence of events is presented to highlight sequential or cyclical change in a system. Students m…
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Investigation.
Investigation itself is a narrative structure, and of course it is a natural structure for storyboar…
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Specific to general and Parts to whole.
Specific characteristics of a phenomenon are presented, culminating in a description of the system o…
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Topic with examples.
A given topic is presented using various examples to highlight the topic. For example, students are …
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State Benchmarks
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MCA II: 6.I.A.2.
The student will explain why scientists often repeat investigations to be sure of the results.
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MCA II: 6.I.B.1.
The student will identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigation and those …
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MCA II: 6.I.B.2.
The student will distinguish among observation, prediction and inference.
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MCA II: 6.I.B.4.
The student will present and explain data and findings from controlled experiments using multiple re…
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MCA II: 7.I.A.2.
The student will explain natural phenomena by using appropriate physical, conceptual and mathematica…
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MCA II: 7.I.B.1.
The student will formulate a testable hypothesis based on prior knowledge.
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MCA II: 8.I.B.1.
The student will know that scientific investigations involve the common elements of systematic obser…
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MCA II: 8.I.B.2.
The student will describe how scientists can conduct investigations in a simple system and make gene…
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MCA III: 7.1.1.1.1.
Understand that prior expectations can create bias when conducting scientific investigations. For ex…
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MCA III: 7.1.1.1.2.
Understand that when similar investigations give different results, the challenge is to judge whethe…
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MCA III: 7.1.1.2.1.
Generate and refine a variety of scientific questions and match them with appropriate methods of inv…
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MCA III: 7.1.1.2.3.
Generate a scientific conclusion from an investigation, clearly distinguishing between results (evid…
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MCA III: 7.1.1.2.4.
Evaluate explanations proposed by others by examining and comparing evidence, identifying faulty rea…
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MCA III: 7.1.3.4.1.
Use maps, satellite images and other data sets to describe patterns and make predictions about natur…
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MCA III: 8.1.1.1.1.
Evaluate the reasoning in arguments in which fact and opinion are intermingled or when conclusions d…
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MCA III: 8.1.1.2.1.
Use logical reasoning and imagination to develop descriptions, explanations, predictions and models …
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MCA III: 8.1.3.4.1.
Use maps, satellite images and other data sets to describe patterns and make predictions about local…
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I am a kind of
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These are kinds of me
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These are parts of me
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National Educational standards
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NSES 8ASI1.1.
Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations. Students should develop t…
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NSES 8ASI1.2.
Design and conduct a scientific investigation. Students should develop general abilities, such as sy…
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NSES 8ASI1.3.
Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. The use of tools and te…
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NSES 8ASI1.4.
Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. Students should base the…
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NSES 8ASI1.5.
Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Thinking…
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NSES 8ASI1.6.
Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions. Students should develop the ability …
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Templates
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Exemplar tasks
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Online resources
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References
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