Science and Engineering Practices

How to incorporate Science and Engineering Practices

The Science and Engineering Practices are how students will learn the DCI.  The SEPs are as follows

Asking Questions and Defining Problems - Emphasizes proper effective testable questions about the DCIs associated, if you investigate these questions it is up to you, but this should not be the emphasis of the activity, and should not be graded according to SBG. The focus is directly on how we ask questions, what is a testable question, or how we define a problem so that we can develop solutions or test the problem's effects. This should be the main part of this grade. 

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions - Emphasizes the hypothesis portion of the experiment, or possible products to make if engineering. Again, the focus should be the hypothesis only for the testable question, and no other part of the experiment or other activity should be included in this grade. Show students how to formulate hypotheses, so they will match experiments, and express the difference between a hypothesis and a guess. A hypothesis is based on your previous knowledge, and a guess is random. When students ask, make them think back on their experiences and based on what they know, write what they think will happen.   

Planning and Carrying out Investigations - Emphasizes just the planning and procedures of doing the investigations. Assessments and grading should not be focused on the outcomes of the investigations, but on the planning of the investigations and ensuring that the procedure from the plan is followed. Often students know what they are supposed to do, but verbalizing and writing down each step is difficult. Developing their experiments to match the questions, unit/topic, and available materials can be extremely difficult and overwhelming for teachers and students both. The key is to have support for students to develop their ideas and guide them to the idea of how experiments are designed. Students often miss the connections between their hypothesis and why they are doing the experiment, which leads to wrong conclusions or a complete disconnection without support and conversations with the teacher. Students can develop simple experiments, be given a range of variables to pick and decide how they should compare the variables, or judge experimental designs that are made. No matter how you choose to teach this section, make sure the information is relatable to the student's lives to make it easier for them to make the connections intended. 

Developing and Using Models - Emphasizes the components and relationships of the model, so the unit should be designed with a model being the end assessment. Show the students what an appropriate model includes, and why they are making the model. Allow students a choice in how they make their model. Models can range in a wide variety, but appropriate scaling, labeling, titles, explanations, and relationships of the pieces in the model with each other are always included in models and presentations of the model. I have students make models for every unit because a visual representation of what they have learned is an easy way to assess students' current knowledge. The grade should focus on the content and pieces of the model, not necessarily the content. Students need to be able to know how to make a useful model. 

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking - Using and manipulating data. The focus should be on the formulas and the critical thinking around this data. It is my viewpoint that computational thinking is mathematical thinking but on the computer, meaning using computers to calculate formulas. Again the focus should not be the experiment, but the math related to the experiment. Students need to be able to identify appropriate formulas for their data. This could be as simple as mean median and mode, or more complex with r values and more in-depth statistical analysis. The grade should be focused on did they choose appropriate formulas, insert the correct data into the formula, and did they get the correct answers? 

Analyzing and Interpreting Data - Understanding charts and graphs fits into this category. If an experiment is done the focus of the assessment and grade should be how the student interprets their data. Not if the data is correct but what a low/high number means. Many teachers feel this area should be taught all year, and that maybe. But it should be emphasized especially when the standard specifies this SEP. The grade should include the connections students make to data, how that data connects to the experiment, and overall connections or meanings the data has. Students can be given data or gather their data, but the appropriate analysis and broader implications of the data is the key factor. 

Engaging in Argument from Evidence - When focusing on this SEP students should develop a claim and be able to argue that claim based on evidence. To focus on this SEP students will have to research/read something or conduct an experiment and develop an opinion based on that information. The evidence can come from multiple sources such as a book or online or even some activity. But it is important through all activities and works that students are focused on developing their own opinion and claim, then evaluating and updating their claims while gathering sources of evidence for support. Only then can students develop reasoning and defend their claims. 

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information - Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating information would be what is considered a traditional research project. A student uses multiple sources of information to answer a question and presents that information in class. The difference between the two SEPs is that Engaging in Argument is arguing that your opinion is correct while communicating information is stating facts to support an idea. The grade should be focused on accurate information from appropriate sources, and being able to summarize that information.