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MPRES Toolkit for Teachers Conceptual Change

A professional development resource to train teachers in the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards

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From 1D to 3D
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Toolkit Scientific & Engineering Practices Asking Questions & Defining Problems Student Work in the Practice

Student Work in the Practice

: Fourth Grader examines how basic needs of plants effect seedling growth.

: Fifth Grader uses an essential question about water flow to focus a notebook entry’s content.

: A tenth grader uses his testable question as the basis of an investigation.

: A seventh grader uses questions to define objectives for a unit.

: A first grader asks researchable questions about animals and their parts in order to understand how questioning helps us understand phenomena.

: A fifth grader identifies the problem with her first solar cooker model by analyzing its performance.

: Tenth graders work together to use their testable question as the basis of an investigation.

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Asking Questions & Defining Problems Activities
Scientific & Engineering Practices

Learning Progression for Asking Questions

Elementary: Students should be encouraged to ask questions in ALL areas of science. This includes text information, observation of phenomena and conclusions they draw. The use of science notebooks to record question and answers should be encouraged.

Middle School: Students continue to ask questions, but focus should be on higher level. Questions should be higher order, including comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

High School: Students should be proficient at asking relevant empirical questions for explanations, models, engineering problems and challenge the context of an argument or the feasibility of a design (Framework, p. 55).
Learning Progression for Defining Problems

Elementary: Students should be introduced to defining simple engineering problems. They should be able to identify patterns, constraints and the specifics of simple solutions as well as determine the need or desire to be met through the engineering design.

Middle School: Students continue to define engineering problems. The identification of features, patterns and contradictions in defining engineering problems should be emphasized. They need to be able to clearly define constraints and specifications for an engineering design solution.

High School: Ask questions about the need or desire to be met in order to define constraints and specifications for a solution (Framework, p. 55).

See p. 4 Appendix F Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS for a more thorough grade band progression.
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