• In grades PreK–2, scientific investigations can center on student questions, observations, and communication about what they observe. For example, students might plant a bean seed following simple directions written on a chart. Then they can write down what happens over time in their own words.
• In grades 3–5, students can plan and carry out investigations as a class, in small groups, or independently, often over a period of several class lessons. The teacher should first model the process of selecting a question that can be answered, formulating a hypothesis, planning the steps of an experiment, and determining the most objective way to test the hypothesis. Students should incorporate mathematical skills of measuring and graphing to communicate their findings.
• In grades 6–8, teacher guidance remains important but allows for more variation in student approach. Students at this level are ready to formalize their understanding of what an experiment requires by controlling variables to ensure a fair test. Their work becomes more quantitative, and they learn the importance of carrying out several measurements to minimize sources of error. Because students at this level use a greater range of tools and equipment, they must learn safe laboratory practices (see Appendix IV). At the conclusion of their investigations, students in these grades can be expected to prepare reports of their questions, procedures, and conclusions.
• In high school, students develop greater independence in designing and carrying out experiments, most often working alone or in small groups. They come up with questions and hypotheses that build on what they have learned from secondary sources. They learn to critique and defend their findings, and to revise their explanations of phenomena as new findings emerge. Their facility with using a variety of physical and conceptual models increases. Students in the final two years of high school can be encouraged to carry out extended independent experiments that explore a scientific hypothesis in depth, sometimes with the assistance of a scientific mentor from outside the school setting.
Preparation for post-secondary opportunities is another reason to provide regular laboratory and fieldwork experiences in high school science and technology/engineering courses. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education’s Admissions Standards for the Massachusetts State Colleges and University (www.mass.edua_f) states that three science courses, including two courses with laboratory work, must be completed in order to fulfill the minimum science requirement for admission to the Commonwealth’s four-year public institutions. All high school courses based on the standards presented in this document should include substantial laboratory and/or fieldwork to allow all students the opportunity to meet or exceed this requirement of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.
The Engineering Design Process
Just as inquiry and experimentation guide investigations in science, the Engineering Design Process guides solutions to technology/engineering design challenges. Learning technology/engineering content and skills is greatly enhanced by a hands-on, active approach that allows students to engage in design challenges and safely work with materials to model and test solutions to a problem. Using the steps of the Engineering Design Process, students can solve technology/engineering problems and apply scientific concepts across a wide variety of topics to develop conceptual understanding. The specific steps of the Engineering Design Process are included in the Technology/Engineering strand, on page 84 of this
• In grades PreK–2, scientific investigations can center on student questions, observations, and communication about what they observe. For example, students might plant a bean seed following simple directions written on a chart. Then they can write down what happens over time in their own words.
• In grades 3–5, students can plan and carry out investigations as a class, in small groups, or independently, often over a period of several class lessons. The teacher should first model the process of selecting a question that can be answered, formulating a hypothesis, planning the steps of an experiment, and determining the most objective way to test the hypothesis. Students should incorporate mathematical skills of measuring and graphing to communicate their findings.
• In grades 6–8, teacher guidance remains important but allows for more variation in student approach. Students at this level are ready to formalize their understanding of what an experiment requires by controlling variables to ensure a fair test. Their work becomes more quantitative, and they learn the importance of carrying out several measurements to minimize sources of error. Because students at this level use a greater range of tools and equipment, they must learn safe laboratory practices (see Appendix IV). At the conclusion of their investigations, students in these grades can be expected to prepare reports of their questions, procedures, and conclusions.
• In high school, students develop greater independence in designing and carrying out experiments, most often working alone or in small groups. They come up with questions and hypotheses that build on what they have learned from secondary sources. They learn to critique and defend their findings, and to revise their explanations of phenomena as new findings emerge. Their facility with using a variety of physical and conceptual models increases. Students in the final two years of high school can be encouraged to carry out extended independent experiments that explore a scientific hypothesis in depth, sometimes with the assistance of a scientific mentor from outside the school setting.
Preparation for post-secondary opportunities is another reason to provide regular laboratory and fieldwork experiences in high school science and technology/engineering courses. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education’s Admissions Standards for the Massachusetts State Colleges and University (www.mass.edua_f) states that three science courses, including two courses with laboratory work, must be completed in order to fulfill the minimum science requirement for admission to the Commonwealth’s four-year public institutions. All high school courses based on the standards presented in this document should include substantial laboratory and/or fieldwork to allow all students the opportunity to meet or exceed this requirement of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.
The Engineering Design Process
Just as inquiry and experimentation guide investigations in science, the Engineering Design Process guides solutions to technology/engineering design challenges. Learning technology/engineering content and skills is greatly enhanced by a hands-on, active approach that allows students to engage in design challenges and safely work with materials to model and test solutions to a problem. Using the steps of the Engineering Design Process, students can solve technology/engineering problems and apply scientific concepts across a wide variety of topics to develop conceptual understanding. The specific steps of the Engineering Design Process are included in the Technology/Engineering strand, on page 84 of this
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