Do your students use the science and engineering practice (SEP) constructing explanations and designing solutions?
In science, this practice allows scientists (and students) to develop explanations for the natural world. In engineering, this practice allows engineers (and our students) to design products that will solve a problem!
This SEP can be so much fun! Students are always asking “why, why, why?”, and “how, how, how?”. This SEP can be used to help them answer all of their questions! They may have an idea or think they know the answer to a question. Their job is to use evidence for support of their answer to the question or the solution to a problem.
In the real-world, scientists and engineers use this process to come up with theories and solutions.
Students will do the same thing on a smaller scale! They engage in coming up with explanations for phenomena and coming up with solutions to real-world problems using evidence and scientific principles.
Let’s look at some key characteristics of this SEP in the middle school science classroom to help with implementation! Of course, I’ll share some constructing explanations and designing solutions examples as well!
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions in Middle School
So, at this point, we know the gist of what students need to do in class to successfully use this practice, but what do middle school students specifically need to accomplish. How will it be different than what they did in elementary school? Let’s dive in!
1. Use A Lot of Evidence
To support their ideas and solutions, middle school students will need to use multiple sources of evidence. This goes beyond simple observations and data collection that they used in elementary school. They will have a wider range of evidence to support any ideas they have.
- For example, let’s say your students are exploring water pollution. They can collect data from a local water source, like a pond, to test the water quality. Their claim may be that the water has become more polluted over the last 10 years. They may look at pH, bioindicators, oxygen level, and more. However, that will not be enough evidence to support their claim. They may also need to look at historical records of the pond, data collected from the class in previous years, and any reports on this body of water to provide enough evidence from their claim.
In this resource, students use images, knowledge of elements, compounds, and mixtures, and other sources to construct an explanation to support their claim.
2. Include Both Qualitative and Quantitative Relationships in Explanations and Solutions
In elementary school, students should discuss observed relationships to describe phenomena. In middle school, they should be required to discuss BOTH qualitative and quantitative relationships.
- For example, if students are designing a solution to help improve energy saving in the school, they look at qualitative relationships such as how the building is designed and what materials were used in the building process. They can also look at quantitative relationships such as temperature, energy used in a month, and humidity levels. They can collectively look at all data to support the production of their solution.
3. Use Models and Representations
In elementary school, students constructed explanations and designed solutions, but models and representations were not a requirement to do so.
In middle school, students can take this next step. This can help them to communicate complex ideas!
- For example, to explain the process of photosynthesis, students may create a diagram or flowchart in their explanation.
4. Make Sure Explanation is Based on Valid and Reliable Evidence
In school, students should learn how to make sure their claim is backed by evidence the is “legit”. Their evidence should come from the idea that scientific theories and laws still operate today as they did in the past.
- For example, maybe students are exploring the safety of GMOs, and they are claiming that they are safe for human consumption. Where are they getting their evidence from? They can explore different studies on feeding trials and health monitoring. They should get their evidence from sources such as Google Scholar and not just a google search! They can also explore official government websites.
- They should also consult the scientific concepts learned in class such as concepts learned about human body systems, genetics, and health topics.
5. Use Scientific Reasoning
Students should use their skills such as inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning to explain why the evidence can be used from their claim. Ever use the C-E-R framework? This is the R!
- For example, when learning about air pollution, students may make the claim that when there are high levels of particulate matter, there is a reduction of visibility in more populated areas. They use evidence such as the air quality index, weather observations, chemical analysis, and more.
- They must use reasoning for their explanation to make sense. How does the data actually support their claim and why?
In this resource, students use scientific reasoning and scientific ideas to support the claim that the height of the ramp impacts the motion of a toy car.
6. Apply Scientific Ideas
As mentioned before, science concepts learned in class can be a huge part of constructing explanations and designing solutions,
- For example, when students create a model rocket, they have to use the principles of Newton Laws and other topics in force and motion.
7. Use the Design Process and Optimize Designs
In middle school, students really dive into the engineering design process. They work to create a solution to a problem, and continue to test it, revise it, and test again until the solution is the absolute best!
- For example, let’s say your students are creating a water filter. They want to design a water filter that will make the water safe for drinking. They design one, and it totally fails. They continue to redesign and test for the optimal water filter!
More Resources for Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:
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