Scientific Instruction Quiz Questions Flashcards
(139 cards)
1
Q
When reading the volume of a liquid in a test tube, data measurements should always be taken from where?
A
Meniscus
2
Q
Which of the following safety practices will be most applicable to first-grade science labs?
A
do not eat or drink in the lab
3
Q
During which of the following investigations would it be critical for students to wear safety goggles?
A
All of the listed activities require safety goggles
4
Q
When deciding to house a live animal in the classroom, the risk of a potential health hazard to the student or animal must be weighed against the educational value added. What guidelines must first be considered to address this potential hazard, prior to making a choice of getting the animal for the classroom?
A
the children that might be affected by allergic symptoms
5
Q
Which of the following pieces of safety equipment is most important to use when students are performing an investigation mixing chemicals?
A
safety goggles
6
Q
When examining the color and clarity of 1 gram of sugar in 30 milliliters of water, which of the following would be the best substitute for a test tube?
A
graduated cylinder
7
Q
When is the best time to remind students about the lab safety rules?
A
immediately before the students begin an experiment
8
Q
A multimeter would be needed for which of the following experiments?
A
comparing voltage changes after adding resistors to a circuit
9
Q
Which one of the following tools would be most appropriate to measure both the velocity and acceleration of a toy car in a lab activity?
A
ticker timer
10
Q
Which of the following would best help students learn to protect themselves against potential health hazards in the laboratory?
A
Require students to wash their hands after a lab experience
11
Q
In a typical science class, the teacher selects and prepares the tools that will be used for lab measurement. Later in the year, after having had experience with various tools, would it benefit students to have a variety of tools available from which to choose rather than a preselected set of tools? Why or why not?
A
Yes, a variety of tools require the student to think about why a particular tool should be used
12
Q
During an investigation on acids and bases, a bottle of diluted lemon juice spills onto the floor. What should the students do first?
A
notify the teacher
13
Q
When instructed to do so, why should a student waft a chemical?
A
to smell it
14
Q
An elementary student drops a beaker in the lab. Which of the following describes the best safety procedure for the teacher to follow when cleaning up the broken glass?
A
Use forceps to pick up the large pieces, a wet paper towel to pick up the small pieces, and place all of the pieces in a glass disposal container.
15
Q
A spring scale would be the most beneficial for which of the following investigations?
A
showing that gravity is constant for objects with different masses
16
Q
When determining the accurate measurement of a liquid, which piece of laboratory equipment would be best to find the liquid’s volume to the nearest milliliter?
A
graduated cylinder
17
Q
A hot plate would be the most beneficial during which of the following investigations?
A
measuring how far rubber bands can stretch at different temperatures
18
Q
Which of the following substances would be safest for use in a fifth-grade science experiment?
A
dish soap
19
Q
Which of the following instruments would be most useful to find the volume of a very large textbook?
A
a metric ruler
20
Q
Which of the following is the appropriate piece of safety equipment to use if chemicals are splashed in someone’s eye?
A
eyewash station
21
Q
Which of the following should be done before using a triple beam balance to measure the mass of an object?
A
zero the balance
22
Q
A sixth-grade teacher is preparing a solution of diluted acid for her students to use in the lab. How should she prepare it?
A
Calculate the needed acid and water. Pour the right amount of water into a graduated cylinder. Slowly swirl, adding acid to the water, until the right dilution is reached.
23
Q
Which of the following pieces of lab safety equipment might be used in case of a chemical spill?
A
safety shower
24
Q
Which of the following is the first step a teacher should take after obtaining a new chemical to use in a student lab?
A
reading the MSDS for the chemical
25
During part of a lab activity, students need to let a solution evaporate to see if any solutes are left behind. Which of the following tools would be most appropriate for this purpose?
watch glass
26
Students are using rulers to measure the length of leaves from different species of plants. Which of the following describes the correct way to use a ruler to measure length?
Line up the zero mark of the ruler at one end of the leaf and record the value of the smallest tick mark closest to where the leaf ends.
27
Density is measured by using the formula mass/volume. In addition to a scale, which of these tools would be helpful in finding the density of a regular-shaped, solid object?
metric ruler
28
Which of the following is not a standard part of general expectations for a classroom pet?
having the animal evaluated by a vet to ensure safety and health
29
What must a scientist consider when deciding which tools to use to gather data?
the expected outcome of the investigation
30
Mr. Orlando is on the far side of the room when he sees a student mishandling equipment during a laboratory activity. Which of the following is the best first step Mr. Orlando should take to resolve the problem?
move closer to the student
31
A hand lens would be the most beneficial for which of the following investigations?
comparing metamorphic and igneous rocks
32
Which of the following are appropriate lab safety standards?
Select all answers that apply.
A first aid kit should be kept in the classroom.
Students should wear safety goggles when working with a flame.
33
Which of the following is recommended student behavior in a laboratory setting?
reading and following experiment instructions
34
Johnny wants to make a graph to display the amount of money the military spent over a period of time. Which graph would best display this data?
line graph
35
If 2.2 lb = 1 kg, and Mary weighs 120 lbs, how much does she weigh in kg?
55 kg
36
A third-grade class is working on a project about wildflowers. Each student uses a ruler to measure the diameter of different flowers. What is the advantage of requiring the students to perform each measurement three times with the same ruler?
it reduces random error
37
Mr. Grubb is teaching about accuracy and precision. He asks students to write an essay explaining the difference between the two. He gets a couple of essays that are two sentences long. How can he improve this?
give a rubric which clearly communicated expectations
38
Students in Ms. Weikel's class are having difficulty remembering the metric unit prefixes. What should she do to help them remember the prefixes?
teach students a helpful mnemonic device
39
Which of the following best represents the diameter of a virus?
30 nanometers
40
Cheetahs regularly reach a top speed of 60 miles per hour. What is the top speed in feet per second?
88 ft/sec
41
Which of the following units is most appropriate to measure the volume of a solid?
cubic centimeters
42
You know that your height is 5 ft 3 in. A friend measures you three times and gets these results: 5 ft 10 in, 5 ft 9.5 in, and 5 ft 10.5 in. How can these measurements be explained?
low accuracy, high precision
43
Patricia is measuring the volume of a chemical in the lab using a graduated cylinder. She takes three measurements of the same volume, reading 40 mL, 35 mL, and 38 mL. She pours the chemical into a 50-mL beaker, and it reaches the 50-mL marking exactly. Which of the following descriptions of her data when using the graduated cylinder is most accurate?
low accuracy, low precison
44
Jamie needs to measure the diagonal of his computer screen for a project he is working on. What is an appropriate unit of measure he could use?
centimeters
45
Mrs. Stone has just finished teaching her students the difference between a line graph and a bar graph. She wants to evaluate if they have mastered this concept before the end of class. She plans to give them sets of data and then have them respond with the correct type of display. The best method to do this is:
give each student a wipe board so they can all answer independently
46
A school cafeteria offers 5 different meals and serves each meal on a set day of the week. A teacher takes a survey among her students of which of the 5 meals is their favorite. Which of the following should the teacher use to display the results of the survey?
a pie chart
47
Edward wants to make a plot that depicts his classmate's favorite types of juice. Which of the following plots would be best suited for that?
pie chart
48
Which type of graph or chart would be best used to show comparisons between the volume of water drunk by athletes competing in two different sports?
bar graph
49
Suppose Mike's actual weight is 165.5 pounds ±2 pounds. His scale says his weight is 164 pounds. What can be said about his scale?
it is accurate
50
Mckenzie wants to make a graph to display the kinds of pets the students in her class have. Which graph would best display this data?
bar graph
51
April wants to make a graph to display the amount of time it takes 25 employees to get to work in the morning. Which graph would best display this data?
stem and leaf plot
52
Mr. Bielenberg asks students to measure 5 different objects from home using different units of measurement. He does not receive a wide variety of objects. How could he improve this activity in the future?
give clear guidelines for expected objects
53
Which is the most appropriate unit to measure the height of the average adult human?
inches
54
Which of the following units represents the shortest distance?
nanometer
55
Which of the following is equivalent to 3 meters?
300 centimeters
56
A group of students are looking at a circle graph. Each sector is labeled with a number followed by a symbol. Which of the following are the students most likely studying?
percentages
57
The students in Ms. Dukes' fifth-grade class are using electronic scales to measure the weights of various rocks during a geology lesson. One group has consistently high values for the weights. What is the first thing she should ask the group to help them get back on track?
Did you zero the scale before you started measuring?
58
Which is the most appropriate unit to measure length of the average football field?
meters
59
Which metric prefix indicates a factor of 10?
Deca-
60
Of the following, which is most likely the distance from a classroom on the second floor to the playground outside at the end of the wing?
105 meters
61
A teacher provides students a table on the historical populations of the United States during the 19th century, divided by decade. Which of the following would be the most appropriate display for the information?
a histogram
62
Patrick likes to play horseshoes. He consistently tosses the horseshoes about one meter to the left of the stake. Which of the following accurately describes his results?
high precision, low accuracy
63
Mr. Muldoon is teaching about converting between metric and English units. One of his students refuses to engage in the activity and states "I am never leaving America so I don't need to learn this." How should he respond?
Explain the many ways in which people in America use the metric system.
64
Malik set up a conversion:
3 gallons x 4quarts/1gallon x 2 pints/1quart × 2 cups/1 pint
Which of the following conversions is he making?
gallons to cups
65
Which metric prefix indicates a factor of 1000?
Kilo-
66
Which of the following is the most appropriate unit for expressing the volume of an average glass of milk?
pint
67
If 2.54 cm = 1 in, about how many inches are in 1 meter?
39.4 in
68
When asked to list sources of error in an experiment, a majority of Mr. Crone's fifth-grade students included "human error" and "calculator error". What is their most likely misunderstanding about sources of error in an experiment?
Students think error in measurement is a mistake made by the measurer.
Students think that a digital display has no margin of error.
Students think that electronic equipment always measures exactly.
D
All of the above are commonly misunderstood by students.
69
A pool empties at a rate of 12 quarts every 2 minutes. How many hours and minutes will it take to completely empty the pool which contains 12,000 gallons? (1 gallon = 4 quarts)
133 hours and 20 minutes
Both quarts and minutes needs to be converted. 12 quarts = 3 gallons. 12,000/3 = 4,000 x 2 minutes = 8,000 minutes/60 minutes = 133 hours and 20 minutes
70
A teacher's goal in a math lesson to have students extract data from various charts and displays. What is the best way to do this?
Give each student a chart or display and have them create questions and then trade with a partner.
71
A recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar but Kristen only has a teaspoon in her kitchen. How many teaspoons of sugar will she need?
96
First set up a proportion to help convert cups to teaspoons.
2 cups =16 tbsp/1cup=3 tsp/1tbsp
Multiply the numerators and denominators and cancel out units. So, 2 cups become 96 teaspoons.
72
Susan travels at a rate of 60 miles per hour for 3 hours. Her car uses on average one gallon of gas per 30 miles. How many gallons of gas does she use on her trip?
6
The two unit rates: (30 miles per 1 gallon) and (60 miles per hour) can be used to convert from 3 hours to gallons of gas.
Susan travels 180 miles (60 miles/hour × 3 hours). 180 miles/(30 miles/gallon) = 6 gallons of gas.
73
A second-grade class has created a pictograph of what type of shoe each person is wearing. What is the next visual representation students can make from the information given?
a bar graph
74
A kindergarten teacher is developing a science lesson to teach students how materials change when they are heated or cooled. Keeping this objective in mind, which of the following would be the best use of technology?
Watching a short time-lapse video clip of matter changing states from solid to liquid and liquid to gas.
75
Traditionally, most elementary questions asked during instruction and assessment are at the recall level. Which level of Bloom's Taxonomy encourages the learner to think at the highest level?
synthesis (creating)
76
Casey is building a treehouse in his backyard. He works on it every day with all of his friends. Casey has little interest in science until Mrs. Baker teaches simple machines, and uses Casey's construction project as an example for how pulleys make lifting the building materials much easier. What process does Mrs. Baker use to encourage Casey's love for science?
real-world situations for application
77
During a unit on Earth and space, Mr. Pérez wants his third-grade students to investigate rapid changes in Earth's surface such as those produced by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3. Which of the following is the best way to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Have students use presentation software to make and present two-minute reports, each on one aspect of the topics on the list.
78
A second-grade teacher is teaching students about conserving resources and recycling household materials in accordance with the grade-level standards. Which of the following learning activities best aligns with the teacher's goal?
Start a school-wide recycling program and have students create flyers about conservation to encourage participation.
79
Which of the following students would qualify as an English-language learner?
a student whose family speaks Choctaw at home
80
A teacher of early elementary students would like to incorporate additional digital technology into classroom learning. Which of the following is the most effective approach?
Find ways to purposefully integrate technology into current lesson plans, such as using science-based programs to supplement core content science instruction.
Digital technology should be purposefully integrated into instruction to help students develop certain skills and meet learning goals.
81
What is the best way to structure inquiry-based research in a 5th-grade classroom?
facilitate student-selected topics and student questioning
Inquiry-based research is student-centered with the teacher guiding the students through a process that starts with students forming guiding questions.
82
A third-grade teacher is planning a lesson on representing data using dot plots. She plans to introduce the concept of dot plots, show examples, and create a class dot plot that shows how many siblings the students have. Which of the following would be the best way to incorporate technology into this lesson?
an online program that allows students to plot their data point on a dot plot
Of the answer choices, this is the most effective use of technology because it involves student participation. By using an interactive online dot plot, the teacher is using technology for the most student-centered aspect of the lesson.
83
Billy and Sally perform the same experiment ten times to observe if variations occur in the results from the experiment. After they perform the experiment ten times, they notice a large variance of results, but they hypothesized a small variance in results. When they discuss the experiment with their teacher, the teacher directs them to identify any deviations from the original experimental procedure. Which of the following best describes the benefit of the teacher's directions?
The task helps Billy and Sally connect deviation in procedure to variance in results.
By reviewing any deviations from the original experimental procedure, Billy and Sally can identify any procedures which might result in a large variance in the results of the experiment.
84
A teacher wants his students to learn about different forms of energy in everyday life. Which of the following is the most engaging way to start a lesson that relates to the lesson goals and encourages students to see themselves as scientists?
Give students time to rotate through several hands-on science experiments that demonstrate the transformation of energy from one form to another.
Not only does this pique interest in energy transformations, it also allows students to be scientists as they form theories and ideas about the different forms of energy present in the experiment.
85
A kindergarten class is learning about daily weather changes in a unit on Earth and space in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade K. Which of the following weather tools are age-appropriate for use by kindergarteners during an investigation of the weather?
Select all answers that apply.
their own senses
digital thermometer
86
Many of today's education experts recommend that teachers move away from the "sage on the stage" approach and become more of a "facilitator of learning." What does this most likely mean?
This means that teachers need to move away from long lectures and move toward facilitating the classroom while allowing students to become active participants in learning.
Today's educational leaders recommend that teachers move away from long lectures and give students more opportunities to become active participants in the classroom. Teachers need to become the "facilitator of learning" instead of being the person "doing the most learning". Lectures rarely involve students---the teacher is doing more learning than the students.
87
During a unit on Earth and space, Ms. Bosshardt wants her students to work on recognizing patterns by observing, describing, and illustrating clouds. Which of the following is the best way to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Have students go outside to observe clouds and use a phone camera to take pictures of a type of cloud that was previously discussed in the classroom.
It is difficult to draw a cloud well enough to distinguish its type. By using a phone camera, students can observe real clouds and show with their photos that they understand different types of clouds.
88
A teacher asks each small group of students to build a balance from pins, straws, wooden blocks, paper, and tape. Some of the groups try ideas that do not work. Which of the following teacher actions will best encourage these students to think critically while solving problems?
Ask students what they have tried, what happened, and what other thoughts they had.
Questions such as these foster critical thinking in problem solving by asking students to think about what worked and what did not work and allowing them to come up with alternate solutions.
89
Which of the following is NOT a valid reason for using children's literature as part of an inquiry lesson in elementary school science?
to show that scientists are smarter than everyone else
Students should be taught that scientists are people just like themselves who have learned to use scientific thinking. The idea that scientists are special people who should be put on a pedestal could discourage students from pursuing science.
90
During a third-grade unit on resources a teacher wants to include activities that involve scientific investigation and reasoning as described by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3. Which of the following activities is based on a scientific investigation and best enables students to make informed choices about the use and conservation of natural resources?
Have students research how to recycle on the internet, and then have them set up a classroom recycling center with student-made signs indicating what can and cannot be recycled.
This project actively involves students as they investigate how to recycle, find out what is recyclable and why, and then set up their own recycling center.
91
Ms. Babu feels her class has a good understanding of the definitions and theories associated with physical and chemical changes, but she wants them to apply the concepts.
Which homework assignment would best help students connect the concepts to their everyday lives?
Have students look for a chemical or physical change they see after they leave school, and then tell the class about it the next day.
Once students have a good idea of a scientific concept, asking them for examples from their own lives will motivate and help them apply the idea outside of school.
92
Which of the following is essential for fostering critical thinking in the classroom?
sufficient student background knowledge
Critical thinking helps students make sense and draw reasonable conclusions from observations or data and requires deep thinking and insights. Students without enough background knowledge cannot make insightful connections. Teachers must ensure their students know enough about a topic before asking them to synthesize new information.
93
Which of the following activities would provide the most beneficial learning experience for a third-grade class studying the planets and their positions relative to each other?
Students create a scaled-down model of the solar system on the field using inflatable planets.
This is the most beneficial learning experience for this group of students because it will show students where the planets are in the solar system, as well as where the planets are positioned relative to each other. This activity fulfills a third-grade science standard on the planets of the solar system.
94
As part of a lesson on electricity, Mrs. Garcia has her students complete the concept map shown here.
If one student erroneously placed "lightening" in the box marked with an asterisk (*) and colored yellow, what is the best activity for Mrs. Garcia to do?
Partner that student with one that had this bubble correct and have them discuss and edit their maps.
Lightning is a form of electricity, but not a source. This term should be in a bubble on the right hand side. By partnering with another student to discuss, the student can receive peer feedback.
95
During a unit on Earth and space, Ms. Washington wants her first-grade students to identify the characteristics of day and night, including the reason for time zones, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 1. Which of the following is the best way to incorporate technology as students BEGIN this lesson?
Set up a videoconference with a person from a very different time zone and encourage students to discuss the current time of day and what it looks like outside.
A videoconference with students in another time zone would engage students in preparation for a study of day and night and cause them to wonder why our times are different.
96
A second-grade class is starting a month-long investigation about Earth and space in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 2. During the week of a full moon, the students are asked to observe and draw the Moon and its position in the sky at 7:00 p.m. They repeat the activity approximately once each week for the next three weeks.
At the end of the four weeks, the teacher shows drawings of the moon in its various phases and demonstrates the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon at each phase with three props: a lamp, a globe, and a ball that represents the Moon.
Which of the following is the best follow-up activity for helping second-grade students learn what causes the phases of the Moon?
Draw a single moon phase on the board and ask a few students to position the props to represent that moon phase. Allow the class to verbally help the active students. Repeat for other moon phases.
Guided exploration with hands-on equipment representing the concept is the best way to improve student understanding.
97
During a unit on matter and energy, Mr. Matthews wants his kindergarten students to observe, record, and discuss how materials can be changed by heating or cooling, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade K. Which TWO of the following are the best ways to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Select all answers that apply.
Have students use computer simulation software to observe, record, and later discuss what they see when different materials are heated and cooled.
Provide digital voice recorders so students can describe, and later discuss, what they see when solid coconut oil is heated by the sun and later cools in an ice bath.
98
Mr. Howard would like to create a short freewriting activity to determine whether his students are using critical-thinking skills on their current topic. Which Bloom's verb would be the best for him to use to start his prompt?
Predict
Predicting is a higher level Bloom's verb which indicates critical thinking ability.
99
Technology is best utilized in the classroom when it can accomplish which of the following?
enhances the learning objective
Technology is best used to enhance the learning objective of the lesson.
100
A third-grade teacher wants students to learn about the structures that help organisms survive within their environments. Which of the following activities best supports critical thinking and relates to the lesson goal?
Have students find similarities and differences in the breathing apparatus of fish, amphibians, and reptiles and connect their findings to life underwater versus life on land.
This activity supports critical thinking by having students look for and find patterns, and it relates directly to the learning goal.
101
Which of the following activities will best allow students to self-identify their misconceptions?
applying the scientific method to an idea in class and designing an experiment
This method will best allow students to self-identify their misconceptions.
102
During a unit on organisms and environments, Ms. Grandview wants her second-grade students to identify the importance of weather and seasonal information when making choices in clothing and activities, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 2. Which of the following is the best way to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Have students use an internet weather site to find out about the current weather in a city elsewhere in the world and then draw pictures of the clothing and activities that would be appropriate given those weather conditions.
With this activity students would learn to access and interpret weather information on the internet, determine the importance of the information, and make choices about clothing and activities.
103
Which of the following is the best way to use data collected from pre-assessment activities?
to drive instruction
Pre-assessing student knowledge helps the teacher focus the direction of the lesson where needed and adjust the pacing to meet the needs of the learners.
104
A teacher wants students to understand how environments can support a population of plants and animals in an ecosystem. Which of the following is the most engaging way to start a lesson that relates to the lesson goals and encourages students to see themselves as scientists?
Have students observe and record the interactions of plants and animals in a terrarium over a span of several days or weeks.
The interactions in a terrarium will best engage students by stimulating interest in the topic. It also allows students to be scientists by making, recording, and discussing their observations over a period of time.
105
The Dalton School District has access to a short exciting, personal, eye-witness story about a tornado that struck across their state and killed 36 people. The author describes how she felt during the approach, destruction, and aftermath of the tornado.
Of the following choices, which is the best place in the lesson plan for the science teacher to read the story to the class?
as an introduction to the unit
An exciting, personal, real story motivates students interest in an upcoming lesson.
106
The choices below describe some possible ways a teacher could address misconceptions in science. Which of the following approaches is the LEAST likely to help students replace a scientific misconception with an accepted scientific truth?
ignoring the misconception and focusing only on the accepted science
Research shows that ignoring misconceptions does not make them go away. When misconceptions are not addressed, students may simply reject the accepted science, or may incorporate a mixture of the correct and incorrect science into their thinking.
107
A class is learning about the water cycle. Which of the following would be the most appropriate way to use technology to support their understanding of the movement of water through the water cycle?
Use a website that requires students to drag images representing each stage of the water cycle into their correct place on a diagram.
This activity supports student understanding by requiring them to use their knowledge to complete a technology-based practice activity.
108
In which of the following assignments would students most likely find the Venn diagram to be a useful tool in organizing their information?
The teacher has asked the students to compare and contrast plants and animals.
Venn diagrams are typically used when students are comparing and contrasting. The traditional Venn diagram has two circles that overlap. The area overlapping in the middle of the two circles is where you would record commonalities and the portions of the two circles outside of the overlapping area would contain the differences.
109
During a unit on scientific investigation and reasoning, Ms. Washington wants her third-grade students to practice analyzing and interpreting patterns in data, in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 3. Which TWO of the following are the best ways to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Select all answers that apply.
*Have students look at objects of different temperatures through infrared goggles and record their observations. Then allow students to discuss their observations as they make sense of what they see through the goggles.
As students analyze their observations, they will conclude that hotter objects appear brighter through the goggles. This consistent pattern should lead them to conclude that infrared goggles help them see how hot something is.
*Teach students how to use a photogate timer to calculate average speed and have students measure, record, graph, and analyze the average speeds of cars rolling down a ramp at different ramp angles.
Not only does this lesson have students analyze and interpret regular patterns in data, it also teaches them how to use an important tool in the science classroom and requires them to practice their mathematics skills.
110
Studies show that higher-level thinking best moves science content into long-term memory. Which of the following question-starting phrases is most likely to elicit higher-level thinking from students?
How can you apply this idea to...
According to Bloom's taxonomy, application requires deeper thinking than recall.
111
Which of the following activities best represents exploratory play during a unit on Earth and space in accordance with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Grade 1?
Provide students with rocks, sand, soil, portland cement, water, mixing bowls, spoons, and paper cups and ask them to try to make concrete that will harden in a paper cup.
This is an example of exploratory play that would be useful at the start of a unit in which students learn how rocks, soil, and water are useful.
112
Students are investigating the nature of light with a flashlight, a mirror, and a piece of white paper. The teacher circulates among the groups of students, asking questions as they experiment and discussing what they see. Which two of the following teacher questions will best foster critical thinking during the student investigation?
Select all answers that apply.
"How do you know?"
Asking students to support their thinking with evidence causes them to look for and find patterns, connect separate pieces of information, and form an accurate mental image, all of which are components of critical thinking.
"What makes you think that?"
Asking students for evidence to support what they say requires them to evaluate their thinking, apply their observations to the situation, and develop explanations, all of which are components of critical thinking.
113
Mr. Murphy is planning a lesson designed to meet the needs of all learners in his science class. The goal of his lesson is to help the learner enjoy learning science. Which of the following should Mr. Murphy incorporate first into the lesson in order to reach his goal?
activities focused on a variety of interests and learning styles
In order for all students to enjoy the content, a variety of activities should be incorporated into the lesson. When these activities focus on the students' interests and learning styles, the students become more engaged in the lesson and enjoy learning.
114
A teacher would like to assess students' understanding of the similarities and differences between mitosis and meiosis. Which of the following would be the most effective way to do this?
Have students partner up and create a Venn diagram for mitosis and meiosis.
Having students work together to create a Venn diagram allows them to help each other with misconceptions.
115
A teacher would like to assess students' understanding of what to do during a natural hazard, such as a lightning storm or a tornado. Which of the following would be the most effective way to do this?
having students write stories that illustrate which safety procedures to follow in an emergency and why
Having students write stories will show whether they know which precautions to take in an emergency and why the precautions are important.
116
Ms. Potter just finished a fourth-grade unit on energy transformations. As part of an assessment, Ms. Potter demonstrates the operation of a machine that incorporates several energy transformations as it performs a task. Which of the following is the most effective way for her to assess the students' ability to trace energy transformations in a system?
having students use a provided diagram to label each energy transformation where it occurs while the machine is operating
This assesses students' abilities to trace energy transformations as they occur in the machine. It is congruent with the desired assessment goals.
117
In science class, a student rarely remembers to complete homework and earns a low average grade on quizzes and tests. During discussion, the student asks thoughtful questions and participates eagerly. Which of the following assessment formats would allow the science teacher to fully evaluate the student's mastery of content?
oral questioning
Asking the question orally will allow the student to engage and share their level of mastery.
118
Of the following, which is the most important feature of an instructional assessment?
The learning objectives are assessed and do not vary significantly from the material the students were taught.
Assessments should gauge the knowledge of a student in the specific learning goals of the instructional unit. Also, the assessment should not include material that was not covered by the teacher.
119
A test given at the end of a unit on weather and climate is an example of:
a summative assessment.
A summative assessment is given at the end of a unit to find out what standards students have met.
120
Mrs. Hogan is wrapping up a unit on homeostasis. She would like to assess student knowledge before she moves on. Which of the following would be the best summative assessment?
a test over homeostasis and the processes involved
Tests are summative assessments that allow the teacher to reflect and be sure there are no large gaps in knowledge.
121
A science teacher would like to determine students' understanding at the end of a unit. Which of the following activities would be best suited for this purpose?
a test featuring a variety of questioning methods
A unit test is a good summative assessment to gauge student understanding of all topics in the unit.
122
In the middle of a lesson on plant systems, a teacher asks students to raise their hand if a statement she says about roots is true. She reads four statements and notes how accurate the class is for each statement. This exercise is an example of:
a formative assessment.
A formative assessment is given during a unit to inform further instruction. The teacher can use how well the students rated the statements to decide if they understand roots.
123
Which of the following is a list of ideas for formative assessment?
creating a graphic organizer, cooperative learning activities, and a foldable
Formative assessment provides an insight to the learning along the way. Activities such as graphic organizers, cooperative learning, and foldables allow students to discuss the content and provide an opportunity for the teacher to check for understanding during the process.
124
A teacher would like to assess students' understanding of the similarities and differences between mitosis and meiosis. Which of the following would be the most effective way to do this?
Have students partner up and create a Venn diagram for mitosis and meiosis.
Having students work together to create a Venn diagram allows them to help each other with misconceptions.
125
During a unit on sound, a teacher wants to informally assess the class to see if they can differentiate between longitudinal and transverse wave behavior. Which of the following would be the most effective way to do this?
having students link arms and demonstrate each type of wave with their bodies
By asking the class to work together to make the two waves, the teacher will observe how much they understand and the students will be able to help each other correct any misunderstandings.
126
After teaching a complex unit, what is the best way to assess what students have learned?
have the students take an end-of-unit exam
The best way to test students' knowledge on a complex unit after it has been covered in class is to have the students take an end-of-unit exam.
127
School administrators often require their staff to write common assessments. Which of the following is important to consider regarding the writing of common assessments in a team of four teachers, all of whom teach third grade on the same campus?
Common assessments need to be a collaborative effort, aligned to the curriculum, and administered regularly.
All of these are important to consider when teachers are writing common assessments.
128
Mrs. Johnson's class is learning about ecology. She asks them to draw a picture of an example of interspecific competition and intraspecific competition. Then, she posts the pictures on the board and asks students to identify which type of competition is pictured. What type of activity is this?
formative assessment
This activity is a formative assessment, because it allows Mrs. Johnson to informally assess student knowledge on one specific topic.
129
Which would be the recommended sequence to follow when asking questions in the classroom?
ask the question, wait 5-10 seconds, and then call on a specific student to answer
The recommended sequence is to ask the question, wait for 5-10 seconds, and then call on a specific student to answer. This gives every student a chance to reflect.
130
During a sixth-grade unit on suspensions, Mr. Ricky teaches that the color of a suspension depends on how light reflects on the solutes. He uses the examples of glacial lakes, which contain silt from the glacier's movement. When sunlight hits the lake and reflects from this suspended silt, the lake appears a spectacular turquoise blue or green color.
Of the following student activities, which would be most useful to include while assessing students' understanding of his unit on suspensions?
drawing a diagram of why glacial lakes are blue
Mr. Ricky wants to assess understanding of the effect of solutes on the color of a suspension. Having students draw a diagram is a good way for him to see if they understand that light is reflecting on the solutes.
131
Formative assessments provide information that can be used for which of the following?
to change and improve instruction
The purpose of formative assessments is to determine what students know about what they just learned. They are intended to be administered frequently throughout learning, not at the end. The teacher should use this information to change and improve instruction. In most instances, it is not appropriate to use a formative assessment as a grade.
132
In the middle of a unit on lunar cycles, Mr. Rice hands out drawing paper and gives his students the following task:
A new moon is always high in the sky at noon. Use what you know about the positions of the sun, moon, and Earth during a new moon to draw a diagram to show why a new moon is in the sky at noon.
After the students finished their drawings, Mr. Rice looked at them before he planned the next unit in the lesson.
Mr. Rice used this activity as which of the following?
formative assessment
133
During lessons, teachers should provide effective feedback to students. Which of the following explains why immediate specific feedback is essential?
to ensure a positive learning experience in science
Effective feedback has been shown to connect students to the teacher and the content. This connection ensures a positive learning experience.
134
Which of the following statements best describes a formative assessment?
Formative assessments measure what students know along the way.
135
Mrs. Walker just completed a unit on the anatomy of a rat with her fifth graders. Which of the following is the most effective way for a teacher to assess the students' understanding of the concept?
Have students draw a rat and label the parts.
Anatomy focuses on the identification and description of structures. This is an engaging activity that will assess the students' understanding and knowledge of rat anatomy.
136
During a lesson on ocean currents, a teacher asks his class to respond to a question by giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. This is an example of which of the following types of assessment?
informal
Using thumbs-up/thumbs-down is an informal, formative assessment. It is informal both because students can see other students' answers and because the teacher can get an overall sense of class understanding rather than quantitative scores. It is a formative assessment because it is done during the learning experience and not at the end of a unit.
137
The semester exam administered to students at the end of the term is considered to be a:
summative assessment
138
Which of the following would best assess students' abilities to formulate testable scientific questions?
Demonstrate a science event with an unexpected outcome and ask each to write a related question that they might be able to answer with classroom experiments.
The most effective assessment of the ability to formulate scientific questions involves having students actually write scientific questions. Demonstrating a discrepant event gives students a focus for their questions.
139
A test given at the end of a unit on evolution is an example of:
a summative assessment.
