Constructing a
Scientific Explanation
Using the
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool
Teacher Learner Goals and
Expected Outcomes
• Develop skills for constructing scientific explanations
in support of rigorous teaching and learning.
• Develop an understanding of how to scaffold the
construction of scientific explanations.
• Use a tool called the “Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool”
(DSET) to scaffold construction of scientific explanations
• Apply the concepts of the “Developing a Scientific Explanation
Tool” (DSET).
2
Quick Write
What are the key components of a Scientific Explanation?
– Open your UA Science journal to a new page and write the question
above at the top.
– Start the list: Record ONE key component of a Scientific Explanation.
– Pass your journal to the person next to you.
– Read the response. Add to the list by recording another key
component of a Scientific Explanation that has not yet been recorded.
– Pass the journal on to the next person.
– Read the response. Add to the list by recording another key
component of a Scientific Explanation that has not yet been recorded.
– Continue to read, record and pass until you have your own journal
back again.
3
Discuss…As a Table Group
• Did colleagues add items to the list that you
had not thought of?
• What would your students list as components
of a scientific explanation?
• What challenges have arisen for you in
teaching students this skill in the past or do
you anticipate arising for you in teaching it
now?
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Engage &
Elicit
Science Learner Goals and
Expected Outcomes
• Develop skills for constructing scientific explanations
• Use a tool called the Developing a Scientific
Explanation Tool (DSET) to help organize and guide
the construction of a scientific explanation
5
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Engage &
Elicit
Writing a Scientific Explanation
Mass
Density
Melting
Point
Color
Liquid 1
38 g
0.93 g/cm3
-98 ºC
no color
Liquid 2
38 g
0.79 g/ cm3
26 ºC
no color
Liquid 3
21 g
13.6 g/cm3
-39 ºC
silver
Liquid 4
16 g
0.93 g/cm3
-98 ºC
no color
Write a scientific explanation that answers this question:
Are any of the liquids the same substance?
6
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explore
Investigating with a Pinball Launcher
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explore
Construct the Pinball Launcher System
New Diagram Here
Use the above diagram to guide your construction of the pinball launcher system
Materials List:
Pinball launcher: pull bar + spring launcher
Assorted 1 inch diameter balls
Cup
Weights for cup
Ruler
Mat
Tape
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explore
Construct the Pinball Launcher System
Use the diagram and directions below to guide your construction of the
pinball launcher system
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tape down the corners of the “place mat” (an 11” x 17” sheet of paper with ruled
markings and a circle over which the cup should be placed) to the table.
Place the cup on the place mat’s “Starting Circle” with the cup’s opening toward
the launcher - ruler. Weight the cup if you choose.
Tape the spring launcher to the ruler if you prefer; position the launcher in line
with a centimeter (cm) increment so you can align the end of the plunger at
discreet cm increments (levels) according to the investigation design.
Position the launcher – ruler in line with the opening of the cup.
Secure the launcher - ruler to the table. Do not put tape on any part of the ruler
that the ball will travel over.
Select one ball to use in the investigation.
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explore
The effect of the compression of a spring used to launch a ball on the distance a cup,
placed in the path of the ball, moves.
What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to launch a ball on the
distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
If a spring in a pinball launcher is compressed to a greater degree then a ball that is launched will move a cup placed in the
ball’s path a further distance because a compressed spring has stored potential energy (the greater the compression, the
more energy is stored) that is converted to active kinetic energy when the spring is released. The kinetic energy of the
spring is transferred to the ball which hits the cup. The greater the kinetic energy of the ball, the farther the cup will move.
(Stop Faking It: Energy, pages 1 – 4)
.
Compression of the Spring That Launches a Ball (in cm)
1 cm
2 cm
3 Trials
3 Trials
3 cm
3 Trials
4 cm
3 Trials
5 cm
3 Trials
Distance a cup, placed in the path of a launched ball, moves (in cm)
Type of ball, the cup, surface the ball and cup are traveling on, position of cup relative to the launcher, person
launching the ball
Collecting Data
•
•
•
•
•
•
Designing a table: Things to consider
What units will you use?
Is the IV represented?
Does your table include levels of your IV?
Does your table include trials?
Is the DV represented?
Where will you record the average of your trials?
Data Table
Spring
Compression
1 cm
2 cm
3 cm
4 cm
5 cm
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
Distance Cup
Moved (cm)
Let’s Get Data!
• Collect data
• Record your data in your data table
• Calculate the average distance the cup moved
for each level of the IV
What do we do with our data?
• Raw data vs. polished data.
• Graph it.
Data Table
Spring
Compression
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
Distance Cup
Moved (cm)
1 cm
5.5 cm
5.3 cm
5.4 cm
5.4 cm
2 cm
9.5 cm
7.5 cm
8.5 cm
8.5 cm
3 cm
16.0 cm
19.0 cm
18.5 cm
17.8 cm
4 cm
32.0 cm
32.6 cm
35.5 cm
33.4 cm
5 cm
42.0 cm
45.0 cm
42.4 cm
43.1 cm
What do we do with our data?
• Raw data vs. polished data
• Graph it: scatter plot
What do we do next with our data?
• Look at it.
• What do you notice about your data?
What do we do next with our data?
• Look at it.
• What do you notice about your data?
• As a group, chart a list of everything you
notice about your data.
• This can be a list of “statements.” (Statements
of Relationship)
• List as many statements as you can on the
page provided in your journal.
• This list is the beginning of your Data Analysis
Data Analysis – Sample Statements
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 5 cm pushed a cup
an average distance of 43.1 cm.
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 1 cm pushed a cup
the shortest distance.
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 5 cm pushed a cup
a farther distance than the ball released by a spring
compressed 3 cm.
• The more a spring is compressed in a pinball launcher, the
further a ball that it launches pushes a cup placed in the ball’s
path.
Data Analysis
Is there a statement that answers the
investigation question?
Data Analysis – Sample Statements
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 5 cm pushed a cup
an average distance of 43.1 cm.
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 1 cm pushed a cup
the shortest distance.
• The ball launched by a spring compressed 5 cm pushed a cup
a farther distance than the ball released by a spring
compressed 3 cm.
• The more a spring is compressed in a pinball launcher, the
further a ball that it launches pushes a cup placed in the ball’s
path.
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
Evidence
(Observations/data that
support your claim.)
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
Scientific Explanation = Claim + Evidence + Scientific Reasoning
(My claim is (fill in with above claim) because (above evidence and science reasoning).
Scientific Explanation
These 3 components make up a Scientific Explanation:
1. Claim
2. Evidence
3. Scientific Reasoning
Scientific Explanation
Components Defined
Claim: An assertion or conclusion that answers the
original question (based on data).
Evidence: The actual scientific data that supports the
claim that must be appropriate and sufficient.
Scientific Reasoning: Justification that links the claim to
the evidence. Shows why the data counts as evidence
to support the claim, using appropriate scientific facts
and ideas. Comes from background research.
How to write a good scientific explanation
Components
• Make a claim about what was observed that answers the
original question
• Provide evidence for the claim – data is evidence.
• Provide scientific reasoning that links the evidence to the
claim based on appropriate scientific principles.
Qualities of the communication
• Use precise and accurate scientific language.
• Write clearly so that anyone interested in the explanation can
understand it.
25
Enter the Investigation Question
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question? What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to
launch a ball on the distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
Evidence
(Observations/data that
support your claim.)
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
Make a claim about what was observed
that answers the original question
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question? What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to
launch a ball on the distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
The more a spring is
compressed in a pinball
launcher, the further a ball
that it launches pushes a
cup placed in the ball’s
path.
Evidence
(Observations/data that
support your claim.)
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
Provide evidence for the claim – data is
evidence.
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question? What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to
launch a ball on the distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
Evidence
(Observations/data that
support your claim.)
The more a spring is
compressed in a pinball
launcher, the further a ball
that it launches pushes a
cup placed in the ball’s
path.
A ball launched by a spring in a
pinball launcher compressed 1 cm
moved a cup in its path an average
distance of 5.4 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 2 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 8.5 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 3 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 33.4 cm, and when the
spring was compressed 5 cm, the
cup moved an average distance of
43.1 cm. As the spring
compression that launched the
ball was increased, the distance
the cup that was hit by the ball
moved, increased.
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
Provide scientific reasoning that links the
evidence to the claim based on
appropriate scientific principles
(scientific facts and ideas).
Why do you think that happened?
• Do Background Research
• Find facts and/or ideas from scientific sources
that can be used to explain the evidence/data
that you collected that support your claim.
• Your reason is based on scientific principles:
facts and ideas. Your reason can be called a
Scientific Reason.
Why do you think that happened?
Scientific concepts to research:
Energy – Potential and Kinetic (energy in spring, energy in ball)
Conservation of Energy (compressed spring is released and
launches the ball)
Momentum and Conservation of Momentum (ball hits the cup)
Friction (cup slows down and stops)
Why do you think that happened?
Scientific concepts to read more about: Note Titles of Readings
Energy – Potential and Kinetic (energy in spring, energy in ball)
“Potential Energy”
“The Energy of Movement”
Conservation of Energy (compressed spring is released and
launches the ball)
“The Conservation of Energy”
Momentum and Conservation of Momentum (ball hits the cup)
“Collisions”
Friction (cup slows down and stops)
“Friction”
Why do you think that happened?
• Choose one of the readings: Potential Energy, The Energy of Movement,
The Conservation of Energy, Collisions, or Friction
• Find the paragraph at the top of the left hand page with the largest size
text. Read that first. Code the text (recall how we did that last time?) as
you read.
Codes to Use
? – something that is confusing, you don’t understand
- an important fact or idea, can help you explain your investigation results
 - something that is new or interesting to you
• Record, in your own words or quote, the parts of the reading that you 
directly into your DSET’s “Scientific Reasoning” column.
• Be prepared to explain to your table partners why the information you 
is relevant to the explanation of your investigation results
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question? What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to
launch a ball on the distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
Evidence
(Observations/data that
supports your claim.)
The more a spring is
compressed in a pinball
launcher, the further a ball
that it launches moves a
cup placed in the ball’s
path.
A ball launched by a spring in a
pinball launcher compressed 1 cm
moved a cup in its path an average
distance of 5.4 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 2 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 8.5 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 3 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 33.4 cm, and when the
spring was compressed 5 cm, the
cup moved an average distance of
43.1 cm. As the spring
compression that launched the
ball was increased, the distance
the cup that was hit by the ball
moved, increased.
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
Developing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)
What is your question? What is the effect of the compression of a spring used to
launch a ball on the distance a cup, that is placed in the path of the ball, moves?
Claim
(What is the answer to
your question – based on
your data/evidence?)
Evidence
(Observations/data that
support your claim.)
Scientific Reasoning
(Background research that
explains why you think this
happened.)
The more a spring is
compressed in a pinball
launcher, the further a ball
that it launches moves a
cup placed in the ball’s
path.
A ball launched by a spring in a
pinball launcher compressed 1 cm
moved a cup in its path an average
distance of 5.4 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 2 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 8.5 cm. When the
launcher was compressed 3 cm,
the cup moved an average
distance of 33.4 cm, and when the
spring was compressed 5 cm, the
cup moved an average distance of
43.1 cm. As the spring
compression that launched the
ball was increased, the distance
the cup that was hit by the ball
moved, increased.
*Potential energy and Kinetic energy:
“Everything that moves has energy
called “kinetic energy” (Eyewitness
Energy, p. 16) *A scientist named Joule
proved that “energy can not be created
or destroyed”, it can be changed into
another kind of energy. This is called the
conservation of energy. (Eyewitness
Energy, p. 24)
*When a moving ball hits a ball that is
not moving, it transfers some of its
momentum to the ball that is still. Both
objects move, but slower than the
original speed of the moving ball.
(Eyewitness Force & Motion, p. 36)
*”Friction is the force that opposes the
movement of objects sliding over each
other.” (Force and Motion, p. 38)
* Friction is a force that can slow a
moving thing down. (Force and Motion,
p. 38)
Scientific Explanation = Claim + Evidence + Scientific Reasoning
My claim is that the more a spring is compressed in a pinball launcher, the further a ball that it
launches moves a cup placed in the ball’s path. The evidence to support this claim is that when
a ball launched by a spring in a pinball launcher was compressed 1 cm, it moved a cup in its path
an average distance of 5.4 cm. When the launcher was compressed 2 cm, the cup moved an
average distance of 8.5 cm. When the launcher was compressed 3 cm, the cup moved an
average distance of 33.4 cm, and when the spring was compressed 5 cm, the cup moved an
average distance of 43.1 cm. As the spring compression that launched the ball was increased,
the distance the cup that was hit by the ball moved, increased. There are a few scientific reasons
that explain why this happened. First, the potential energy of the spring increased when the
spring was compressed. The more the spring was compressed, the more potential energy it had
and then the more kinetic energy the spring had when it was released (Stop Faking It: Energy,
pages 1 – 4) One form of energy can be converted into another form: potential energy can
become moving or kinetic energy. Scientists call this “conservation of energy” (Eyewitness
Energy, p. 24) The kinetic energy of the spring was then transferred to the ball, and the ball
moved. The more energy the ball got, the faster it rolled. The amount of motion the ball has is
something called momentum: momentum depends on the speed of the ball and the mass of the
ball. A moving object can transfer its motion to something that is not moving when they collide:
in our investigation, the moving ball transferred some of its motion to the cup. They both
moved, but slower than when the ball was rolling alone (Eyewitness Force and Motion, p.36)
The ball and cup rolled but then both came to a stop. The force of friction slowed them down
(Eyewitness Force and Motion, p. 38) The greater the amount of kinetic energy transferred to
the ball when spring compression increased, the more energy the ball had; the more energy the
ball had, the faster it moved. The faster it hit the cup, the more motion they both had and they
could slide farther together until friction slowed them down.
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explain &
Reflect
Science Learner Reflection: Look Back
• Do you think you constructed a strong
scientific explanation for the liquids exercise?
Why or why not? What would you improve?
Use sticky note paper to make additions or
changes to your scientific explanation
Science
Learner
Lesson Lens
Explain &
Reflect
Science Learner Reflection
3-2–1
3 key ideas I will remember about writing
scientific explanations are
2 things I am still struggling with when I write
scientific explanations are
1 thing that will help me the next time I write a
scientific explanation is
Is the Scientific Explanation the
“Conclusion”?
Not entirely…In Urban Advantage, we have created guidelines for students’
final Exit Projects/Presentations
The scientific explanation is part of the Discussion/Conclusion
portion of the student’s project presentation. This portion
includes:
• Statement of whether the results of the investigation support or do not
support the hypothesis
• The scientific explanation = claim + evidence + scientific reason
• Reflections on possible sources of error and/or unexpected results
• Discussion of next steps, new questions to research or investigations to
conduct
Reflections
Respond to these questions in your UA Science Journal:
• Which aspects of finding, accessing and applying background information
sources challenge your students most? Which tools or strategies will you
apply to help them strengthen their skills in those areas?
• Do you anticipate the need to modify this approach to introducing and
using the DSET for use with your students?
If yes, what modifications will you make?