WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
Inq.1 Select a description or scenario that reevaluates and/or extends a scientific finding.
Are rocks alive? Are viruses alive? Are plants alive? Are bugs alive? Mold or mushrooms? Dirt? Are
there things smaller than we can see that are alive? As we grow up and science progresses we
reevaluated and extend our definition of what it takes to be LIVING.
Characteristics of Life
1) Complex and organized
3) Uses energy to grow (metabolism)
4) Maintains homeostasis (stable internal environment)
5) Reproduces sexually or asexually
6) Adapts or evolves over time
7) Responds to their environment
Inq.2 Analyze the components of a properly designed scientific investigation.
I can list and describe the stages of the scientific method.
Inq.3 Determine appropriate tools to gather precise and accurate data. I can identify basic scientific
equipment and how they would be used. (microscopes [light & electron], balances, graduated cylinders,
etc.) We will investigate microscopes and identify other basic biology equipment.
Accuracy is defined as: how close a measurement is to its true or actual value. Characteristics that
apply to the concept of accuracy: correct, single measurement , true value.
Precision is defined as: the repeatability of measurements taken under the same conditions.
Characteristics that apply to the concept of precision: multiple measurements, repeatable,
reproducible
Inq.4 Evaluate the accuracy and precision of data. I can, given a set of data, determine which values
are most accurate or/and most precise—correct and/or repeatable.
WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
Students were measuring the length of 5 different lizards. Which student’s data is most accurate? Most
precise?
Lizard
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Actual Length
1
4.9 inches
4.7 inches
5.1 inches
5.1 inches
2
4.0 inches
4.1 inches
4.2 inches
4.2 inches
3
2.4 inches
2.5 inches
2.3 inches
2.3 inches
4
7.5 inches
7.9 inches
7.7 inches
7.7 inches
5
3.7 inches
4.1 inches
3.9 inches
3.9 inches
Good accuracy
Poor accuracy
Poor accuracy
Good precision
Good precision
Poor precision
Describe the accuracy and precision of a basketball free-throw shooter:

who makes 99 of 100 shots.

if 99 of 100 shots hit the front of the rim and bounce off.
Good accuracy, good precision
poor accuracy, good precision

who makes 37 of 100 shots and misses the rest.
poor accuracy, poor precision
Inq.5 Defend a conclusion based on scientific evidence. I can draw or support a conclusion given
scientific data
WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
Question
Independent Variable
(What I change)
Does fertilizer make a
plant grow bigger?
Amount of fertilizer
measured in grams
Dependent Variables
(What I observe)

Growth of the plant
measured by its
height

Growth of the plant
measured by the
number of leaves

See Measuring Plant
Growth for more ways
to measure plant
growth
Controlled Variables
(What I keep the same)

Same type of fertilizer

Same size pot for each
plant

Same type of plant in
each pot

Same type and
amount of soil in each
pot

Same amount of
water and light

Make measurements
of growth for each
plant at the same time
"The many variables above
can each change how fast a
plant grows, so to insure a
fair test of the fertilizer, each
of them must be kept the
same for every pot."
Inq.6 I CAN . . Determine why a conclusion is free of bias.
WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
The point of the cartoon above is that are lots of “scientific” studies from lots of places. We must be
good “consumers” of science. Buyer beware. What contributes to bias or lack of fairness in
experimental results:






Bad experimental design
Poorly controlled experiments
Data that is not accurate or precise
Use of inappropriate tools or procedures
Poor analysis of data
Agenda on the part of the researcher – wanting a conclusion to be so, doesn’t make it so.
WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
Inq.7 I CAN . . Compare conclusions that offer different, but acceptable explanations for the same set
of experimental data.
I can identify a situation that furthers our previous or current understanding of a biological concept. i.e.
How did the dinosaurs die? Big rock from space or Supervolcanoes? Either, based on Iridium data!
WTK- Inquiry, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(ITEM)
T/E.1 I CAN . . Distinguish among tools and procedures best suited to conduct a specified scientific
inquiry. It’s important to use the “right” tool for a job. You wouldn’t use a chainsaw to cut bologna any
more than you would use a car as a can opener. The focus of this standard is for the student to
recognize that to study butterfly wings you’d use a butterfly net and a hand lens and not a flyswatter
and an electron microscope. We need to use tools that can do the job AND help gather data that is
accurate and precise. Additionally, how we USE the tools – the procedure for using the tools need to
help us gather accurate and precise data.
T/E.2 I CAN . . Evaluate a protocol to determine the degree to which an engineering design process
was successfully applied.
Parts of the Engineering design cycle in order:






Identify the need
Design the solution
Build the prototype
Test the prototype
Verify test results
Implement or market solution
T/E.3 Evaluate the overall benefit to cost ratio of a new technology.
I can determine if a new technology’s benefit will outweigh its cost in time, energy, and financial liability.
I can determine how a new technology will improve efficiency and reduce cost, given a scenario.
A simple $10.00 mosquito net bed cover can prevent a deadly parasitic infection, Malaria, killing more
than 1 million people each year (mostly children age 5 to 19). The benefit is obvious but the cost $10.00
is out of reach for most families whose income is less than a dollar a day.
The cost of the technology versus the benefit is real and obvious but what about using “design
principles to determine if a new technology will improve the quality of life for an intended
audience.”?
A cost to benefit analysis or quality of life analysis is possible for any piece of technology like the
following:





Storing cord blood in case your child develops childhood cancer
Individualized cancer treatments
Motorcycle or bicycle helmets and seat belts in cars
Condoms – cost versus disease or pregnancy prevention.
Vaccines- benefit versus cost
T/E.4 I CAN . . Use design principles to determine how a new technology will improve the quality of
life for an intended audience.