Brian and Joe are looking at the water boiling in the pan on the stove.
Brian says that the bubbles are made of air that gets pushed out of the water when the water gets hot.
He argues that he knows that there is air dissolved in water because fish are able to breath the oxygen in the water.
Joe says that the bubbles are made of water that has turned into a gas – water vapor.
Joe agrees with Brian that fish are able to breathe oxygen in the water. But the pan has been boiling for 10 minutes and it is still bubbling just as much as it was at the beginning. If Brian was right, wouldn’t the air be gone by now?
1.
What idea is Brian arguing for?
_____________________________________________________________
Note: The numerical Levels indicated in the scoring rubrics were for research purposes. Higher Levels indicate higher quality argumentation. We encourage you to use a scoring scheme that matches your present goals for students.
Part 1
Argumentation Level 0b: Identifying a claim
Level
1
0
Description
Student answer refers to “air.”
Student does not identify Brian’s argument
Empirical Example air is dissolved in the water
That there is air in water bubbles pushing out of the pan. bubbles

2.
What is the reason Brian gives to convince Joe that he is right? a.
Fish are able to breath the oxygen in the water b.
Bubbles are made of air c.
The pan has been boiling for 10 minutes and it is still bubbling d.
Hot water boils
Part 2
Argumentation Level 1b: Identifying reasoning
Level
1
0
Description
Circles (a)
Circles (b) (c) or (d)
3.
What idea is Joe trying to argue for?
Empirical Example
_______________________________________________________________
Part 3
Argumentation Level 0b: Identifying a claim
Level
1
0
Description
Student answer refers to “gas” or “water vapor”
Student does not identify Joe’s argument
Empirical Example
Bubble turned to gas bubbles in water is gas how it affect the it
When water gets hot, it bubbles
4.
What is the reason Joe gives to convince Brian he is right? a.
Fish are able to breath the oxygen in the water b.
Bubbles are made of air c.
The pan has been boiling for 10 minutes and it is still bubbling d.
Hot water boils
Part 4
Argumentation Level 1b: Identifying reasoning

Level
1
0
Description
Student circles (c)
Student circles (a), (b) or (d)
Empirical Example

5. Brian says that he knows that water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. The bubbles are caused by the water breaking down to produce hydrogen and oxygen that are both gases.
These form bubbles like the gas in soda.
Joe is unconvinced. He remembers observing that the saucepan lid became covered in water drops as the water continued to boil. How could he use this observation to convince Brian that he is wrong?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Part 5
Argumentation Level 2a:
Providing a counter-critique
Level Description
2 Student provides a complete and accurate counterargument, including some kind of comparison of the two ideas.
Student makes an argument that it’s state change; therefore, it can’t be a chemical change.
If water is collecting on the top of the lid, then the most likely thing that is bubbling out of the liquid water is gaseous water.
Brian is wrong because if it were oxygen and hydrogen, they wouldn’t collect as water on the top of the lid.
If there are water drops on the pan it suggests that the oxygen and hydrogen didn’t split
1
0
Student provides a plausible argument, but might be incomplete or not 100% accurate.
Student makes an argument that it’s a state change.
Student provides an incorrect counterargument or fails to answer the question.
Empirical Example
None found
The water vapor evaporated and landed on the lid
The water boils so it evaporates
It is because the water has been boiling for more than 10 minutes

Try the experiment again.