Classroom Instruction that
Works
New Hanover County Schools
Fall 2008
CITW Implementation Plan
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
21st Century
Knowledge
Homework &
Practice
Similarities &
Differences
Cooperative
Learning
Nonlinquistic
Representations
Reinforcing Effort
& Providing
recognition
Setting Objectives &
Providing Feedback
Generating &
Testing
Hypotheses
Summarizing &
Note Taking
Cues, Questions,
& Advance
Organizers
Generating and Testing
Hypotheses
New Hanover County Schools
Outcome
Modify a unit to provide students
opportunities to generate, test,
and explain hypotheses.
Why Hypothesize?
Why
Hypothesize?
What We Know About Learning

The brain asks “WHY” and searches for
connections, associations, and patterns.

We construct meaning by attaching
knowledge to existing schema.

Learning is highly situated. Transfer
does not necessarily occur naturally.
Generalizations from Research

Providing students opportunities to generate,
test, and explain hypotheses allows for transfer
to novel situations which deepens understanding.

Hypothesis generation and testing can be
approached in either a deductive or inductive
manner.

Teachers should ask students to clearly explain
their hypotheses and their conclusions.
Two Approaches to Generating and
Testing Hypotheses in the Classroom
Deductive
Teacher presents
principle/
general rule
Students
generate and
test hypotheses
Students
explain
hypotheses
and
conclusions
Inductive
Students engage
in a variety of
Intentionallyplanned
experiences
Students
identify
patterns and
generate
hypotheses
Students
discover
principle/general
rule and explain
reasoning
Deductive versus Inductive
25
20
Percentile 15
Gain
10
5
0
Deductive
Techniques
Inductive
Techniques
Approach
Essential Question
How can teachers design student
investigations which increase
knowledge retention and transfer?
Six Types of Tasks that Employ
Hypothesis Generation and Testing






Systems Analysis
Problem Solving
Historical Investigation
Invention
Experimental Inquiry
Decision Making
System Analysis
Explain the
purpose &
parts of the
system and
the function
of each part
Describe how
the parts
affect each
other
Test the
hypothesis
Explain the
hypothesis
and
conclusion
Hypothesize
what would
happen if
one part of the
system
changed
System Analysis Scenario
Scenario:
A teacher is planning a unit on the
three branches of government. The
instructional goals for the unit include
having students name each branch,
identify the purpose and function of
each, and explain the concept of
“checks and balances.”
Small Group Planning



Read the scenario.
Use the flow map to assist you in
modifying the unit plan, and include
opportunities to generate, test and
explain hypotheses.
Be prepared to share the
modifications.
Problem Solving
Identify the
goal to be
accomplished
Describe
barriers or
constraints
preventing
achievement of
the goal
Identify solutions
for overcoming
barriers and
hypothesize
which solution
will likely work
Test the
hypothesis
through
experimentation
or simulation
Determine if
another
hypothesis
should be
tested
Explain the
outcomes of
the tests and
whether the
hypothesis was
correct
Problem Solving Scenario
Scenario:
A technology education teacher is
planning a unit on architectural support
principles. The culminating
investigation requires the students to
use a blueprint with the structural
materials specified to calculate how
much weight the bridge will support.
Historical Investigation
Clearly
describe the
historical
event to be
examined
Identify the
knowns and
unknowns or
what is agreed
upon and what
is not
Analyze
evidence to
determine if the
hypothetical
situation is
plausible
Explain the
hypothesis
and
conclusion
Based on the
knowledge,
create a
hypothetical
situation
Historical Investigation Scenario
Scenario:
A social studies teacher is planning a unit
on the Constitutional Convention. One
instructional goal requires the students to
identify the events leading to the
convention, the attendees, and the basic
disagreements/compromises.
Invention
Describe a
situation to
improve upon
or a need to
which one
must respond
Identify specific
standards that
would improve
the situation or
meet the need
Brainstorm
ideas and
hypothesize
the likelihood
that they will
work
If the hypothesis
suggests that an
idea may work
draft, sketch, or
actually create
the invention
Develop the
invention to
the point
where the
hypothesis
can be tested
Explain the
hypothesis,
outcomes, and
conclusions
Invention Scenario
Scenario:
A teacher is planning a unit on forces
and motion. One instructional goal
requires the students to design a
carrier that will protect an egg that is
dropped from a height of 10 feet. The
final project requires students to draw
sketches of the inventions.
Experimental Inquiry
Observe
something of
interest and
describe the
observations
Apply specific
theories/rules
to explain the
observations
Generate a
hypothesis to
predict the
outcome if the
rule is applied to
a new situation
Set up
experiments
or activities to
test the
hypothesis
Explain the
hypothesis,
results, and
conclusion
Determine if
additional
experiments or
an alternate
hypothesis is
necessary
Experimental Inquiry Scenario
Scenario:
A teacher is planning a unit on heat. The
instructional sequence includes an
experiment where 3 beakers of water are
placed in a sunny area. Each beaker of
water has a different color of construction
paper covering it. The students rank the
water temperature in order from coolest to
hottest.
Decision Making
Describe the
decision to be
made and
hypothesize
several options
to consider
Identify criteria
that will be used
to evaluate the
options
Select the
option with the
highest priority
rating
Explain the
process used
to prioritize
and ultimately
select an
option
Evaluate and
prioritize each
option based on
the identified
criteria
Decision Making Scenario
Scenario:
A health and physical education
teacher is planning a unit on healthful
living. The students will maintain a
food diary for 2 days and will classify
the foods according to the categories
on the food pyramid.
Why Hypothesize?
Why
Hypothesize?