Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools -January 2010
Grade 4 SOL's
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic 4.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in which:
a) distinctions are made among observations, conclusions, inferences, and predictions;
b) objects or events are classified and arranged according to characteristics or properties;
c) appropriate instruments are selected and used to measure length, mass, volume, and temperature in metric units;
d) appropriate instruments are selected and used to measure elapsed time;
e) predictions and inferences are made, and conclusions are drawn based on data from a variety of sources;
f) independent and dependent variables are identified;
g) constants in an experimental situation are identified;
h) hypotheses are developed as cause and effect relationships;
i) data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and displayed using bar and basic line graphs;
j) numerical data that are contradictory or unusual in experimental results are recognized;
k) data are communicated with simple graphs, pictures, written statements, and numbers;
l) models are constructed to clarify explanations, demonstrate relationships, and solve needs; and
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Understanding the Standard
Understanding the Standard
· The nature of science refers to the foundational concepts that govern the way scientists formulate explanations about the natural world. The nature of science includes the following concepts:
a) the natural world is understandable;
b) science is based on evidence, both observational and experimental;
c) science is a blend of logic and innovation;
d) scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected;
e) science is a complex social endeavor; and
f) scientists try to remain objective and engage in peer review to help avoid bias.
In grade four, an emphasis should be placed on concepts a, b, c, d, and e.
· Science assumes that the natural world is understandable. Scientific inquiry can provide explanations about nature. This expands students’ thinking from just knowledge of facts to understanding how facts are relevant to everyday life.
· Science demands evidence. Scientists develop their ideas based on evidence and they change their ideas when new evidence becomes available or the old evidence is viewed in a different way.
· Science uses both logic and innovation. Innovation has always been an important part of science. Scientists draw upon their creativity to visualize how nature works, using analogies, metaphors, and mathematics.
· Scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected. The main body of scientific knowledge is very stable and grows by being corrected slowly and having its boundaries extended gradually. Scientists themselves accept the notion that scientific knowledge is always open to improvement and can never be declared absolutely certain. New questions arise, new theories are proposed, new instruments are invented, and new techniques are developed.
· Science is a complex social endeavor. It is a complex social process for producing knowledge about the natural world. Scientific knowledge represents the current consensus among scientists as to what is the best explanation for phenomena in the natural world. This consensus does not arise automatically, since scientists with different backgrounds from all over the world may interpret the same data differently. To build a consensus, scientists communicate their findings to other scientists and attempt to replicate one another’s findings. In order to model the work of professional scientists, it is essential for fourth-grade students to engage in frequent discussions with peers about their understanding of their investigations.
· An observation is what you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell. Scientists construct knowledge from observations and inferences, not observations alone. To communicate an observation accurately, one must provide a clear description of exactly what is observed and nothing more. Those conducting investigations need to understand the difference between what is seen and what inferences, conclusions, or interpretations can be drawn from the observation.
· An inference is a tentative explanation based on background knowledge and available data.
· A scientific prediction tells what may happen in some future situation. It is based on the application of scientific principles and factual information.
· Accurate observations and evidence are necessary to draw realistic and plausible conclusions. A conclusion is a summary statement based on the results of an investigation.
· Conclusions are drawn by making judgments after considering all the information you have gathered. Conclusions are based on details and facts.
· Systematic investigations require standard measures (metric), consistent and reliable tools, and organized reporting of data. The way the data are displayed can make it easier to uncover important information. This can assist in making reliable scientific forecasts of future events.
· Elapsed time is the amount of time that has passed between two given times. (See Grade Four Mathematics Curriculum Framework, Standard 4.9, page 24.)
· An experiment is a fair test driven by a hypothesis. A fair test is one in which only one variable is compared.
· A hypothesis is a prediction about the relationship between variables. A hypothesis is an educated guess/prediction about what will happen based on what you already know and what you have already learned from your research. It must be worded so that it is “testable.”
· In order to conduct an experiment, one must recognize all of the potential variables or changes that can affect its outcome.
· An independent variable is the factor in an experiment that is altered by the experimenter. The independent variable is purposely changed or manipulated.
· A dependent variable is the factor in an experiment that changes as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable.
· The constants in an experiment are those things that are purposefully not changed and remain the same throughout the experiment.
· In science, it is important that experiments and the observations recorded are repeatable. There are two different types of data – qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative data deal with descriptions and data that can be observed, but not measured. Quantitative data are data that can be counted or measured and the results can be recorded using numbers. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs and charts. Quantitative data define whereas qualitative data describe. Quantitative data are more valuable in science because they allow direct comparisons between observations made by different people or at different times.
It is important for students to apply the science content they have learned to current events and applications.
· The nature of science refers to the foundational concepts that govern the way scientists formulate explanations about the natural world. The nature of science includes the following concepts:
a) the natural world is understandable;
b) science is based on evidence, both observational and experimental;
c) science is a blend of logic and innovation;
d) scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected;
e) science is a complex social endeavor; and
f) scientists try to remain objective and engage in peer review to help avoid bias.
In grade four, an emphasis should be placed on concepts a, b, c, d, and e.
· Science assumes that the natural world is understandable. Scientific inquiry can provide explanations about nature. This expands students’ thinking from just knowledge of facts to understanding how facts are relevant to everyday life.
· Science demands evidence. Scientists develop their ideas based on evidence and they change their ideas when new evidence becomes available or the old evidence is viewed in a different way.
· Science uses both logic and innovation. Innovation has always been an important part of science. Scientists draw upon their creativity to visualize how nature works, using analogies, metaphors, and mathematics.
· Scientific ideas are durable yet subject to change as new data are collected. The main body of scientific knowledge is very stable and grows by being corrected slowly and having its boundaries extended gradually. Scientists themselves accept the notion that scientific knowledge is always open to improvement and can never be declared absolutely certain. New questions arise, new theories are proposed, new instruments are invented, and new techniques are developed.
· Science is a complex social endeavor. It is a complex social process for producing knowledge about the natural world. Scientific knowledge represents the current consensus among scientists as to what is the best explanation for phenomena in the natural world. This consensus does not arise automatically, since scientists with different backgrounds from all over the world may interpret the same data differently. To build a consensus, scientists communicate their findings to other scientists and attempt to replicate one another’s findings. In order to model the work of professional scientists, it is essential for fourth-grade students to engage in frequent discussions with peers about their understanding of their investigations.
· An observation is what you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell. Scientists construct knowledge from observations and inferences, not observations alone. To communicate an observation accurately, one must provide a clear description of exactly what is observed and nothing more. Those conducting investigations need to understand the difference between what is seen and what inferences, conclusions, or interpretations can be drawn from the observation.
· An inference is a tentative explanation based on background knowledge and available data.
· A scientific prediction tells what may happen in some future situation. It is based on the application of scientific principles and factual information.
· Accurate observations and evidence are necessary to draw realistic and plausible conclusions. A conclusion is a summary statement based on the results of an investigation.
· Conclusions are drawn by making judgments after considering all the information you have gathered. Conclusions are based on details and facts.
· Systematic investigations require standard measures (metric), consistent and reliable tools, and organized reporting of data. The way the data are displayed can make it easier to uncover important information. This can assist in making reliable scientific forecasts of future events.
· Elapsed time is the amount of time that has passed between two given times. (See Grade Four Mathematics Curriculum Framework, Standard 4.9, page 24.)
· An experiment is a fair test driven by a hypothesis. A fair test is one in which only one variable is compared.
· A hypothesis is a prediction about the relationship between variables. A hypothesis is an educated guess/prediction about what will happen based on what you already know and what you have already learned from your research. It must be worded so that it is “testable.”
· In order to conduct an experiment, one must recognize all of the potential variables or changes that can affect its outcome.
· An independent variable is the factor in an experiment that is altered by the experimenter. The independent variable is purposely changed or manipulated.
· A dependent variable is the factor in an experiment that changes as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable.
· The constants in an experiment are those things that are purposefully not changed and remain the same throughout the experiment.
· In science, it is important that experiments and the observations recorded are repeatable. There are two different types of data – qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative data deal with descriptions and data that can be observed, but not measured. Quantitative data are data that can be counted or measured and the results can be recorded using numbers. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs and charts. Quantitative data define whereas qualitative data describe. Quantitative data are more valuable in science because they allow direct comparisons between observations made by different people or at different times.
It is important for students to apply the science content they have learned to current events and applications.