Formative Assessment Probe - Weather

Learning Goals
How does weather affect temperature?

Learning Performance
In order for students to understand that the temperature on any given day is not determined by any one single factor, students will need to utilize all five components of an inquiry-based experiment. Students will first need to record questions in their science notebooks after having been given the initial question (What was the weather like at the place where it was 90 degrees F?) and finding out the answer. These questions can be as simple or complex as the student conceives. This fits into row 1, column 1 in the inquiry continuum - the students engage in scientifically oriented questions and pose questions themselves.

With the questions in mind, the class will embark on a long-term investigation of weather that will take place at the same time every day. Some students may want to explore their own personal questions further, while others may simply record the temperature outside and record the weather conditions and variables (every student will do this). After a long period of time investigating, the class will meet together to confer and discuss the individual findings of each student (or group of students). What data differed from student to student? What data was the same? What do the students think are the most important pieces of information gathered in the investigation? In this way, the learner determines what constitutes evidence and collects it individually - the students are not given any data or told specifically what to collect (except the temperature). This fits in row 2, column 1 of the continuum.

The discussion will prompt a writing exercise in which the students privately record their own thoughts about the experiment - what ideas have changed and which ones have stayed the same? The activity will lead to another longer-term investigation in which the students do independently-conducted research (row 4, column 1) to determine the answers to some of their stagnant questions and to find any other perspectives that were not represented in class. Students may then choose how they want to present the information they find - a speech, a graphic, a chart, a small written piece - in any way that is meaningful to them. This correlates with row 5, column 1 (learners form reasonable and logical arguments to communicate explanations) and rounds out the student-centered focus of the learning performance.