Scientific & Engineering Practices (SEPs)

Review Materials

Standards of Learning

4.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by 

a) asking questions and defining problems 

• ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes 

• develop hypotheses as cause and effect relationships 

• ask questions about what would happen if a variable is changed 

• define a design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system 

b) planning and carrying out investigations 

• identify variables when planning an investigation 

• plan and conduct investigations to produce data 

• determine data that should be collected to answer a testable question 

• take metric and U.S. Customary measurements using appropriate tools 

• measure elapsed time 

• record information from investigations 

• use tools and/or materials to design and/or build a device that solves a specific problem 

c) interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data 

• organize and represent data in tables and graphs 

• read, interpret, and analyze data represented in tables and graphs 

• compare two different representations of the same data (e.g., a set of data displayed on a chart and a graph) 

• analyze data from tests of an object, tool, or process to determine whether it works as intended 

d) constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations 

• use evidence (measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support explanations and to make inferences 

• distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in an explanation 

• make, support, and evaluate a claim or argument with evidence, data, and/or model 

• generate and/or compare multiple solutions to a problem 

• describe how scientific ideas apply to design solutions 

e) developing and using models 

• develop, use, and revise models to demonstrate phenomena, objects, tools, and natural processes 

• identify limitations of models 

f) obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 

• read and comprehend reading-level-appropriate texts and/or other reliable media 

• communicate scientific information, design ideas, and/or solutions with others

5.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by 

a) asking questions and defining problems 

• ask questions that can be investigated and predict reasonable outcomes 

• ask questions about what would happen if a variable is changed 

• ask questions to determine relationships between independent and dependent variables 

• develop hypotheses as cause-and-effect relationship 

• define design problems that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system

b) planning and carrying out investigations 

• plan and conduct investigations to produce data 

• identify independent variables, dependent variables, and constants 

• determine data that should be collected to answer a testable question 

• measure elapsed time 

• collect and record data in metric units using appropriate tools and technology 

• use tools and/or materials to design and/or build a device that solves a specific problem 

c) interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data 

• organize and represent data in tables and graphs 

• read, interpret, and analyze data represented in table and graphs 

• construct, interpret, and analyze graphs 

• organize data sets to reveal patterns that suggest relationships 

• compare two different representations of the same data (e.g., a set of data displayed on a chart and a graph) 

• compare data collected by different groups and discuss similarities and differences in their findings 

• use data to evaluate and refine design solutions 

d) constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations 

• use evidence (measurements, observations, patterns) to construct or support explanations and to make decisions 

• distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in an explanation 

• make, support, and evaluate a claim or argument with evidence, data, and/or a model 

• describe how scientific ideas apply to design solutions 

• generate and compare multiple solutions to problems based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints

e) developing and using models 

• develop, use, and revise models to demonstrate phenomena, objects, tools, and natural processes 

• identify limitations of models 

f) obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 

• read and comprehend reading-level-appropriate texts and/or other reliable media 

• communicate scientific information, design ideas, and/or solutions with others