Explain Your Understanding
Model Your Understanding
Now, you are going to explain your understanding in a new way- by creating your own SIMULATED MODEL using a tool called Sage Modeler. Click the link below for a quick tutorial video, recorded in Screencastify. The steps in the tutorial will guide your model creation.
Play around to build your model. Add variables, then take them away. Think about how they are connected. Does the independent variable change the dependent variable a little or a lot?
Run your model to simulate it.
Play with the sliders on each variable to change its value and see what happens to other variables in the system.
When you are done building, take a screen shot of your model to add to your Science Journal. There are lots of ways to do this. You can also take a photo of you screen with your phone and insert the photo in your Science Journal.
Play with your simulation to form some ideas about what solutions are high impact and which ones might not work so well.
Use the findings from your model "play" to inform the SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS you will create in the next EXPLAIN section.
Create an Argument
Now, use the guidance below AND the models you just created to develop a SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT to answer our Big Question:
What is causing the decline in NATIVE wildlife populations
in the Everglades ECOSYSTEM and what can we do about it?
Making an Argument for your answer to Our Big Question
Answering a question based on evidence you have collected is called an argument. It is your best answer in this moment and it is based on your experiences collecting and analyzing observations and data.
As you listen, question, honor, value, and evaluate your argument with your classmates, your argument may change and that is ok!
THREE Parts of a Scientific Argument:
Claim - A concise answer to our Big Question.
Evidence - The evidence is observations you have made and analyzed in this lesson that support your claim.
Rationale/Reasoning - the relationship between the claim and evidence must be explained.
What is your answer to our Big Question? Complete the prompts below in your SCIENCE JOURNAL using what you have learned from this entire lesson to support your answer.
What caused the decline?
CLAIM: The decline native mammal populations in the Everglades is caused by...
One thing I learned in this lesson, or in other words my EVIDENCE, that helped me answer this question is...
Another piece of EVIDENCE from the lesson that helped me answer this question is…
My last piece of EVIDENCE from the lesson is...
WHY? Connect your EVIDENCE to your CLAIM. How does it help explain your CLAIM.
What can we do about it?
CLAIM: The most effective thing we can do to prevent the decline of native species is...
One thing I learned in this lesson, or in other words my EVIDENCE, that helped me answer this question is...
Another piece of EVIDENCE from the lesson that helped me answer this question is…
My last piece of EVIDENCE from the lesson is...
WHY? Connect your EVIDENCE to your CLAIM. How does it help explain your CLAIM.