Advanced Module on Evidence and Reasoning
This advanced module on scientific argumentation focusing on evidence and reasoning can be executed as four sessions that are each 45-minutes, or fewer sessions that are longer (e.g. one 3-hour session). If held as four sessions, the agenda includes an extension to encourage teachers to implement some argumentation aspect before the next session. The following session then begins with time for teachers to share their experiences, as well as artifacts of their students’ argumentation (e.g. writing, video). These sections are optional.
Goals:
- Teachers will understand the different and overlapping roles evidence and reasoning play in an argument.
- Teachers will help students identify high quality evidence.
- Teachers will support student use of evidence by providing feedback on evidence sufficiency, relevance, and source.
- Teachers will encourage student use of reasoning by providing feedback on the connections students make between their evidence and the claim and their use of science ideas.
- Teachers will evaluate the quality of student evidence and evidence in argument.
- Teachers will design activities targeting student challenges with evidence and/ or reasoning.
Agenda
The agenda for this module’s sessions can be found within each session’s page. However, you can also view a downloadable version of the agenda that cuts across all four sessions in this module.
| Session Name | Description | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Session #1: How are evidence and reasoning similar and different? | This session explores the overlap between evidence and reasoning in an argument, and helps teachers distinguish between the them. | 45 minutes |
| Session #2: How can you support student use of evidence in a scientific argument? | This session introduces the evidence rubric to help teachers provide feedback on student arguments. | 45 minutes |
| Session #3: How can you support student use of reasoning in a scientific argument? | This session introduces the reasoning rubric to help teachers provide feedback on student arguments. | 45 minutes |
| Session #4: How can you create classroom activities to target whole class challenges with evidence and reasoning? | This session provides teachers with work time to develop a lesson that supports student challenges with using evidence and/or reasoning. | 45 minutes |