Inquiry+Skill

From Callison p 92, Information Inquiry Across the Disciplines - Particular to Science: **"the information scientist uses data to construct a reasonable explanation, communicative investigations and explanations."** The National Academy of Sciences recognizes the following progression of abilities, or evolution from **novice to expert** from the middle school level to the senior high school level: Middle School: Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data, think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations. Senior High: Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications; Communicate and defend a scientific argument.

In order to describe objects in the solar system and how Kepler's law determines orbits (Indiana standards), the student scientist will have to apply the skills below in order to communicate and present findings in a clear and understandable manner. The AASL standards require collaboration and communication, and thus the student must apply the inquiry skills of using technology tools to manage and communicate, as well as collaborating with team members to create content-related knoweldge to disseminate via creative works.

Grade 7 - (from Callison p 88) Inquiry skills that should be mastered and are used for this project: - Understands the purpose of an applies selection techniques for compiling bits & pieces of information for later use; identifies key words and phrases and locates major headings, skims and scans for major ideas - evaluates the currency of information; can identify copyright date and understands the significance between dated and curent information

Grade 12 - (from Callison p 90-91) - knows the value of a literature review to set the context for the reserarch project and can summarize the main ideas regarding the central question - understands a variety of modes to present findings and adjusts techniques and media to supply the best communication for a given audience or need - uses technology tools and resources for managing and communicating personal and likely professional information - collaborates with peers, experts and others to contribut to a content-related knowledge base by using technology to compile, synthesize, produce and disseminate information, ideas, models, conclusions and perceptions, and other creative works