Science as Explanation (to build students ... - Senior Secondary (TKI)

Science as Explanation (to build students understanding that science explanations are tentative, evidence-based, subjective due to human inference; scientists use creativity and imagination to interpret their observations and make inferences which are socially & culturally embedded and they ultimately construct laws and theories to explain the world – the key NoS elements internationally understood, [Liederman]). Links to understanding about science, investigating in science and communicating science Level 1

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Level 8

Understand that

Understand that

Understand that

Understand how

Understand why

Understand why

Understand the

Understand the

science explains the

science uses

science knowledge

science knowledge /

science

science knowledge is

function of models,

processes and

world around us

evidence to explain

is tentative

ideas change over time

knowledge / ideas

tentative and the

theories and laws

inlfluences that lead

change over time

implications of this for

in science

to the acceptance of

the world

power & limitations of

scientific theories

scientific explanations

and laws

of the world Make observations &

Use observations of

Relate their

Describe examples of

Explain why

Evaluate the validity of

Discuss how

Discuss the impact

suggest explanations

their world to develop

observations to

how scientific knowledge

differing personal

the scientific ideas

evidence for

and implications of

Identify differences in

questions

science ideas

is validated by

social and/or

presented in popular

theories/laws has

different world views

other students’

Predict possible

Develop testable

accumulation of evidence

cultural views

and scientific texts on

been tested and

for the ongoing

observations and

answers

questions

and peer review to

influence the

aspects of science.

modified over time

development and

explanations

Carry out tests to

Use a range of

establish an accepted

development of

Discuss the role of

communications of

establish plausible

types of

theory Describe how

scientific theories

texts/media in

science

answers

investigations to

social & cultural views

Explain how

communicating

Present a personal

Explain their

test ideas

impact on observations

texts/media can

aspects of science

view of the place of

observations using

Provide an

and explanations

both clarify and

science in

science language in

evidence-based

Engage with a range of

bring bias to the

contemporary society

cause-and-effect

explanations for

texts/media to explain

communication of

statements and/or

observations

how scientific symbols,

science

diagrams

Distinguish

conventions and

between

vocabulary are used to

observation and

communicate scientific

inference

ideas differently.