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The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the surface of Earth. It is designed to find out if students recognize that most of Earth’s surface is covered by water and helps students learn about the ratio of water to l...
Book Chapter
Where is Most of the Fresh Water?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the distribution of fresh water. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize that most of Earth’s fresh water is found in frozen form or groundwater. It is best u...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about a major freshwater resource, groundwater. The probe is designed to find out how students visualize groundwater, which can be challenging as it is very different from water reso...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the ocean and seas. The probe is designed to reveal whether students use geographic names and locations to consider the number of separate oceans and seas or use the concept of...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the ocean’s salinity. This probe is best used with grades 5–12, and is designed to uncover students’ ideas about the role of landforms and rivers in carrying salt into th...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the water cycle. The probe is designed to find out what students think a representation of the water cycle should include to show evaporation and transpiration. This probe is b...
Book Chapter
Where Did the Water in the Puddle Go?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about evaporation. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize that water goes into the air around us in the form of water vapor. It is best used with grades 3–8, and c...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about weather predictions. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize the limitations of long-term weather forecasting and to help students understand the difference bet...
Book Chapter
In Which Direction Will the Water Swirl?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the Coriolis effect, which describes how rotating objects are deflected and helps explain the movement of large fluid masses. The probe is designed to find out whether students...
Book Chapter
Does the Ocean Influence Our Weather or Climate?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the connection between the oceans and weather and climate. The probe is designed to reveal how students think the ocean influences atmospheric conditions. Of all the influences...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about weather versus climate. The probe is designed to find out if students distinguish between a one-time weather-related change and a change in climate. Weather and climate are rel...
Book Chapter
Are They Talking About Climate or Weather?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about climate. The probe is designed to find out whether students distinguish between weather and climate. It is important that students understand that they are to select statements...
Book Chapter
What Are the Signs of Global Warming?
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about signs of global warming. The probe is designed to determine whether students think a statement is accurate or complete enough to see direct patterns or draw inferences from dat...
Book Chapter
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s history. The probe is designed to reveal how old students think Earth is. It is important that students include in their explanation the type of evidence they think s...
Book Chapter
Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments. The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about fossils. The probe is designed to find out if stude...