JoinUncovering Student Ideas Probes
Physical Science
Latest Physical Science Probes
Physical Science Probes
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about force related to the interaction between inanimate objects. The probe is designed to determine which forces students think act on an object at rest when it is inside a fast-mov...
By Page Keeley and Rand Harrington
Lesson Plan
Imagine you are sitting at a table with a red apple in front of you. Your friend closes the door and turns off all the lights. It is totally dark in the room. There are no windows in the room or cracks around the door. No light can enter the room. ...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about forces. The probe is designed to find out whether students recognize that balanced forces act on a stationary object. ...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about complete circuits involving lightbulbs. The probe reveals whether students recognize the pathway of electricity in a complete circuit, including its path through a lightbulb, i...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how we see objects. The probe is designed to find out if students know that light must be reflected from an object and enter the eye in order to see an object. ...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the boiling point of a pure substance. The probe is designed to find out whether students recognize that the boiling point of a pure substance stays constant no matter how long...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about conservation of matter during combustion. The probe is designed to find out if students think the mass changes as paper burns inside a closed system. ...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the effect of solar radiation on Earth’s temperature. The probe is designed to find out whether students realize the Earth continues to cool after sundown and up to sunrise u...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about reflection. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize that all objects we can see reflect some light. ...
By Page Keeley
Lesson Plan
The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about chemical bonds. The probe is designed to find out how students interpret molecular models. ...
By Page Keeley