Is It a Rock? (Version 2)

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about an Earth material, rocks. The probe is designed to determine whether students can distinguish between humanmade, “rocklike” materials and…

Needs of Seeds

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about seeds. The probe is designed to find out what students think most seeds need to germinate.

Plants in the Dark and Light

Lesson Plan | June 2021

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about plant growth. The probe is designed to find out whether students recognize that plants use their stored food to grow in the absence of light.

Safer Laboratory Dissection Activities

Blog Post | January 2024

Army Ants and Their Guests

Journal Article | May 2020

The War Over Water Continues

Journal Article | September 2019

Debates over water allocation help students understand Earth systems.

Is It “Fitter”?

Lesson Plan | December 2022

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about natural selection. The probe is designed to find out how students interpret the commonly used phrase “survival of the fittest.”